Jackaroos bound for the United Kingdom
Australia has its sight set on the 2014 Commonwealth Games as it travels to the UK. A 19-strong Australian contingent comprising of 13 Jackaroos, four para-sport and two vision-impaired bowlers will have their boarding passes stamped tomorrow as they navigate their way to the Northern Hemisphere to begin preparations for next year’s 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games on hostile soil.
The squad, who have collectively represented Australia on over 1700 occasions, will touch down in Wales on Sunday, August 18 to commence training in the United Kingdom before partaking in a vital hit out against Wales, who will field two sides, and New Zealand in an international event from August 20 to 22.
The green and gold army will then head north for the traditional lead-up event to the sport’s pinnacle tournament, with the Eight-Nation Commonwealth Games Invitational test event played under Commonwealth Games conditions, with singles, pairs and triples for both men and women.
Competing in the highly anticipated international affair, which will be staged at the host venue for the XX Commonwealth Games, Kelvingrove Lawn Bowls Club, will be Scotland (A and B), England, Malaysia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand, with the tournament held from August 26 to September 1.
As one of the few opportunities to play at the venue prior to July 23, Australian Coach Steve Glasson OAM will be hoping his troops can acclimatise quickly, with no respite for those who can’t.
The 8-nations Jackaroos team includes Mark Casey (NSW), Kelsey Cottrell (NSW), Karen Murphy (NSW), Matthew Flapper (VIC), Carla Odgers (VIC), Barrie Lester (VIC), Rebecca Van Asch (Nee: Quail) (TAS), Nathan Rice (QLD), Claire Turley (Nee: Duke) (NSW), Wayne Ruediger (SA), Aron Sherriff (NSW), Natasha Van Eldik (NSW) and Brett Wilkie (QLD).
The Bowlers with a Vision Impairment mixed pairs team includes Marian Morrison and Tony Scott, while the Para-Sport triples line-up features Joshua Barry, Anthony Bonnell, Barry Charity and Tim Slater.
