HAT-TRICK OF FINALS FOR THE DOLPHINS FIRST GRADE WOMEN
THE Gold Coast Dolphins’ semi-final heroes are taking it upon themselves to underline the city’s reputation as an emerging powerhouse of Queensland cricket.
Still one of the smallest of the 12 Premier Cricket clubs, the Dolphins continue to punch above their weight and will have three teams – the first and second grade men, as well as first grade women contesting do-or-die finals this weekend.
While the men will make trips to University of Queensland and Norths respectively today and tomorrow, the minor premiership-winning women will today host Ipswich Logan for a spot in tomorrow’s one-day title decider at Allan Border Field.
While silverware is the ultimate goal, the players are also determined to prove the Gold Coast can match it with their rivals up the M1.
“We’re the only team down here and Swanny (coach Chris Swan) said at the start of the season to show we’re one of the best teams in the comp and show what we’ve got,” first grade all-rounder Josh Kann said.
“It’s good to have not just one team in finals, like the past few years. To have first grade in the finals, it’s awesome.
“We had a meeting (on Thursday) and we said ‘finals cricket, no-one goes in on top, any team can win’. The margins in a game are smaller in finals and there’s a lot more pressure.
“The boys have prepared so well over the last few weeks. We’ve won three in a row so that’s been a confidence boost that we haven’t lost in six weeks.”
Women’s captain Belinda McDougall said finals appearances for the three sides were positive signs.
“The guys have been training well and obviously that’s shown with their results, and we’re kind of the same. It’s been good to see the guys amongst the finals,” the influential all-rounder said. “We actually lost to Ipswich two rounds ago, which was a big shock for us. Then the next week we had
Sandgate and they’re a really decent team so we knew we had to pull our finger out and we did. We’re confident but also wary of what (Ipswich) can do.”