The Bulletin casts an eye over the Gold Coast Dolphins’ campaign to deliver its season report card

WITH the Gold Coast Dolphins’ men wrapping up a Queensland Premier Cricket campaign of immense promise on Saturday, the Bulletin delivers its 2018-19 season report card.

WITH the Gold Coast Dolphins’ men wrapping up a Queensland Premier Cricket campaign of immense promise on Saturday, the Bulletin delivers its 2018-19 season report card.

2018-19 OVERVIEW

Two-Day

Ladder position: 6th

Results: 4 wins (1 outright), 3 draws, 4 losses

One-Day

Ladder position: 11th

Results: 1 draw, 2 losses

Twenty20

Ladder position: 11th

Results: 2 wins, 5 losses

Overall Rating: B+

Having finished ninth in the 2016-17 two-day competition and 11th last season, 2018-19 was a massive step in the right direction.

The side for Round 1 had an average age of 20 and the lack of any senior figures was only compounded with the mid-season axing of coach Jerry Cassell.

COAST WEEKEND SPORTS GALLERY

But despite the inexperience and a 21-year-old captain in Max Houlahan, the Dolphins showed fight to remain in the finals hunt well into the back end of the season.

Wins over ladder-leading Norths in the penultimate round, and then an eight-wicket outright against Redlands to sign off the campaign, have given the club hope brighter days lie ahead.

Max Bryant was the only Dolphins batsman to register a century in the two-day competition. Picture: Mike Batterham

Batting Rating: B+

Too many starts, not enough hundreds.

While the Dolphins scored the fourth-most runs (3393) in the two-day competition, an inability to convert starts into matchwinning knocks proved the difference between finishing in the top four.

Max Bryant, a semi-regular contributor in between Queensland and Brisbane Heat commitments, was the only player to reach triple figures in two-day action, while Jack Cooper, who spent majority of the season in second grade, smashed a T20 ton.

SMITH EMERGES AS FIRST GRADE FORCE FOR DOLPHINS

With eight half-centuries, standout batsman Lewin Maladay will be frustrated with his conversion rate, while Jack Hargreaves (4), Max Houlahan and Liam Hope-Shackley (3 each) were also guilty of failing to turn regular fifties into hundreds.

Despite the issue, the side posted 229 or more in nine of their 11 completed innings – a big improvement.

Lewin Maladay was a shining light with the bat. Picture: Richard Gosling

Bowling Rating: B

The club hunted as a pack to get the job done this season, but a strike bowler may be what they need to break into the finals.

Spinner Matt Kuhnemann (31 wickets at 28.77) and fast bowlers Josh Kann (25 wickets at 22.84), Liam Hope-Shackley (23 wickets at 31.70), Jackson Smith (19 wickets at 33.32) and Ben Davis (16 wickets at 27.88) all toiled hard but were unable to run through teams.

Aside from the final game when the Dolphins rolled Redlands for 70, the smallest total they restricted an opposing team to in 10 two-day innings was 229 – far from diabolical but still room for improvement.

GUNS FIRE AS DOLPHINS BOOK FINAL BERTH

Rising all-rounder Josh Kann. Picture: Brody Grogan/Cricket Australia

The Highlight:

It’s hard to go past the Round 21 dismantling of Norths.

Defending premiers and sitting top of the table, the Vikings were at one point reduced to 7-58 as Josh Kann ran riot en route to 7-87.

While Norths fought back to reach 239 in pursuit of 265, the loss all but ended their minor premiership hopes.

The Star:

Lewin Maladay. The 21-year-old came of age after handing the wicketkeeping duties to Mitch Daly, finishing the season with 788 runs at an average of 35.82, including eight half-centuries.

Higher honours may not be far away.

CUP’S TOP-FOUR RACE TO ENTER FINAL DAY

Liam Hope-Shackley was the backbone of the Dolphins side.

The Backbone:

With 543 runs at 30.17 and 23 wickets at 31.70, all-rounder Liam Hope-Shackley was ever reliable.

The Find:

Josh Kann. The 19-year-old started the season as a fringe first grader but ended it with 227 runs at 28.38, 25 wickets at 22.84 and a tour of Sri Lanka with the Australian under-19s.