Sides race wide open
The Australian Sides Championships race is wide open after the halfway mark of the competition. The Australian Sides Championships’ two coveted trophies are still within the grasp of numerous states, after the halfway point of the competition in Adelaide.
The men’s Alley Shield is well and truly up for grabs, with a logjam of five teams stranded on three wins and a loss following this afternoon’s fourth rubbers at Lockleys Bowling Club.
Queensland finished the day as ladder leaders, despite dropping their last match to the host state this evening by four shots, while Tasmania, NSW, Victoria and South Australia are only split by a count back.
The defending Victorian champion team lost to South Australia in round one, while 19-time winners NSW were stunned by ACT this morning and Tasmania were also the victims of South Australia’s might, which has left the hunt wide open.
In the women’s battle for the Marj Morris Trophy, Victoria and Queensland have retained their untarnished record after securing a further two wins today.
Victoria top the table, but face the five-time reigning champion NSW contingent in a titanic tussle tomorrow morning, while Queensland will be pitted against third-placed Tasmania in a tough test.
Should the two top teams remain undefeated in the fifth round, tomorrow afternoon’s penultimate rubber could well be the ultimate decider.
The NSW Blues, who are in fourth place with a loss and draw, shouldn’t be ruled out of contention, and could well mount a late charge to retain their silverware.
Play will continue tomorrow at Lockleys Bowling Club with the fifth and penultimate rounds staged at 9.00am and 1.30pm.
In the fifth round, South Australia clashes with Western Australia, Queensland encounters Tasmania, Victoria and NSW will square off, and Northern Territory will face ACT.
Full results for the fourth round can be found below.
The third round’s results can be viewed here.
Click here to view the ladder, schedule and results.
Men’s Alley Shield fourth round
Northern Territory lost to NSW 53-66
Kitto lost to Turley 21-26
Smallacombe lost to Ferguson 20-21
Maher lost to Sherriff 12-19
ACT lost to Victoria 40-62
Thomas def Flapper 19-18
McLean lost to Lester 8-22
Whybrow lost to Wilson 13-22
Tasmania def Western Australia 65-45
Schraner def Harris 25-11
Sims lost to Mitchell 16-19
Nitz def Slavich 24-15
Queensland lost to South Australia 55-59
Baker def Ruediger 19-16
Brown def Thulborn 23-19
Rice lost to Kleinig 13-24
Women’s Marj Morris Trophy fourth round
Northern Territory lost to NSW 34-132
Chandler lost to Cottrell 13-41
Richards lost to Scott 9-45
Kitto lost to Murphy 12-46
ACT lost to Victoria 44-67
Harmer lost to Krizanic 14-17
Moore lost to Brodie 14-22
Bacchetto lost to Edwards 16-28
Tasmania def Western Australia 70-67
Hodgetts def Solly 24-18
Triffitt lost to Krstic 16-27
Van Asch def Morss 30-22
Queensland def South Australia 56-52
Keegan lost to Callisto 18-22
Millerick def Wright 22-13
Clarke lost to Johnson 16-17
