Gold Coast Dolphins remain confident they can beat Toombul after a successful opening day of play
Gold Coast captain Jack Hargreaves remains confident the Dolphins can win their Queensland premier cricket clash against Toombul despite losing early wickets, including one in controversial fashion.
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GOLD Coast captain Jack Hargreaves remains confident the Dolphins can win their Queensland premier cricket clash against Toombul despite losing early wickets, including one in controversial fashion.
The Dolphins will resume at 4/80 this Saturday at Ken Mackay Oval, chasing a total of 238 runs to win over a Toombul team yet to record a two-day victory this season.
Paceman Nathan Lyons produced the best bowling performance of his season so far, taking 5/64 to help restrict Toombul to 237 runs on a flat wicket.
Hargreaves opened and fell for 26 runs while Gold Coast also lost Scott Palombo (0), Hugo Burdon (12) and Liam Hope-Shackley (23).
Hargreaves said the return of Max Bryant and Matt Kuhnemann, who missed the opening day due to representative duties for the Cricket Australia XI team, and the strength of batters yet to hit the crease had Gold Coast within reach of winning.
“Our bowlers were really good, they stood up and did a job in the heat and bowled some pretty long spells,” Hargreaves said.
“Unfortunately we lost four wickets at the end. I think we are in a pretty good spot.
“I back the guys we have coming in, we have a really strong batting line up.”
Controversy surrounded Bardon’s wicket, with Gold Coast Dolphins players adamant the ball hit the turf when the ball caught the edge of his bat.
“He knicked one and the keeper dived to his right in front of first slip,” Hargreaves said.
“It was really low and he didn’t catch it cleanly. Hugo turned around and saw it hit the ground, the other batsman saw it hit the ground.
“The first-slip didn’t even celebrate but the keeper got up and claimed the catch. He said it rolled up his arm and back into the other glove.
“Hugo stood there for a long time and the umpires deliberated over it.”
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