Jackaroos commence World Champs campaign
The Australian Jackaroos have endured a turbulent start to their World Bowls Championships campaign in Christchurch. The Australian Jackaroos commenced their World Bowls Championships campaign in Christchurch, New Zealand this morning, but the contingent didn’t have it all their own way in the 34-nation tournament, with two wins and a draw from four starts.
The women’s singles and fours, and the men’s pairs and triples, are the first four disciplines to be staged at the quadrennial event, and unlike the 2012 edition, these disciplines will be played to conclusion before the remaining disciplines begin next Tuesday.
The Jackaroos put months of high-performance training and preparation into practice this morning in the opening rubber of the sport’s pinnacle event, but will need to build momentum in a couple of disciplines after being pressed by the Welsh.
Australia’s most capped representative Karen Murphy kick-started the nation’s crusade with a comprehensive victory against Cyprus’ Frances Davis 21-7 at Fendalton Bowls Club in quick fashion, while her teammates all competed across town at the main venue Burnside, which will be used to host all finals over the next two weekends.
Murphy will next encounter USA and Kenya to round out her first day of competition, from 10.15am and 1.45pm AEDT respectively.
Experienced spearhead Brett Wilkie and freshly-capped Jackaroo Aaron Wilson were quick to gel together in the men’s pairs, joining Murphy in the winner’s circle with a clinical display against South Africa’s Jason Evans and international stalwart Gerry Baker, 17-11.
Wilkie and Wilson will be pitted against Jersey in the next round, before a highly anticipated encounter against arguably the sport’s most dynamic pairing, in Scotland’s dual Commonwealth Games gold medallists and world champions Alex Marshall and Paul Foster this afternoon.
Their male teammates, Barrie Lester, Mark Casey and Aron Sherriff, were left rueing what could have been after a 20-all draw to Wales’ Ross Owen, Steve Harris and Robert Weale.
They weren’t the only draw in section one of the men’s triples though, with Malaysia and Namibia also finishing on equal pegging, 14-14, which could help Australia’s chances of progressing directly through to the semi-final and avoiding the post-sectional rubber later in the week.
Lester, Casey and Sherriff face a tough task in their next battle, against the home nation’s Mike Nagy, Blake Signal and Ali Forsyth.
The women’s fours team also came unstuck to Wales’ Caroline Taylor, Jess Sims, Kathy Pearce and Anwen Butten in a surprising outcome, with Carla Krizanic, Rebecca Van Asch, Natasha Scott and Kelsey Cottrell dropping their first rubber 15-16, after leading 13-5 in the early stages.
The quartet will look to make amends against Namibia in the next round.
Click here to view the full men’s results from the 2016 World Bowls Championships.
Click here to see the complete women’s results from the event.
Australia’s round one results:
Round 1: 6.15am – 9.15am AEDT
Women’s singles (section 1): Australia (Karen Murphy) def Cyprus (Frances Davis) 21-7 (Fendalton)
Women’s fours (section 1): Australia (Carla Krizanic, Rebecca Van Asch, Natasha Scott, Kelsey Cottrell) lost Wales (Caroline Taylor, Jess Sims, Kathy Pearce, Anwen Butten) 15-16 (Burnside)
Men’s pairs (section 1): Australia (Brett Wilkie, Aaron Wilson) def South Africa (Jason Evans, Gerry Baker) 17-11 (Burnside)
Men’s triples (section 1): Australia (Barrie Lester, Mark Casey, Aron Sherriff) drew Wales (Ross Owen, Steve Harris, Robert Weale) 20-20 (Burnside)
