Darwin double do the deed
It was an enjoyable morning at the 2017 Australian Champion of Champions for the Northern Territory, Victorian, Western Australia and Tasmanian competitors, but not so much for South Australia, Queensland, NSW and ACT. The locals came out firing in the opening round of the 2017 Australian Champion of Champions at Darwin Bowls and Social Club this morning.
The Top End’s Trystan Smallacombe and Colleen Orr both enjoyed a home-ground advantage on their Darwin deck, and capitalised on the situation with comprehensive opening victories against their South Australian opponents.
Smallacombe upstaged 2012 world champion and current Australian Jackaroos Wayne Ruediger 21-12 in front of his clubmates, while Orr was equally impressive with a 21-10 victory against South Australian spearhead Cassandra Harvey.
Victoria’s and Western Australia’s combatants also prevailed in both of their encounters.
Australian Jackaroo Barrie Lester posted a 21-19 win against Queensland ace Kurt Brown, while Lester’s fellow Big V representative, Jess Wallace, got the better of the Maroon’s Cassandra Millerick 21-17.
Western Australian favourite Clive Adams was in sublime form against NSW young-gun Jono Davis during the Rinkside Live live-streamed encounter, where he eventually pencilled in a 21-11 final score despite Davis’ best attempts to extend the match by killing multiple ends.
That match can be relived on Bowls Australia’s Facebook page here.
Fellow Western Australian Pauline Bourne secured a big scalp, in former Australian representative Beth Quinlan 21-16, while in the last match, Tasmania’s Lee Schraner posted a victory despite a sluggish start against ACT’s Breeze Howard, 21-14.
The second round of the event continues at Darwin from 12.30pm local time (2.00pm AEDT), with a further round staged later today from 3.00pm (4.30pm AEDT).
Four additional rounds will be staged across Thursday and Friday.
In round two, Western Australian plays ACT, Victoria encounters South Australia, Queensland competes against Northern Territory, and Tasmania battle NSW.
Bowls Australia will bring viewers a further Rinkside Live match from the next round, focusing on Victoria’s Barrie Lester and South Australia’s Wayne Ruediger, which can be viewed on Bowls Australia’s Facebook page.a
Round one results
Men’s event:
Clive Adams (WA) def Jono Davis (NSW) 21-11
Lee Schraner (TAS) def Breeze Howard (ACT) 21-14
Trystan Smallacombe (NT) def Wayne Ruediger (SA) 21-12
Barrie Lester (VIC) def Kurt Brown (QLD) 21-19
Women’s event:
Jess Wallace (VIC) def Cassandra Millerick (QLD) 21-17
Colleen Orr (NT) def Cassandra Harvey (SA) 21-10
Pauline Bourne (WA) def Beth Quinlan (NSW) 21-16
Chloe Morrison (ACT) Bye
Caption: Tyrstan Smallacombe upstaged world champion Wayne Reudiger in the opening round of the Australian Champion of Champions on his home deck in Darwin.
