Sherriff, Cottrell create history with Australian Open/Indoor double
Aron Sherriff and Kelsey Cottrell have created history after claiming respective Australian Indoor Championship titles at Club Tweed on Friday.
While four players have won the Australian Open/Indoor double (Selby 2008, Casey 2012, Van Eldik 2016, Van Asch 2018), it is the first time a man and a woman have done the double in the same year, after Sherriff and Cottrell were victorious at Broadbeach in June.
It was especially meaningful to the Broadbeach stars, who claimed their first indoor titles of their decorated careers.
The duo laid claim to $6000 prize-money each in the biggest indoor championships to date, with combined fields from 2021 and 2022 qualifiers, with the 2021 event cancelled due to COVID.
Women’s Final
Cottrell added another title to her outstanding bowls resume, defeating rising star Brianna Smith in the final on Friday.
Cottrell continued her season of dominance with an 8-5, 7-1 final victory over Smith.
Smith entered one of the biggest contests of her young career with some nerves, but managed to get on top of them from the start.
She was able to take it right up to Cottrell from the outset, finding the jack early to lead 5-3 after five ends.
But as she often does, Cottrell chipped away to retake the lead, winning the final four ends of the first set to take the advantage.
Smith would take the first end of the second set, but the one shot she collected would be her last of the match as Cottrell took control.
Cottrell would go on to collect one shot on each of the seven remaining ends to secure her first Indoor crown.
The title adds to Cottrell’s season of dominance, having won the 2022 Australian Open singles and fours, Australian Championships pairs, Queensland state singles and mixed pairs as well as being crowned the number one female bowler in the country.
“I’m just riding this wave at the moment, taking everything that comes. I suppose making the most of it, you never know when it’s going to stop,” Cottrell said.
Cottrell said she was pleased to have added the indoor title to her extensive bowls CV.
“I’ve always loved playing on the indoor but its always been the one that I’ve kind of forgone because you take on too much sometimes and the calendar gets too ‘chocka block’,” she said.
Cottrell was full of praise for Smith, who has a bright future ahead of her.
“The last time I made the final I think i was a teenager, from memory I think I lost on an extra end to Karen Murphy. It was a bit of the same kind of final with the master and the apprentice (this year),” she said.
“It was shot for shot in the first set. She attacked really well and got some awesome results.”
Men’s Final
Sherriff flexed his muscles in a dominant display to claim his first Indoor title a Club Tweed.
In a highly-anticipated contest, Sherriff had to get past Aaron Teys in a thrilling semi final in the morning before advancing to take on Dylan Fisher.
He dominated much of the contest, taking out the first set and leading 9-3 with three ends to play in the second set before Teys clawed his way back.
Teys collected seven straight shots to force a tiebreak, but fell short against a super impressive Sherriff.
Fisher awaited Sherriff, after qualifying for the final on Thursday with a semi final win over Chris Le Lievre.
The Victorian entered the match as an underdog, with Sherriff in red hot form. The Broadbeach star staked his claim from the outset, scoring a four on the first end to set the tone for the first set.
He would allow Fisher just three shots in the first set, scoring 10 of his own to take the ascendancy, with all momentum going his way.
Fisher lifted his game significantly in the second set, taking the contest right up to his opponent. He moved within one shot of forcing a tiebreak, levelling scores at 6-6 with one end to play, but Sherriff once again proved himself at the death to take the win and his first indoor crown.
“It went pretty much how I was hoping it would go,” he said after the win.
“I got off to a great start, got the first set under the belt, then sort of just digging in, hanging around.”
Sherriff was rapt with the title, and said he has his sights set on another singles crown he has yet to conquer.
“It’s amazing. I’ve only got the Australian Champion of Champions singles to go now for all of them (singles crowns). That’s the goal,” he said.
“I’m really stoked to have won this.”
