Humbled Dolphins batsmen get fresh chance
GOLD Coast’s misfiring batsmen will get a shot at Queensland Premier Cricket redemption against WynnumManly today, with the Dolphins sticking with the same XI that was humbled by Valleys last weekend.
Rolled for just 86 against Valleys last Saturday, Gold Coast crashed to an eightwicket first-innings loss before Hugo Burdon (115) and Josh Kann (54 not out) – the only batsmen to reach double figures in the second dig – helped the hosts stave off outright defeat on Sunday.
Their rearguard ensured the Dolphins remained fifth on the two-day ladder, still just 5.25 points adrift of fourthplaced Ipswich-Logan with four rounds to play.
The same XI will now continue the fight for the Dolphins’ first finals appearance since 2013-14 against Wynnum-Manly today and next Saturday at Bill Pippen Oval.
Despite sitting eighth, the Sea Eagles also remain in the top-four hunt after a five-wicket win over Sandgate-Redcliffe last weekend.
Today’s battle will kickstart a busy week for Dolphins duo Xavier Bartlett and Matt Kuhnemann, who have been included in the QAS squad for Toyota Second XI Twenty20s on the Sunshine Coast.
Fast bowler Bartlett and captain Kuhnemann, a leftarm offspinner, will line up for a QAS side that will play six T20s against teams from Tasmania, NSW and Victoria at Maroochydore from MondayThursday.
Valleys all-rounder Andrew Gode, who debuted for the Queensland Bulls last year and is coming off a recordbreaking innings of 179 from 73 balls against Ipswich-Logan earlier this month, will captain the 14man squad.
However, there was no room for Gold Coast allrounders Liam Hope-Shackley and Josh Kann, who have produced a series of impressive first-grade performances.
Hope-Shackley, 27, has smashed 733 first-grade runs at an average of 61.08 and strike rate of 102.8, including a competition-high four centuries.
Kann, 20, was one of the stars of the T20, registering rapid-fire knocks of 74, 54 and 48 and taking nine wickets.
Dolphins: Cooper, Hargreaves, Burdon, Hope-Shackley, Robinson, Palombo, Kann, Maladay (wk), Kuhnemann (c), Bartlett, Lyons.