Whiz kid Worsnop
The Australian Indoor Championship semi-finals have been decided and we are in for some spectacular matches over the next two days with plenty of champions among the finalists. Jamie-Lee Worsnop can create Australian Indoor Championships history as only the second female player to win back-to-back titles after beating six-time champion and the only other female bowler to achieve the feat, Karen Murphy, in a thrilling quarter-final that went down to the wire.
Worsnop showed nerves of steel to fight back from a three nil deficit in the deciding tie-break; she stunned the packed crowd at Tweed Heads by sending the match into an extra end after she played an inch perfect bowl to sit Murphy’s last out for a count of three.
The quality of the match was certainly deserving of an extra end, and it was the more experienced player Karen Murphy who looked to have the advantage on the extra end.
Worsnop’s third bowl was a killer blow to the Murphy camp, drawing a back resting toucher and leaving Murphy only the smallest of targets to attempt to dislodge; Murphy’s last bowl went agonizingly close but it was the 18 year old who reigned supreme in a quality final.
In another women’s quarter-final taking place just two rinks away was between former international Kay Moran and Australian Jackaroo Carla Odgers; Moran took the first set and lead for majority of the second set but Odgers was always hot on her heels.
Odgers snatched the second set however last year’s finalist Moran turned the tables back around and led 2-0 after two ends of the tie-break.
The last end was unforseen by anyone with Moran failing to reach the head with three of her bowls; Odgers was able to place three bowls inside Moran’s closest and was not required to play her last bowl.
Odgers now has the tough task of breaking Jamie-Lee Worsnop’s eight game winning streak here at the Australian Indoor Championships.
In the pick of the men’s quarter-final matches, Barrie Lester and Paul Girdler’s match was the only one to go the distance with just one shot separating the pair in the tie-break.
The current Australian Jackaroo Lester and New Zealand Blackjack Paul Girdler were locked at two a piece going into the final end of the tie-break; a drive from Lester opened up the head and with Lester’s last he narrowly missed beating Girdler’s closest.
Kristy Thatcher was unable to join her colleague and fellow Tweed Heads team mate in the semi’s when she came up against a determined Australian Captain Lynsey Clarke.
Thatcher started the match well; however the experience of Clarke began to shine through in the second set when she strung four straight ends and took a 7-1 lead, then going on to win the set by the same score line she lost the first 8-5.
Clarke went on to win the tie-break 4-0 and will meet Tuncurry’s Sarah Boddington who knocked off Australian Open singles Champion Ellen Ryan in one of the highest quality matches of the tournament.
Australian Open Singles champion Aaron Teys breezed through to tomorrow’s semi-final with a straight set’s victory over Gerad Short and will now take on Warilla club mate and former Australian Indoor champion Jeremy Henry on Thursday morning’s last semi-final match.
Don’t forget with all these stars in action you can catch a glimpse of every semi-final and final over the next two days through Bowls Australia’s live streaming totally free of charge.
Visit the Australian Indoor Championships page on the Bowls Australia website for more information by clicking here.
