WA fire a warning shot to opposition at Sides
Western Australia fired a warning shot to their opposition with a powerful performance against Queensland at the Australian Sides Championships in Queanbeyan this morning. Western Australia produced one of the biggest upsets of this year’s Australian Sides Championships, with a comprehensive win over perennial trophy challengers Queensland in both the men’s Alley Shield and women’s Marj Morris Trophy events this morning.
The men produced a two rink victory against the Maroons in the third round of the men’s competition at Queanbeyan to commence day two, prevailing 58-51.
Despite suffering defeat in their first two rounds yesterday, the Black Swan contingent were in scintillating form to begin the second day of play, with a powerful showing against the then-third placed Maroon side.
Pieter Harris was clinical in his performance against Australian representative Nathan Rice 24-11, and APL Perth Suns gun Matt Ellul edged out Kurt Brown 28-19, but Gold Coast Jackaroo representative Mark Casey’s team managed to withstand Scott Edmonds’ assault 21-16.
The victory lifted the Western Australian men from seventh up to fifth on the ladder, but puts them level pegging with South Australia, ACT and Queensland, who are log jammed on one win.
NSW continued their winning way in the men’s competition, keeping their untarnished record intact with a further three rink victories against the Northern Territory, 85-34.
The Blues are still two rink wins clear of second-placed Victoria on the standings, who also recorded three rink wins in the third round, 69-53 against the ACT, with Barrie Lester’s team recording their first win courtesy of a slender 1 shot.
Sitting it third position is Tasmania, the only team to have two wins, after they produced a momentous victory against South Australia by 1 shot over three rinks and 63 ends.
In the battle for the women’s Marj Morris Trophy, the NSW contingent slipped off the top of the table, but it should be taken with a grain of salt because of the impact of the bye.
Victoria leap-frogged the defending titleholders, with a 72-42 victory agains the ACT, while Western Australia snuck into second spot with a monumental 2 shot win over Queensland.
WA’s Noelene Abe accounted for Julie Keegan 19-15, and udner-25 world champion Kristina Krstic defeated Bowls Australia Board Member Louise Witton’s team 20-16, but Australian Captain Lynsey Clarke did her best to fight off the Sandgropers, penciling in a 20-14 win over Helen Morss.
South Australia recorded their first win of the tournament to jump to fourth spot, with a 59-50 win over Tasmania but are a game and rink win behind NSW.
The fourth round of the event sees Western Australia square off against South Australia, Tasmania face Queensland, ACT to do battle with NT in the men, and the exciting contested between NSW and Victoria, which could shape as the deciding encounter for the silverware.
Click here to view the men’s results.
Click here to view the women’s results.
