Riggers chasing Indoor double

by admin on June 18, 2014

Maria Rigby is one of  six Queensland women hoping to end Karen Murphy’s stranglehold on the Aussie Indoor crown at Tweed Heads from August 18-22. The Capalaba bowler will go in search of a second Australian Indoor crown when the 2014 championships kick off at Tweed Heads Bowls Club on August 18.
Rigby won her first Indoor title almost a decade ago in 2005 and was runner-up at last year’s championships, going down to Australia’s undisputed Indoor queen, six-time winner Karen Murphy, in the final.
But just a month after claiming silver in Queensland’s 2014 State Championships Singles final, Rigby is confident of her chances at Tweed in 2014.
“I’m in good form. I’m playing well with my new Aero Bowls from Kelvin Kerkow.” Rigby said.
“Hopefully, I’ll do one better this year.”
Rigby won her qualifying spot with ease, beating Tweed Heads’ Donna Clarke 12-4, 9-4 and Lyn Cuthbertson 8-6, 16-5.
Other Queensland qualifiers include state reps Natasha Jones (Bribie Island) and Christina Pavlov (Broadbeach), Tugun’s Lynn Baker, Kawana’s Monika Duff and Paradise Point’s Julie Dean.
Baker beat State Fours champion Bolivia Millerick (Caloundra) to reach the play-offs, where she edged out inaugural Australian Indoor winner Diana Cunnington.
Cunnington, a former Queensland and Australian star, won the first Indoor title back in 2003.
She remains the comp’s only Queensland winner to date, with Rigby representing NSW at the time of her victory in 2005.
Jones, 18, won two rounds and drew a third to secure her place in the main draw.
Meanwhile at Paradise Point, Queensland rep Pavlov played some nail-biting games to win her section, beating Elizabeth McCleary (Bramble Bay) 5-9, 8-5, 6-1, Kawana’s Emma Brown, 9-6, 12-8 and Gin Gin’s Cassandra Millerick, 11-6, 10-5.
“It’s been a very good year for me… I’m looking forward to continuing my good form at the Indoor,” Pavlov said.
Dean, a Paradise Point local, also won her section, with two straight sets wins but pushed to a tie-break win against Queensland rep Pam Rowe, ultimately prevailing over Rowe 4-11, 9-3, 5-3.

Kawana’s Monika Duff had to survive three tiebreakers to secure her spot at the championships, despite close scores in the last two rounds.
The Queensland qualifying rounds for women were held on June 14 at Paradise Point and Tweed Heads bowls clubs.
The men’s qualifying rounds will be held this weekend (Saturday & Sunday, June 21-22).
Murphy chasing seventh title
Australian Commonwealth Games star Karen Murphy from NSW has won six out of the last seven consecutive titles and is looking to defend her title again this year, qualifying as a direct entrant.
She will be back from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow just in time to defend her title.

The Australian Indoor Championships will be held over four-action packed days at Tweed Heads Bowls Club from August 18-21.