Caught in eye of storm
The men’s and women’s fours are heating up as the conditions are under fire in the challenging conditions. The men’s and women’s fours disciplines have taken to the greens in their opening round one and two clashes in challenging weather conditions at the Darebin International Sports Centre today.
In fitting circumstances, a cloud was cast over defending champions in both disciplines, with Victoria’s Marilyn Russell, Pay Joint, Audrey Hele and Patty Whorlow proving too strong for Phillip’s brigade in the opening round, sending the champs home in a close 14-13 encounter.
Bowls Australia wildcards Anne Johns, Rebecca Van Asch, Kelsey Cottrell and Lynsey Clarke are also through to the quarter-finals after a convincing 24-2 win over Victoria’s Elsie Gale, Kerri Leask, Stacey Collier and Carol McEwan.
Across the rinks in the men’s draw, the 2013 title holders were able to advance their proceedings to the second round, but that’s when the storm hit, with the defending champions meeting their match in Northern Territory’s Mal Trattles, David Duguid, Ian Lane and Phillip Brown.
Brown skipped his ensemble through to the quarter finals with a comfortable 15-11 victory over the defending champions and will now have his eyes firmly fixed on the Australian Open silverware as his team gets set to battle it out against NSW’s Simon Mitchell, Brodie Turner, Jon Dimopoulous and Michael Cronin.
Cronin’s crew advanced their names in this year’s draw after downing WA’s Max Donovan, Farley Andersen, Bill Brandsma and Dave Rankin, 16-5.
In other matches, powerhouse performers Dean McWhinney, Des Cann, Brett Wilkie and Kelvin Kerkow keep their hopes alive, after accounting for Victoria’s Nathan Murray, Luke Aiello, Ian Ewing and Adam Galloway, 19-8.
While Matt Phillips skipped his NSW clan to victory, triumphing over Australian Jackaroos and Bowls Australia men’s fours wildcard hopefuls Matthew Baus, Nathan Rice, Matthew Flapper and Aron Sherriff by the narrowest of margins 14-13.
With general admission only $5 to this year’s Australian Open, you can catch all the semi-final action from 9.30am tomorrow.
Story provided by Courtney McKenna for bowlsaustralia.com.au.
Caption: National captain Lynsey Clarke remains alive in all three disciplines
