2023 Australian Indoor Championships: Day One wrap
The opening round of the 2023 Australian Indoor Championships at Club Tweed has seen the majority of tournament favourites book passage into the round of 16 on the men’s side, with some large upsets in the women’s draw leaving the draw wide open as the race for the title heats up.
Both defending champions in Aron Sherriff and Kelsey Cottrell ensured their bids for back-to-back crowns would get off to the perfect start with the Queenslanders recording straight sets victories.
Cottrell’s campaign kicked off with a win over the Northern Territory’s Karen Lane, but it was far from east for the reigning champion.
The Queenslander clinched the opening set 7-6 with a single on the final end, before breaking a 5-5 deadlock with just two to play in the second set to take it 9-5.
She will be pitted against emerging Taren Point star Louise Cronan following her straight sets conquering of Terrie-Ann Jones.
2022 quarterfinalist Eugenie Muncaster after the Kurri Kurri exponent took down the talented former Jackaroo in Kate Carriage in a titanic tussle that saw the former progress 8-7 7-8 3-2.
Emerging Jackaroo Chloe Morrison awaits Muncaster after a tiebreak victory over Victoria’s Angela Hackett in her opening contest of the tournament.
The second and third quarters of the draw saw the largest upsets of the day as Clayton’s Lynne Wood was able to overcome Australian representative and Club Tweed’s very own Chloe Stewart with a come from behind 6-12 7-2 5-1 win.
Recently crowned New South Wales singles champion Jessie Cottell was the other big name to fall victim to defeat on the opening day as Tasmanian Denise Tanner resurrected a one-set deficit to take the matchup 3-8 9-2 3-1.
I’m addition, the in form Ellen Falkner was also overcome by Moota’s Sharon Kavanagh 9-4 9-10 3-0 thanks to some extraordinary bowling from the South Australian.
Meanwhile, Australian Open women’s singles champion and second seed Cassandra Millerick survived a huge scare before overcoming Carolyn Glen 7-8 8-3 6-0.
Young star Reese Finn-Young and experienced Western Australian Lisa Featherby also progressed, while South Australian stalwart Laini McGorman and former Scotland international Kay Moran made their way into the second round.
In the men’s draw, Sherriff was tasked with facing Queanbeyan’s Adam Wallace exhibited exemplary bowls to clinch an 11-4 13-1 victory over his counterpart.
The nation’s number one ranked bowler and Right at Home Jackaroo will take on Western Australia’s Stewart Gosstray in the second round after he outlasted Sean Mawdsley in two tight sets.
Former international representative Ray Pearse enjoyed a comfortable salutation against Darwin’s Jonard Galicinao as he and Sherriff look set for a quarterfinal encounter.
Jackaroo Jesse Noronha was able to take down Bendigo’s Matt Robertson in straight sets, while his Australian teammate Ben Twist withstood a tough contest against home club member Adam McKeown.
The major upset of the day came when Victorian Jackson Reilly outlasted Tasmanian Bowls Premier League stalwart Taelyn Male with a 2-10 10-8 5-0 victory.
See the Day One results HERE
The Australian Indoor Championships will run from August 14-17, 2023, and be live streamed on Bowls Australia’s Facebook page.
