Dogged maroons defeat ACT
Queensland grand slam in three-test series Victory is always sweet and extra-sweet when you’ve got something to prove!
The last time the Queensland and ACT rep sides met at Australian Sides, the maroon women’s side were dealt a harsh blow by the blue and gold.
Today in Caloundra, revenge was both sweet – and a relief!
“They had confidence because they beat us last time we met and we were determined to prove ourselves, in no way was this test easy, but a great result,” Australian Jackaroos captain and Queensland skip Lynsey Clarke said.
The overall score, men 183-149, women 232-150, looks like the test series was a whitewash to Queensland but it was far from that.
The ACT were competitive on every end and both men and women on both sides fought for every bowl.
No one would know that better than Clarke, after her rink was sent reeling in the third and final test by powerful ACT skip and ACT Player of the Series Sharon Harmer.
However Clarke is too experienced to give up, even under the onslaught from a brilliant player, and even without her rink barely making a dint on the scoreboard in the first half of the match (Clarke 2-12 to Harman after 9 ends, 6-15 after 14 ends)
But Clarke kept plugging away, keeping up the morale of her rink of young guns, Club Helensvale team mate Shahn Griffiths on lead, Broadbeach’s Charlie Harkness and country-girl-turned-coastie Bolivia Millerick, formerly of Gin Gin and now working and playing at her new “home green” of Caloundra.
When the ACT rink fell, they fell hard, conceding seven and five on two ends.
It was enough to get the Clarke rink back in the game and they ground away to a 21-20 victory (up 20-16 after 18 ends).
A win’s a win and Clarke was awarded Queensland’s Player of the Series because of her grace under pressure and converting what looked like a loss into a win.
Queensland Male Player of the Series was Club Pine Rivers Robbie Wild, for his consistency.
(Wild will play for Brisbane Gold in the new Australian Premier League at Club Pine Rivers, November 19-22.)
The ring of spectators watching the test series at Caloundra Bowls Club certainly were impressed at the spectacles unfolding on every rink.
“Fantastic to watch, they can certainly play bowls!” one seasoned bowler said, watching the master, Wizz Wilkie, convert another head.
Queensland Men won all three tests, 58-51, 61-38, 64-60 for a 183-149 test victory.
Queensland Women won all three tests 64-63, 88-40, 80-47 to win the test series 232-150.
(See BQ website www.bowlsqld.org EVENTS for score and team breakdowns.)
