Three-time Champs Snatch Fourth Win
Illawarra Mercury
Thursday January 1, 2009
MATT Sargeant and John Green would have been partying like it was 1999 last night, after surviving a bloody day on the green at the South Pacific Bowls Carnival by a whisker.
Green and Sargeant combined to win the past three South Pacific pairs titles, but needed a last-gasp effort to get past unheralded duo Nathan Joannou and Peter Thelan 12-11 in the round of 16. The teams went to the final end of a marathon day at 11-all, and Joannou and Thelan held a shot before the defending champions managed to hit back and claim an unprecedented fourth South Pacific title. Thelan and Joannou were expected to provide the softest resistance to the South Pacific's dynamic duo after they earlier disposed of a team comprising defending singles champions and father-son duo Eric (senior) and Kyle (junior) Johannes, and the 2008 Zone 16 Champion of Champion pairs winners Harry Johnston and Greg Thurling. Sargeant confirmed there would be some added New Year's Eve revelry after such a close shave. "There'll be quite a few drinks tonight, I think," Sargeant said. "It was a very big day, windy, tricky, hot, and we had three tough games."The pairs competition was getting harder every year, he said. "I'm certainly happy. Going for four (in a row), everyone is out to get you and all we can do is our best," Sargeant said.Green said he and Sargeant knew how to pull out a big shot in "clutch" situations. "Matty and I have played together a lot and we know just to hang in there and dig out of trouble," Green said. "He's just awesome - if I set them up, he finishes them off perfectly."
© 2009 Illawarra Mercury
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