Fins have the firepower

Coach Swan confident Coast can make T20 mark

DOLPHINS coach Chris Swan says Gold Coast have the best top three Twenty20 batsmen in Queensland Premier Cricket who could be in line for higher honours should they perform.

Gold Coast will play Sandgate-Redcliffe in their fourth Twenty20 match today at Trevor Hohns Oval.

The Dolphins will be looking to build on the momentum from last weekend’s opening fixtures of the short format that resulted in Gold Coast bouncing back from a loss to win two other matches.

With three T20s still to play, Swan said his team was suited to the quickfire format.

“On paper our team reads really well,” Swan said.

“It’s a strong team with plenty of fire power up the top of the order but at the end of the day Twenty20 comes down to that first six overs.

“With Max (Bryant), Jack Cooper and Liam HopeShackley, I’d say they would have been disappointed with their output combined in the first Twenty20 fixture last Saturday.

“When they are all on song there wouldn’t be any better three going around I don’t think.

“The ball is in their court and they will get opportunity after opportunity to show what they can do.”

Bryant and Matt Kuhnemann will both miss today’s game and will be replaced by Andrew Robinson and Sam Yabsley.

Swan said potential higher honours beckoned if his troops successfully teed off across the grounds.

“There is a big second XI interstate competition happening in late January and these Twenty20s are all going towards that,” he said.

“There are opportunities for blokes to get performances on the board for us and possibly get recognised higher up the chain.

“Another strong performance from Liam would, you hope, have him considered for that tournament. It’s all on him, he needs to step up.”

Sandgate-Redcliffe have done it tough early in the Twenty20 matches, losing to Wynnum Manly, University of Queensland and Sunshine Coast.