Gold Coast’s Xavier Bartlett & Matt Kuhnemann in QAS T20 squad but Liam Hope-Shackley left out

Gold Coast duo Xavier Bartlett and Matt Kuhnemann have been included in the QAS squad for next week’s Toyota Second XI Twenty20s but it is the omission of another star that will raise eyebrows.

GOLD Coast duo Xavier Bartlett and Matt Kuhnemann have been included in the QAS squad for next week’s Toyota Second XI Twenty20s but it is the omission of all-rounder Liam Hope-Shackley that will raise eyebrows.

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Fast bowler Bartlett and Dolphins captain Kuhnemann, a left-arm offspinner, will line up for a QAS side that will play six T20s against teams from Tasmania, NSW and Victoria at Maroochydore from Monday-Thursday.

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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 14-man squad.

Dolphins captain Matt Kuhnemann. Picture: Tim Marsden

Hope-Shackley, 27, can consider himself unlucky after smashing 733 first grade runs at an average of 61.08 this season, including a competition-high four centuries.

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His runs have come at a strike rate of 102.8 - the third-highest of any batsman in the list of top-10 runscorers – and he has also taken 23 wickets at 20 with his medium pace.

Bulls assistant Andy Bichel will lead the QAS while coach Wade Seccombe is on secondment with the Australian ODI team in India.

Dolphins all-rounder Liam Hope-Shackley. Picture: Steve Holland

QAS SECOND XI T20 SQUAD

Andrew Gode (Valley, c)

Xavier Bartlett (Gold Coast)

James Bazley (Redlands)

Joshua Brown (Norths)

Patrick Dooley (Wests)

Blake Edwards (Wests)

Cameron Gannon (Norths)

Sam Heazlett (Redlands)

Matthew Kuhnemann (Gold Coast)

Steven McGiffin (Wests)

Lachlan Pfeffer (Valley)

Jack Prestwidge (Norths)

Bryce Street (Sandgate-Redcliffe)

Jack Wood (Ipswich-Logan)

FIXTURES

■ January 20, 2pm - QAS v Tasmania

■ January 21, 10am - QAS v NSW Metro

■ January 21, 2pm – QAS v Victoria

■ January 22, 10am - QAS v Victoria

■ January 22, 2pm – QAS v Tasmania

■ January 23, 10am - QAS v NSW Metro