Tantalizing quarter final showdowns
Australian Jackaroos and Australian Open singles champions will headline the Australian Indoor Championship quarter-finals today at Tweed Heads. Quarter-finals are upon us in the country’s premier indoor event and won’t we be in for a treat when Australian and international stars clash at the pointy end of the competition.
Australian Jackaroo Carla Odgers was in red hot form in her round two match against fellow Australian Open Fours Champion Natalie Noronha who forced the Commonwealth Games representative to a deciding tie-break.
Odgers was in control for the entire first set; however the second set was a different story with Noronha hitting the lead on the fifth end 4-3.
The girls went blow for blow with Noronha getting the better of Odgers in the final ends of the second set after a spectacular drive from the 19 year old cleared Odgers shot bowl out to win the set.
The tie-break was of the highest quality; Noronha struck first with a one of the first end however the killer blow was the second end when Odgers picked up three and went on to defend her two shot lead and claim a spot in this afternoon’s finals.
A tantalizing quarter-final encounter between two internationals, Australia’s Carla Odgers and the former Scottish international Kay Moran will do battle for a spot in the semi’s after Moran posted a strong victory over Lorena Croft, keeping her fellow NSW qualifier scoreless in the second set.
Mum-to-be Lynsey Clarke put on yet another great exhibition of bowls and now finds herself just three games away from a maiden Australian Indoor Championships title.
Western Australia’s Linda Warburton was on song in the opening set and left Clarke needing to score at least two to salvage a draw and that’s exactly what she did.
Momentum was now with Clarke who jumped out of the blocks early in the second set picking up two counts of three on the opening two ends; Clarke never gave Warburton any chance to get back in the match and won the set 10-1.
NSW NTC Squad member Corey Wedlock blitzed through his round two match in under an hour against Traralgon’s William McIlwain.
Wedlock, recently been selected to represent the Australian High Performance Team at the upcoming Hong Kong Classic, showed why he is on the selectors radars with a flawless performance that now puts him into the quarter-finals where he will meet an APL semi-finalist.
Solargain Perth Suns star Tom Mitchell showed why he is a strong contender in this competition after another solid performance under pressure in his second encounter with Orange Ex Services’ Lee Stinson.
Despite a hiccup in the opening set when Mitchell dropped two shots on the final end to draw the set, WA’s current Bowler of the Year bounced back and took a commanding 7-0 lead early in the second set.
Stinson continued to claw his way back into the match and when he picked up a three on the second last end a repeat of the first set was looming dangerously for Mitchell.
Stinson held two for a draw and potentially three for the win but a timely conversion and pressure last bowl from Mitchell saved the day much to the delight of the sandgropers cheering on their last great hope.
Australian Open Singles Champions Ellen Ryan and Aaron Teys are both through to the quarter-finals; Ryan was in demolishing form winning her second round match 11-1, 11-6 whilst Aaron Teys was pushed to a tie-break against his fellow NSW under 25 team mate.
Teys started the match holding four shots within a foot but Herden’s drive produced a 6 shot turn around; Herden only managed to post another two ends in the first set, therefore the Australian Open champion was in control taking the set 11-7.
Herden won the second set by stringing together four ends in a row toward the back end of the set but the Tamworth local was unable to transfer that form into the tie-break going down 0-6.
Other second round winners were Jeremy Henry who will meet Victoria’s Max Mannik in the quarters, Tweed Heads local Kristy Thatcher who will now meet Queensland team mate Lynsey Clarke and Sarah Boddington who plays Ellen Ryan in what is expected to be quality quarter-final match.
Quarter-final matches taking place at 12pm are-
Barrie Lester (VIC) vs Paul Girdler (QLD)
Tom Mitchell (WA) vs Corey Wedlock
Jeremy Henry (NSW) vs Max Mannik (VIC)
Karen Murphy (NSW) vs Jamie-Lee Worsnop (NSW) *defending champion
Kay Moran (NSW) vs Carla Odgers (VIC)
Lynsey Clarke (QLD) vs Kristy Thatcher (QLD)
