Australia’s auspicious start to Trans Tasman
Australia has drawn first blood against New Zealand at the 2013 Trans Tasman encounter in Auckland today, with a powerful performance from the 30-strong green and gold contingent earning the opening day honours in the best of three test series.
With all three age levels; the open, development and under-18 events, staged together for the first time since 2009, lawn bowls’ fierce rivalry boasts added impetus this year, and Australia certainly hasn’t hurt its chances of retaining its iron clad grip on the trophy war chest after day one, posting test victories in five of the six disciplines on offer.
Under the revised format of play, the countries played two sessions of pairs and triples today, as well as one round of singles and fours across all age groups, with the schedule reversing tomorrow for the penultimate test before mirroring today’s matches on Friday for the conclusion of the test series.
Leading the charge for Australia was the development women’s combination of Carla Odgers, Elise Cowan, Kelly Richards, Renee McPharlin and Samantha Shannahan, who whitewashed the first test with six straight victories and a 32 shot margin.
Having yielded in the men’s development discipline in recent times, after losing back-to-back trophies the past two years, it was always going to prove a difficult task to topple the host nation and clinch control early, but even the inclusion of fresh blood in ACT’s Andrew Howie and Western Australia’s Clive Adams, both of who made their international debuts, in addition to experienced youngsters Dylan Fisher and Sean Ingham, alongside the sole remaining member of last year’s lineup, Matthew Baus, wasn’t enough to turn the tide.
The development men dropped five of their six rubbers, with a 23-7 victory for Adams, Ingham, Baus and Howie in the fours proving to be their only highlight on day one.
In their first clash since the World Championships, held in Adelaide last November and December, both Jackaroos senior teams continued the momentum that saw them attain five prized golden and two silver medallions.
In the men’s competition, South Australia’s world champion Wayne Ruediger, recently selected Jackaroo Matthew Flapper and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Mark Casey produced a miraculous final end in their third session triples match, picking up 4 shots to win the match 12-11 and clinch the opening test.
The Jackaroos women’s line-up of Kelsey Cottrell, Lynsey Armitage, Karen Murphy, Rebecca Quail and Natasha Van Eldik produced an emphatic victory, dropping only one rubber, and reaping the rewards of the positioning swap of Cottrell into the blue-ribbon singles with a 21-14 win over world number one Val Smith.
The boys’ team got off to a shaky start in the junior event, before coming to terms with the hostile enemy territory, with NSW’s Billy Johnson and ACT’s Bradley Thomas splitting their morning pairs match 14-all, and Western Australia’s David Downey dropping his singles match, before the outfit picked up pace in the afternoon with two victories to take their standing to four wins, two losses and draw.
The junior girls’ team also held sway in the first test, triumphing in four of the six rubbers and penciling in a 7 shot margin after day one.
The second Trans Tasman test will continue tomorrow from 9.00am New Zealand time at the the Howick Bowling Club in Auckland.
Click here for full results via Bowls New Zealand.
Trans Tasman test one results:
Under-18 Girls
Pairs: Aust 15 def NZ 11
Triples: Aust 13 def NZ 9
Singles: Aust 15 lost to NZ 21
Fours: Aust 18 def NZ 13
Pairs: Aust 13 lost to NZ 16
Triples: Aust 16 def NZ 13
Series standing: Aust win first test
Under-18 Boys
Pairs: Aust 12 drew NZ 12
Triples: Aust 18 def NZ 9
Singles: Aust 17 lost to NZ 21
Fours: Aust 28 def NZ 8
Pairs: Aust 17 def NZ 11
Triples: Aust 17 def NZ 12
Series standing: Aust win first test
Development Women
Pairs: Australia 17 def NZ 12
Triples: Australia 18 def NZ 8
Singles: Australia 21 def NZ 16
Fours: Australia 16 def NZ 11
Pairs: Australia 17 def NZ 12
Triples: Australia 13 def NZ 11
Series standing: Aust win first test
Development Men
Pairs: Aust 10 lost to NZ 12
Triples: Aust 16 lost to NZ 17
Singles: Aust 15 lost to NZ 21
Fours: Aust 23 def NZ 7
Pairs: Aust 10 lost to NZ 12
Triples: Aust 11 lost to NZ 12
Series standing: NZ win first test
Open Women
Pairs: Aust 11 lost to NZ 14
Triples: Aust 14 def NZ 7
Singles: Aust 21 def NZ 14
Fours: Aust 11 def NZ 7
Pairs: Aust 15 def NZ 10
Triples: Aust 11 def NZ 10
Series standing: Aust win first test
Open Men
Pairs: Aust 16 def NZ 12
Triples: Aust 10 lost to NZ 13
Singles: Aust 19 lost to NZ 21
Fours: Aust 18 def NZ 8
Pairs: Aust 10 lost to NZ 15
Triples: Aust 12 def NZ 11
Series standing: Aust win first test
