Stallions Sticking To Successful Formula

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday November 12, 2008

John Gilmour ON THE KITTY

ALDER Park will endeavour to consolidate their place at the top of the ladder when they host seventh-placed Charlestown in the Invitation Big Bowls Challenge on Friday night.

The Stallions opened up a nine-point lead after their 16-0 whitewash of Soldiers Point last week. They have 61 points and Charlestown are on 46.5 after going down 9-6 to Redhead.

Alder Park will field the same side that demolished Soldiers Point. Martin Ball will play singles, Todd Hughes and Jamie Minter combine in the pairs and Shannon Rowe, David King and David Evans form the triples.

The clash of in-form Ball and Charlestown marquee player David Holt (Mt Lewis) looms as one of the highlights of the match.

Ball has suffered only one loss in the competition this year, and that was in a tie-breaker against Adam Gleeson when Alder Park suffered their only defeat of the season, when beaten 8-7 by Redhead.

Mick Cronin moves into the singles role for the first time this season for second-placed East Cessnock (52) when the Comets head to Valentine tonight to tackle the bottom-placed Lakers (21.5).

Cronin said East Cessnock were still smarting from their 12-3 defeat by Nelson Bay last week when they lost all three rubbers in tie-breakers.

John Wilson and Brody Pitham will form the pairs combination for East Cessnock.

Robert Rees, Ross Patterson and Eric Ryan will play the triples.

"The scoring system in this competition can be very harsh at times, and the result against Nelson Bay could have easily been in our favour by the same margin," Cronin said.

Defending champions Kurri Kurri, who moved into third place (51.5) with their 9-6 victory over Wallsend, travel to Nelson Bay to meet the Marlins (40), who will be buoyed by their victory over East Cessnock.

Nathan Dawson, who has been in outstanding form, will return to the singles role for Kurri Kurri after missing the match against Wallsend because of the Country versus City series. Aaron Appleby, who played singles last week, will play skipper in the pairs.

"The boys are in good form and, even in our two losses against Soldiers Point and Alder Park, they were both matches in which the result could have gone either way," Dawson said.

Wallsend (49.5) will have Martin Champion back as second in the triples.

Col Fraser will revert to lead in the pairs for Mick Kiley when they play Kahibah (40) at Kahibah tonight.

Swansea (33.5) host Redhead (51) on Friday night and the game between Soldiers Point (29.5) and Ettalong Memorial (46) at Soldiers Point has been deferred.

East Maitland (50) have the bye.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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