The Bulletin looks at five things learned from weekend Kookaburra Cup & GC Dolphins fixtures

THE Bulletin looks at five things we learned from another weekend of Kookaburra Cup and Gold Coast Dolphins fixtures.

THE Bulletin looks at five things we learned from another weekend of Kookaburra Cup and Gold Coast Dolphins fixtures.

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DEMONS NO CUP EASYBEATS

Wooden-spooners in last season’s Kookaburra Cup, Surfers Paradise showed they will be no easybeats in 2019-20 with their Round 1 defeat of Alberton Ormeau.

The question now is whether they can maintain that form.

Captain Claye Beams scored a ton in Surfers’ win over Alberton Ormeau. Picture: Jono Searle

STARS’ RETURN NO QUICK FIX FOR CANES

QUEENSLAND FAITH IN COAST QUICK STARTING TO PAY OFF

He has battled through three bouts of back stress fractures but we may finally be starting to see the best of Gold Coast Dolphins quick Xavier Bartlett.

A Queensland contract holder and 11-game List A representative, the 20-year-old claimed career-best first grade figures of 4-42 against the powerful University of Queensland batting line-up on Saturday.

Xavier Bartlett in action for Queensland last month. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

CROCS STILL TOO RELIANT ON KIWI STAR

While day two of Coomera Hope Island’s Round 1 Kookaburra Cup fixture was washed out on Saturday, their first-day capitulation was enough to hand Helensvale Pacific Pines first-innings points.

Missing last season’s Sam Loxton Medal winner Phil Tunnicliffe to Gold Coast Thunder duties, the Crocs were rolled for just 81.

They must find a way to win when their star Kiwi all-rounder is absent or fails.

Coomera Hope Island all-rounder Phil Tunnicliffe. Picture: Jason O'Brien

COAST’S BEST PLAYER COUNTDOWN: 5 TO 1

NESER AUSTRALIA’S KING OF SWING

An unused member of Australia’s Ashes touring party, long-time Dolphins hero Michael Neser showed Test selectors what could have been during Queensland’s Sheffield Shield counter with NSW.

The 29-year-old (3-42) claimed the scalp of first-innings centurion David Warner with the first ball of NSW’s second-innings run chase, before underlining his status as Australia’s premier swing bowler with the wickets of Steve Smith and Moises Henriques.

Michael Neser bowls for Queensland during their Shield clash with NSW. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

DEFENDING CHAMPS NO LONGER THE TEAM TO BEAT

The Dolphins are the Katherine Raymont Shield’s reigning Twenty20 champions but they have been inconsistent en route to four wins and four losses this season.

Worth noting is the fact three of their victories have come against teams lower on the ladder, while their losses have been to three sides above them.

Dolphins all-rounder Carly Fuller.