In-form Kann’s Aussie delight
GOLD Coast Dolphins allrounder Josh Kann admits he surprised even himself with a national under-19 championships campaign that has catapulted him into Australian colours.
With 228 lower-order runs at 32.57 and 11 wickets at 20.7, Kann was an obvious choice in the Australian under-19 squad following Queensland’s loss to ACT/ NSW Country in a rainaffected final on Thursday.
The 18-year-old will now turn his attention to next month’s tour of Sri Lanka, where the Australians will play three one-day matches (January 3, 5 and 7) before a three-day fixture from January 10-12.
Having sneaked into the Queensland squad alongside Dolphins teammate Hugo Burdon, Kann said his efforts in Adelaide were a morethan-welcome shock.
“Going back a little while I didn’t even think I was going to make the Queensland team so I did surprise myself,” The Southport School product said.
“I thought I had a pretty good carnival with bat and ball. I think the team helped me out a bit with batting, they set me up with a good platform with batting.
“It’s a goal I’ve had for a while (to make Australian under-19s) and I’ve been working hard for a long time for it, especially in the last six months.
“I’m just really looking forward to play in Australian Game 1 v Victoria Metro: 31*, 3-46 Game 2 v NSW Metro: 42, 4-67 Game 3 v Victoria Country: 26, 3-10 Game 4 v Tasmania:
32, 0-22 Game 5 v Cricket Aust XI: 1, 0-48 Game 6 v Nthn Territory: 45, 1-3 Semi-final v South Aust: 51, 0-12 Final v ACT/NSW Country: 0, 0-20
colours but also adapting my game to the conditions over there (in Sri Lanka). I’ve never been overseas. I think it will be quite challenging.”
Before then, Kann will fight to keep the Dolphins in the finals hunt in Queensland Premier Cricket’s Twenty20 competition away to Ipswich-Logan today.
It is the final game before the two-week Christmas break and follows the opening weekend of T20 fixtures, where the Coast side registered one win and two losses.
“We have a really good team on paper so hopefully we can get a win (today) and set us up for January. (T20) is pretty similar to what I have been playing the last couple of weeks,” Kann said.
In the Katherine Raymont Shield one-day competition, the Dolphins’ women will look to consolidate their top-four spot at home to University of Queensland tomorrow.