Hope-Shackley sends Dolphins striding towards season-defining win

Liam Hope-Shackley’s aggressive 94 not-out has steered his side within striking distance of scalping of one of Queensland Cricket’s top sides.

The Gold Coast Dolphins are striding towards a season-defining win with a late fightback against Queensland Cricket heavyweights Norths.

The Dolphins bowled well to restrict the visiting Northsiders to 181 but lost momentum when Max Bryant, Matt Kuhnemann and Jack Hargreaves fell for a combined 18 runs.

Gold Coast Dolphins batsman Liam Hope-Shackley played a match-defining innings v Norths. Pic: Jason O'Brien

The rot stopped at the middle order when Liam Hope-Shackley and Hugh Burdon arrived at the crease to post a game-changing stand of 130 for no loss.

Hope-Shackley’s 94 not-out from 87 swung back momentum to the home side, who trail by 33 runs with seven wickets in hand and a full day to chase it down.

“It was hard work at the start at 3-18, I just had to survive early,” the 26-year-old said.

“It was a massive time in the game from being well on-top to losing momentum and Norths were coming in hard.

“I had to try weather that storm, watch the ball hard and do everything I could to stay in.

“When they went from their quicks to the spinners I thought it was a great chance to try and back myself down the ground and win back that momentum.”

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Hope-Shackley’s 14 boundaries, including six sixes, brought him within striking distance of his third century of the season from seven innings.

The Pimpama resident credits his dazzling form this season to an off-season dedicated to improving his fitness.

“It’s been a big change for me,” he admitted. “I’ve worked massively on my fitness over the off-season and went from lazy in that department to one of the fitter blokes in the club.

“That’s helped me focus and I’m picking up extra runs between the wickets.

“It also helps in that I’m not so fatigued and instead of getting out in the 60s and 70s I’m converting those to big scores.”

Dolphins’ Queensland representative Max Bryant fell early v Norths. Picture: AAP Image/Glenn Hunt

Dolphins No.4 Hugh Burdon played a valuable second fiddle to the aggressive Hope-Shackley innings, protecting his wicket to amass 36 runs from 97 balls and two hours in the middle.

The Gold Coast bowling attack earned equal plaudits for their tight line-and-length bowling to starve Norths of runs on a pitch conducive to scoring.

Hope-Shackley led the bowlers in wickets too, mopping up the tail end with four wickets while Joshua Kann took three.

A win over Norths would add to the Dolphins’ growing collection of First Grade scalps and minimise the damage from last week’s upset loss to Sunshine Coast.