Bester and Harris extend untarnished run
Queensland’s Ryan Bester and Western Australia’s Pieter Harris notched up their second wins at the Australian Champion of Champions this afternoon. Ryan Bester and Pieter Harris have continued their untarnished run at the Australian Champion of Champions in Keilor this afternoon.
The Queensland and Western Australian hopefuls were in sublime touch in the second round of the seven-rubber decider, which will see the winner of both the men’s and women’s events progress to next year’s World Champion of Champions at St Johns Park in NSW – unless they are ineligible to represent Australia due to having represented another nation in the past two years, as stipulated by World Bowls’ Policy.
Both players required just a touch over an hour to pencil in their second victories, with Bester overcoming the Northern Territory’s Brett Irvine 21-8, while Harris upstaged ACT’s Mark Dulihanty 21-6.
The pair are the only two in the field with an unblemished record, and have equal ascendancy going into this afternoon’s third rubber – tied on the leaderboard for wins, shots and differential -which is scheduled for 2.30pm.
In the remaining men’s second round matches, Aaron Teys made amends for his first-rubber failing, defeating Tasmania’s Jarrod Long 21-12 to remain in contention for the title, while Victoria’s Paul Twyerould earned his first win, overcoming South Australia’s Ashley Halls 21-18.
The third rubber sees Twyerould (VIC) play Irvine (NT), Bester (QLD) face Halls (SA), Teys (NSW) encounter Dulihanty (ACT) and Harris battle Long (TAS).
The men’s competition will heat up to boiling point in the fourth round tomorrow morning, with a rematch of the 2015 Australian Open singles final between Teys and Bester, and will continue to boil-over in round five from 12pm tomorrow, when the currently undefeated duo of Harris and Bester lock horns.
In the women’s event, the first and only rubber for today saw Australian Jackaroo Carla Krizanic firmly cement her position as early favourite.
Krizanic, who is no stranger to the venue, having used to be a member of Keilor Bowls Club, was clinical in her performance against Queensland’s Ester Regan, with a 16 shot victory.
Western Australia’s Lisa Featherby was also in scintillating form, producing her first victory with a comprehensive 18 shot margin against the Northern Territory’s Bronwyn Chandler.
In the final match of the second round, New Zealand Blackjack and world champion Val Smith, who is representing NSW’s Club Merrylands, got out of jail with a 21-15 victory after trailing South Australia’s Renata Callisto 13-14 after 17 ends.
All six women enjoy another reprieve with a bye this afternoon before their final four matches are staged from 9.00am and 12.00pm tomorrow and Friday.
Click here to see the full results and draw on the 2016 Australian Champion of Champions web page.
