Alder Park Retain Big Bowls Challenge Lead

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday November 26, 2008

John Gilmour ON THE KITTY

COUSINS David King and Jamie Minter combined to keep Alder Park at the head of the Invitation Big Bowls Challenge ladder on Friday night.

Both new recruits King transferred from Kahibah and Minter switched from Beresfield teamed together for the first time to beat Wallsend duo Colin Fraser and Mick Kiley in a tie-breaker.

Alder Park beat Wallsend 9-6. Shannon Rowe, David Quigley and Ross Ball won the triples in straight sets for Alder Park and marquee player Ian Lean was successful in straight sets for Wallsend in the singles.

The victory moved Alder Park to 77 points, five clear of defending champions Kurri Kurri, who beat Ettalong Memorial 10.5-4.5 in a grand final replay.

King and Minter will again play in the pairs when Alder Park host Ettalong Memorial (50.5) tonight and also on Friday night, when the Stallions are home to Valentine (35.5).

Gavin Kelly comes in as second for Quigley, who is unavailable because of work commitments, in the only change to the Alder Park line-up for both matches.

Hunter Districts singles champion Nathan Dawson maintained his good form to beat marquee player Shane Garvey in straight sets when Kurri Kurri downed Ettalong Memorial.

Dawson won the first set 12-7 but trailed 11-4 before taking the second set 14-13. Terry Ross, Troy Harris and marquee John Green won the triples for Kurri Kurri, and their pairs duo of Matt Johnson and Aaron Appleby were beaten on an extra end in a tie-breaker.

Kurri Kurri will field an unchanged line-up tonight when they host Redhead (64), but they will be without Green and Appleby when they travel to East Maitland to tackle the Griffens (70) on Friday night.

Nathan Mitchell will play as a marquee player for the Cannons in place of Appleby against his former club. Andrew Rees returns to the side as lead in the triples and Ross moves to second and Harris to skipper.

Ian Johns returns to the Wallsend (64.5) line-up as skipper in the triples with Martin Champion moving to second, John Hedley to lead and Phil Williams dropping out when the Bears travel to East Cessnock to meet the third-placed Comets (71.5) tonight.

East Cessnock have retained the line-up of Michael Cronin (singles), John Williams and Brody Pitham (pairs) and Nathan Allen, Eric Ryan and Steve Fairfull (triples), who accounted for Swansea 13.5-1.5.

In other round-nine matches tonight, East Maitland host Charlestown (65.5), Kahibah (51) are home to Swansea (47) and Valentine (35.5) take on Soldiers Point (39.5).

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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