Chances go begging for Tas teams
Tasmania may have missed their opportunity to leave a mark on the Australian Sides Championships Tasmania’s men’s and women’s teams have both missed a great opportunity to finish in the top two of the Australian Sides Championships being played at South Burnie yesterday, as Glen ‘Boxer’ Stephens reports do the Burnie Advocate.
After rain delayed games by 30 minutes, it was the ACT that was first out of the blocks, setting up a comfortable lead that it maintained throughout the game.
Lee Schraner had a great tussle with Damon Jeffrey, eventually winning 18-17.
Robert McMullen kept his good form intact with another polished display, winning 24-16 over Robert Chesser.
However, these two rink wins were not enough to cover the loss by Adam White and company, who were soundly defeated by Andrew Howie 36-8.
The loss seemed to instil a determined desire in the team to do well in the game against South Australia.
White, Scott Summers, Tim Douce and Michael Sims were determined to make up for their dismal morning game and played many telling bowls to go down to Wayne Ruediger 18-20.
McMullen helped encourage his teammates to a 19-shot draw with Scott Thulborn, before a clinical display by Schraner’s rink had spectators on the edge of their seats, and they were too strong for their opponents, 30-13.
The men must now defeat the strong New South Wales side tomorrow morning to finish the series in third place series in third place.
The women also let slip a great opportunity to confirm their place in the top echelon of states. Gaylene Elsworty tasted defeat for the first time during the series when she went down by three shots to Ruth Moore.
Jenny Redshaw and her rink continue to impress with a 15-shot draw with Margaret Bacchetto.
But the big difference between the two teams was the Rebecca Van Asch v Sharon Harmer encounter, with Harmer winning by 13 shots.
Needing a win against South Australia in the afternoon, Tasmania put on an impressive display with Van Asch finally turning things around with a 21-14 win over Breeanna Dickson.
Redshaw won 23-11 to keep her impressive record intact while Elsworthy lost her second game of the series, going down to Renee McPharlin 14-27.
The 16-shot win places the ladies in a group of states that will vie for supremacy this morning, with Tasmania playing the highly fancied NSW at 9am.
While the men’s results will see Queensland the overall winner, the women’s event is wide open with several states including NSW, Queensland and Victoria still in a winning position.
