Warilla duo the world’s best
On the back of his momentous second World Cup victory last week, Warilla’s former Northern Irish-turned-Australian warrior, Jeremy Henry, has skyrocketed on the world ranking list, with the nation now boasting the globe’s top two talents.
Australia’s recently retired World Championships singles gold medallist Leif Selby retained his position on top of the leader board, a spot he maintained for almost a 16 month period after his first sabbatical from international competition at the conclusion of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, although only by the slimmest of margins.
The Warilla club mates now sit on equal world ranking points, 1050, after Henry jumped four places, with Selby edging ahead positionally due to the additional weighting carried by the sport’s marquee international event, the World Championships.
Two other Australian Jackaroos also feature in the men’s world top 16, with Helensvale’s Brett Wilkie dropping two spots to ninth in the world, while national vice-captain and Australia’s reigning international bowler of the year Aron Sherriff was unchanged at equal 16th.
Clayton’s Scottish spearhead Graeme Archer climbed from equal 16th to seventh spot after his semi-final finish to eventual runner-up Tony Grantham, from New Zealand, at the World Cup.
In the women’s ranking list, the top four places remain unchanged, with Australia’s queen of the greens Karen Murphy holding second spot, behind New Zealand Black Jack’s World Cup winner Jo Edwards.
Guernsey’s World Cup finalist, Alison Merrien MBE narrowed Murphy’s lead, and is now only 45 points behind the World Championships singles winner, while Black Jack Val Smith held firm in fourth place.
Latest world rankings
Men’s world rankings: 1. Leif Selby (AUS) 1050, 2. Jeremy Henry (AUS) 1050, 3. Hizlee Rais (MAL) 935, 4. Shannon Mcilroy (NZL) 660, 5. Ryan Bester (CAN) 600, 6. James Talbot (IRE) 600, 7. Graeme Archer (SCO) 520, 8. Ian Merrien (GUE) 505, 9.Brett Wilkie (AUS) 470, 10. Thomas Greechan (JER) 450, 11. Keith Jones (SPA) 435, =12. Stanley Lai (HKC) 400, =12. Tony Grantham (NZL) 400, 14. Gerry Baker (RSA) 320, 15. David Bolt (ENG) 320, =16. Aron Sherriff (AUS) 300, =16. Jonathan Ross (SCO) 300
Women’s world rankings: 1. Jo Edwards (NZL) 1800, 2. Karen Murphy (AUS) 1355, 3. Alison Merrien MBE 1310, 4. Val Smith (NZL) 930, 5. Kelly Mckerihen (CAN) 640, 6. Tracy-Lee Botha (RSA) 615, =7. Sandra Keith (NZL) 600, =7. Carmen Spiteri (MLA) 600, 9. Natalie Melmore (ENG) 535, 10. Jane Rigby (ZIM) 446, 11. Tammy Tham (HKC) 445, 12. Caroline Taylor (WAL) 440, 13. Saskia Schaft (NET) 425, 14. Deborah Wilford (NFI) 423, 15. Cliodnha Eadie (IRE) 420, 16. Radhika Prasad (FIJ) 360
Click here to see the world rankings on the World Bowls website.
Caption: Warilla’s Jeremy Henry is the new world number two. Image kindly provided by David Allen
