Gold Coast Dolphins’ match against Ipswich-Logan Hornets evenly poised

GOLD Coast dug deep to share the honours on a storm-shortened first day of their Queensland Premier Cricket match against Ipswich-Logan.

GOLD Coast dug deep to share the honours on a storm-shortened first day of their Queensland Premier Cricket match against Ipswich-Logan.

The Dolphins were well and truly on the back foot early at Baxter Oval on Saturday as the hosts reached 1-116 before wickets to Liam Hope-Shackley and Matt Kuhnemann (two) pegged the score back to 4-173.

Play lasted just two balls after lunch before constant lightning and thunder set in to force an early end, with the Hornets 4-186 at stumps.

“I think the game is evenly poised at the moment,” said Kuhnemann, who signed a Big Bash League deal with the Brisbane Heat during the week.

“They got off to a good start but during the middle period we bowled really well.

“We just set defensive fields and bowled stump-to-stump. We built some pressure on the batters and we got some reward for it.

Gold Coast Dolphins and Brisbane Heat spinner Matt Kuhnemann. Picture: Brisbane Heat

“Credit to the way the fast bowlers came back from their first spell; their second spells and even third spells were beautiful to watch and made my life a bit easier bowling spin at the other end.”

With 106 overs of play to come next Saturday, some more up-tempo cricket is expected to give both sides a sniff of victory.

“They will have to come hard early and make a game out of it,” Kuhnemann said.

“We’re in a good spot at the moment, we have got their four best batters out so if we get one or two more wickets then we’ll be more comfortable.

“We’ll definitely back ourselves (to chase a total), especially at Ipswich where it is a relatively flat wicket.”

Gold Coast have already shown their ability to bat second this season, chasing down Wynnum-Manly’s 322 last month.