2022 Australian Open: Day 12 wrap

by Val Febbo on June 22, 2022

Four finals have been decided following an action-packed day of bowls at the $254,000 Australian Open on the Gold Coast.

In the women’s pairs Wendy Wilson and Tris Doolan put on a show in the opening session to claim a remarkable extra end victory over Australia’s Commonwealth Games pairing of Ellen Ryan and Kristina Krstic.

The Queensland and Victoria duo led for almost the entire contest before Ryan and Krstic re-gained the lead with an end to play before Doolan nailed a bowl on the final end to force a decider.

She would then send the jack to the ditch in the extra end with Krstic unable to draw, ending a classic contest.

They will meet the New Zealand pairing of Paris Baker and Olivia Bloomfield, who booked passage to the decider with a win over Rebecca Rixon and Jessie Cottell.

The pair trailed 2-7 at one stage but managed to claw their way back into the contest and take the match in amidst of huge celebrations.

In the women’s singles, Kelsey Cottrell will face fellow Jackaroo Dawn Hayman in the final after the pair enjoyed strong showings at Club Helensvale.

Cottrell trailed 1-7 against Bolivia Millerick but stormed home to take a 21-13 victory as she searches for a second singles title.

Hayman began her match strongly, storming to an 11-0 advantage over Faye Woodward before claiming a 21-10 win to set up her maiden women’s singles final.

Cottrell and Hayman went head-to-head in the women’s fours semi-final, with the Queenslander and her teammates in Sam Ferguson, Lynsey Clarke and Rebecca Van Asch coming from behind against Hayman’s squad of Jamie-Lee Worsnopp, Genevieve Delves and Natasha Van Eldik to win by a solitary shot.

The men’s pairs will be contested by Jackaroos teammates in Ben Twist and Aaron Wilson, as well as the Victorian pair of Brett Spurr and Ben Winther.

Twist and Wilson caused the damage early in their match-up, racing to a 17-1 lead over Wayne Hutson and Matt Lucas before winning with an end to spare.

Spurr and Winther took their win with an epic 15-14 win over Queenslanders Mark Armstrong and Nick Gosley.