2024 Australian Indoor Championships: women’s final locked in with one men’s
The final of the women’s singles at the 2024 Australian Indoor Championships has been locked in after a brilliant day of action at Club Tweed, while a former champion edged his way through to the men’s decider with one more semifinal to come on Thursday.
Women’s singles
2022 champion Kelsey Cottrell ensured her place in the final once again after accounting for the Northern Territory’s Colleen Orr 9-4 12-4 with a brilliant display.
After jumping out of the blocks, Orr rallied by taking the final three ends of the opening stanza to gain some momentum heading into the second.
The Darwin product clinched the first end of the second before Cottrell raced away to a 5-1 advantage, but there was a twist to come as Orr secured a three to get within one.
From there on it was all the Queenslander, who raced away with the match and a place in the decider against Chloe Stewart.
The Right at Home Jackaroo was able to account for her Australian teammate in Brianna Smith 10-5 9-5 after a superb display at her home club.
Stewart raced to a 4-0 lead early before Smith fought back to level the set at 5-5 with two ends to play before a three and a two secured the set for the 2018 runner up.
The second commenced with Smith boasting a 2-0 lead after the first exchange before a close battle ensued to again see the scores at 4-4 before Stewart again pulled away to claim a scintillating win.
Men’s singles
Jeremy Henry is just one win away from a fourth Australian Indoor title, after an impressive semi final win over Ali Forsyth on Wednesday.
Henry looked at home on the Club Tweed indoor green, a venue he has dominated at over the last 10 years or so. He had the slight advantage over the New Zealand star in the opening set, with eight singles scored from 9 ends, as Henry took a 6-4 win.
Forsyth was consistent in the second set, often putting himself in position to take shots, but the rub of the green didn’t quite go his way.
Henry made the most of strong form and a little fortune to take the second set 10-2 and book his spot in Thursday’s final.
He will take on the winner of Jack McShane and Corey Wedlock tomorrow afternoon, with the pair meeting in the second men’s semi final at 9am AEST on Thursday.
The winner will have a session off before taking on Henry in the final match of the 2024 event.
2024 Australian Indoor Championships continues on Thursday, with four games live streamed on Bowls Australia’s YouTube channel from 9am AEST.
