Defending champions no more
Defending champions Karen Murphy and Tony Wood were among the round two casualty list It was a dark day for defending champions at the $30,000 Australian Indoor Championships, with the demise of the six-time event winner Karen Murphy and men’s incumbent Tony Wood on the last session of play on the opening day.
While Murphy had her colours lowered by Janine Katon, Tony Wood also failed to navigate successfully through the second round, gunned down by former English indoor and outdoor international Steve Halmai on the Tweed Heads carpet.
Halmai, who plays pennant at Belrose, boasts a first-class resume, including multiple English national titles and a runner-up finish at the Australian Indoor Championships back in 2003.
The man who played third to infamous English bowls legend David Bryant in his first England Indoor Series will now encounter Raymond Terrace’s Michael Abel in the quarter-final bout at 12.00pm today.
Abel produced a gritty victory over last year’s runner-up Male Bowler of the Year, Andrew Howie from ACT’s Weston Creek 9-4, 5-9, 3-2.
More round two action from the Australian Indoor Championships at Tweed Heads takes place from 8.00am and 10.00am this morning, with quarter-final encounters poised for 12.00pm and 2.00pm.
Caption: Former English International Steve Halmai has dethroned Tony Wood.
