2023 World Bowls Championships: Right at Home Jackaroos Day One Wrap
The opening day of the 2023 World Bowls Championships was a successful one for the Right at Home Jackaroos as the Australian squad enjoyed 12 victories from 14 matches across the seven disciplines contested.
Women’s singles:
Commonwealth Games champion Ellen Ryan kicked off her campaign with a pair of wins at Broadbeach, opening her morning with a 21-4 victory over Daphne Arthur-Almond of the Falkland Islands.
Her second session saw her take on Thailand’s Orawan Sodok and again it was the Australian who saluted with a 21-14 win.
Ryan’s afternoon finished early with a bye in the final session, leaving her in fourth place in her section.
She will continue her event against Sri Lanka’s unblemished Kumari Mangos tomorrow morning at Helensvale.
Women’s fours:
Kristina Krstic, Dawn Hayman, Lynsey Clarke and Kelsey Cottrell notched up an undefeated day to kickstart their tournament in style.
Following a bye in the morning session, the quartet commenced their title tilt with a scintillating 23-7 win over Ireland before facing an undefeated Canada in the last match of the afternoon.
The Canadian team of Joanna Cooper, Baylee Van Steijn, Emma Boyd and Jordan Kos proved to be a tough task, wrestling back a 3-7 deficit to leapfrog the Jackaroos and lead 9-7 with six ends to play.
Cottrell then took matters into her own hands, playing three sublime bowls in as many ends to send the Australians ahead before Canada levelled proceedings with two ends to play.
With the northern hemisphere team controlling the penultimate end, it was up to Cottrell again to send the Australians into the last with a lead, and she did just that.
A magnificent runner sealed the score for the Australians, holding on to take a classic 12-10 victory and bring momentum into their second day tomorrow at Musgrave Hill as they sit on top of their section.
Men’s pairs:
As defending champions in the discipline, Australia would get off to the perfect start at Broadbeach as Aaron Teys and 2016 winner Aaron Wilson went two from two across the day.
The pair began their tournament with a 26-7 win over Argentina’s Ricardo Rubinat and Raul Pollet before defeating the Philippines’ Elmer Abatayo and Rodel Labayo 27-9 in the second session.
Teys and Wilson enjoyed a bye in the afternoon and will head into tomorrow’s action sitting in second place in section one, behind only Wales, who claimed a trio of wins from their day.
Men’s triples:
After suffering a shock defeat in the inaugural match of the event, Corey Wedlock, Carl Healey and Aron Sherriff rebounded in style.
The trio were defeated 22-14 by a rampant Indian team that completed the three sessions undefeated and on top of section two.
However, the Jackaroos turned it on in their ensuing contest against Turkiye, running away with a 65-0 drubbing to celebrate Sherriff’s 400th international cap in style.
Australia sit sixth in their section as the trio look to make their move on day two at Paradise Point.
Para men’s pairs:
On their World Bowls Championships debut, Damien Delgado and James Reynolds performed with distinction to move into the second day in a phenomenal position.
The pair began the day with a 17-11 win over Thailand’s Anek Banjerdkitkul and Satian Thongdeebefore taking down the English duo of Finn Kyser and Jack Pullin 18-6 in what was a truly brilliant display.
Delgado and Reynolds sit in second place on shot difference behind the also undefeated Hong Kong China with the two nations to meet in session two at Musgrave Hill tomorrow.
Para women’s pairs:
Cheryl Lindfield and Serena Bonnell had a mixed day at Broadbeach, going down to England’s Jennie Sandford and Gill Platt 19-15 in the morning session.
The match was settled after the penultimate end, but the Australians secured an all important five to help with their shot differential in the section.
Session two saw the duo come up against Thailand’s Bualai Kuntong and Somwang Chamnanpana, and the battle was mighty as both teams jostled for the ascendacy.
Eventually it was the Commonwealth Games silver medallists who clinched a crucial one-shot victory.
Australia is placed third in the section as the action heads to Musgrave Hill tomorrow.
Vision impaired mixed pairs:
Jacky Hudson and Jake Fehlberg were in fine form at Broadbeach, ending the day unbesmirched as they kicked off their title tilt.
The pair, with their directors Rob Hudson and Cody Fehlberg, defeated the Commonwealth champions in Scotland 18-12 to open the day before a bye in the second session.
Following the rest, the team picked up where they left off by overcoming Hong Kong China 16-10 to end the day in second place behind South Africa.
The World Bowls Championships are proudly supported by Tourism and Events Queensland and Major Events Gold Coast.
Find the day one results HERE
The World Bowls Championships is being staged across five Gold Coast clubs until September 10, with the first lot of finals staged at Helensvale this weekend, before the able-body disciplines reverse in the second week of competition. Live streaming will be on Bowls Australia’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
