Semi-final showdowns set for Australian Indoor title
The Australian Indoor Championships semi-finals are set to erupt, with a defending champion and both reigning Australian Open singles winners among the contenders. Defending champion Jeremy Henry has eased his way into the semi-finals of the Australian Indoor Championships and is just two wins away from a fairytale finish and a third title.
Standing in his way is Barrie Lester, an Australian Jackaroo in arguably career best form and riding a wave of success after securing a boarding ticket to the World Bowls Championships in Christchurch later this year.
Henry made light work of his former Perth Suns teammate Clive Adams, 11-1, 11-2 in their quarter-final encounter, while Lester upstaged East Maitland’s Joshua Bell 8-5, 9-8.
Glory and riches, in the form of the coveted national title and $6,000 winner’s cheque on offer, are undoubtedly tantalising prospects for Henry, but he has no need for one of the most prized spoils of the event.
Two players are afforded entry into the following year’s World Cup, to don the green and gold uniform representing Australia, by virtue of winning the Australian Indoor Championships, but Henry is already the reigning champion of that event too, and will be awarded direct entry to defend his crown.
While Henry remains hopeful of adding another chapter to his illustrious chronicle, which includes gold medals obtained in 2011 and 2015, the book has been shut closed for the other titleholder.
Carla Krizanic’s story came to a stunning conclusion in the quarter-finals, with 19 year-old recently selected Australian Jackaroo Dawn Hayman affirming the reasons behind the national selectional panel’s faith, with a gritty 6-4, 9-9 victory.
The challenge doesn’t get any easier for the St Johns Park ace though, with a titanic tussle set with World Championships-bound Rebecca Van Asch to kick start proceedings tomorrow at 9.00am.
In the other half of the draws, reigning Australian Open men’s and women’s singles champions Aron Sherriff and Natasha Scott have both kept their chances of securing the nation’s most prestigious double, the Indoor and Outdoor singles titles, alive in the same year.
Scott will face Merryland’s Samantha Noronha, 20, who cut a swath through the competition on day two of the event, eliminating Australian stalwart Kelsey Cottrell and Canadian international Kelly McKerihen in successive matches, while Sheriff will play the penultimate round against 17 year-old up-and-coming Melbourne spearhead Curtis Hanley.
The semi-finals and finals of both the men’s and women’s disciplines will be televised on SBS’ The Bowls Show from Sunday, September 4 at 1.00pm and will run across four episodes.
Semi-final fixture:
Wednesday:
Women’s semi-final one (9.00am): Dawn Hayman (St Johns Park, NSW) vs Rebecca Van Asch (Invermay, TAS)
Men’s semi-final one (11.00am): Jeremy Henry (Warilla, NSW) vs Barrie Lester (Mulgrave Country Club, VIC)
Women’s semi-final two (2.00pm): Samantha Noronha (Merrylands, NSW) vs Natasha Scott (Raymond Terrace, NSW)
Thursday:
Men’s semi-final two (9.00am): Curtis Hanley (Melbourne, VIC) vs Aron Sherriff (Ettalong Memorial)
Women’s final (11.00am)
Men’s final (2.00pm)
Click here for full results from the 2016 Australian Indoor Championships men’s singles.
Click here to view the full results from the 2016 Australian Indoor Championships women’s singles.
