National rankings race heating up
Natasha Scott and Ryan Bester are once again ahead of the National Rankings; however challengers are coming thick and fast ahead of the pinnancle event on the calendar, the Australian Open It’s the who’s who of Australian bowls currently residing at the top of the Women’s National Rankings; however it’s last year’s champion and current Australian Jackaroo Natasha Scott still the one to beat in the race to be crowned Australia’s Female Bowler of the Year.
Natasha Scott is soaring ahead of the field as she aims for the second consecutive top of the table finish; whilst in the men’s rankings Ryan Bester leads the charge once more but will not have it all his own way as we approach the final months in this rankings period.
Scott’s mammoth collection of ranking points during the 2015 NSW State Championships has the Australian Jackaroo well placed 158 points clear of Carla Krizanic in second.
Fellow Australian Jackaroo team mate Carla Krizanic (nee Odgers) will need to reduce the deficit prior to the Australian Open as the two are set to team up in the pairs and fours where they will be defending their title alongside Merrylands twins Samantha and Natalie Noronha.
Krizanic will get her opportunity when she competes in the Victorian Champion of Champion Singles, the Victorian State Singles and Victorian State Fours; which combined is worth a total of 162 points, enough to see Krizanic take the lead providing Scott’s points remain the same.
Scott has already surpassed the total of 265 she set in the inaugural rankings year with the Australian Open and South Tweed Prestige Singles still to come for the current Asia Pacific Games fours gold medallist.
The top five women’s rankings is rounded out by current and former Australian Jackaroos Lisa Phillips, Claire Turley and Anne Johns.
The top of the men’s rankings is far more congested with former Australian representative Lee Schraner surging into second spot, closely followed by Jeremy Henry (NSW), Chris Herden (NSW) and Garry Ball (VIC).
Schraner only trails Bester by 23.4 points after notable victories in the Tasmanian State Triples and Fours, the Moama Classic Pairs, the East Launceston Bill Springer Singles and most recently the top performed bowler at the Glenorchy Rodman Easter Carnival.
State Championships will play a big part with plenty of points on offer for Queenslanders during their state carnival in May and South Australia’s this month; certainly a chance for Ryan Bester to extend his lead on the field or see other bowlers come into the frame ahead of the Australian Open.
The calendars pinnacle event, The Australian Open is the only tier one ranking event with the most points on offer throughout the year; there is 120 points available to the singles champion, 90 points each for the pair’s champions and 60 points to the fours champions.
If you have an event coming up don’t forget to register it as a ranking event and help bowler in your local area accumulate ranking points or attract elite bowlers to your event chasing some bonus points as we near the end of the rankings year.
Visit http://www.bowlsaustralia.com.au/Events/Player-Ranking-System to register your event.
To view the current men’s standings click here
To view the current women’s standings click here
