#BPL11: Day 3
No questions were answered as to who is the #BPL11 favourite heading into the final day on Friday, with a dramatic Day 3 played out at Moama on Thursday.
Home-town Murray Steamers sit in top spot after 12 rounds, fighting back after an injury to New Zealand international Jo Edwards.
In Murray’s third match of the day against Perth Suns, Edwards was on the receiving end of a deflected bowl from a Ryan Bester drive, collecting her heavily on the shin.
Unable to compete in the night session, Australian representative Lynsey Clarke – who is in Moama covering the event on the live broadcast – was called on to replace Edwards.
Edwards will assess the injury on Friday as to whether she will finish out the competition.
The Steamers sit level on wins with the Lions, who picked up three consecutive wins to start the day, only dropping their final match on the TV rink in a close match tie-break.
With just two rounds remaining, #BPL11 is shaping up as one of the closest events ever, with five teams sharing the same win-loss record of six wins and six losses, with net set points proving the difference at this stage.
The Adelaide Pioneers, Brisbane Pirates, Melbourne Roys, Melbourne Pulse and Tweed Heads Ospreys all boast 6-6 records heading into the final day of play.
The Perth Suns wasted their second chance at a finals spot, picking up just one win on Thursday to sit in last place with two rounds remaining.
Friday is expected to be full of mini-finals, with seven teams in the hunt for four finals spots, with no side guaranteed a place as of yet.
Progress results from #BPL11 below:
Round 9 –
Sydney Lions def Perth Suns 4-2 4-5 2-0
Melbourne Roys def by Brisbane Pirates 1-7 7-4 0-1
Murray Steamers def by Melbourne Pulse 5-3 0-9 0-1
Tweed Heads Ospreys def by Adelaide Pioneers 2-9 5-8
Round 10 –
Melbourne Roys def by Tweed Heads Ospreys 4-8 7-8
Melbourne Pulse def Perth Suns 2-8 8-7 1-0
Adelaide Pioneers def by Sydney Lions 6-7 1-6
Brisbane Pirates def Murray Steamers 6-6 4-1
Round 11 –
Perth Suns def by Murray Steamers 4-6 6-6
Tweed Heads Ospreys def by Sydney Lions 5-7 0-7
Melbourne Roys def Melbourne Pulse 7-1 7-3
Brisbane Pirates def by Adelaide Pioneers 6-5 5-8 0-1
Round 12 –
Tweed Heads Ospreys def Brisbane Pirates 3-3 9-2
Sydney Lions def by Melbourne Pulse 7-8 5-4 0-1
Perth Suns def Melbourne Roys 1-7 7-0 3-0
Adelaide Pioneers def by Murray Steamers 3-3 1-6
Bowls Premier League 11 – #BPL11
February 25-28, 2020
Moama Bowling Club, NSW
Day Sessions: From 11am AEDT (Stream via Bowls Australia Facebook)
Night Sessions: From 5pm AEDT (Watch live via Fox Sports, Kayo Sports & Sky Sport NZ)
Teams
Adelaide Pioneers: Wayne Ruediger, Scott Thulborn, Bec Van Asch (Coach – Les Carter)
Brisbane Pirates: Alex Marshall, Michael Breen, Kelsey Cottrell (Dave Edwards)
Melbourne Pulse: Gary Kelly, Barrie Lester, Natasha Scott (Rob Wilson)
Melbourne Roys: Aaron Wilson, Matt Flapper, Carla Krizanic (Ian Ewing)
Murray Steamers: Ryan Bester, Michael Walker*, Jo Edwards* (David Ferguson*)
Perth Suns: Lee Schraner, Cody Packer, Kristina Krstic (Ross Dempsey*)
Sydney Lions: Aron Sherriff, Ben Twist, Karen Murphy (Steve Glasson)
Tweed Heads Ospreys: Aaron Teys, Kurt Brown, Chloe Stewart (Wayne Turley)
