One down, Blues to go!

by admin on October 6, 2014

Queensland off to a winning start with victory over Tasmania at Australian Senior Sides…New South Wales up next! Queensland’s Australian Senior Sides campaign got off to a flying start this morning, with the mighty Maroons winning their Round 1 tussle with Tasmania at Tweed Heads Bowls Club.
Despite the blustery conditions on the coast, the men clocked up a 10-shot triumph over Tassie, 62-52, while the women also hit the ground running with a 59-52 victory.
“The greens are beautiful, but the wind is just all over the place, it’s coming from a different direction every time you roll,” Queensland lead Gary Mounsey said.
“It was actually a really close game, there wasn’t much in it, Tasmania played some great bowls despite the conditions.”
Queensland’s men clocked up wins across all three rinks, with Neville Jenkins’ four edging out Tasmania’s Wayne Manson, 19-17.
Geoff Hawken’s boys beat Phillip Moore 24-20, while Ken Luck’s team shot down John McKibben, 19-15.
“We had a great game and it’s nice to get off to a winning start,” said Musgrave Hill bowler Mounsey, who is playing in his second Australian Senior Sides for Queensland.
In other men’s results, New South Wales beat WA 72-55, SA demolished NT 71-34 and ACT edged out Victoria, 58-50.
 
Women
It was a harder slog for Queensland’s women, with the Maroons forced to fight tooth and nail for their Round 1 win.
Down 1-17 early in the match, the Queenslanders slowly clawed their way back, finally hitting the front with about 10 ends to go.

“We were down loads at one stage, but we pulled together and got ourselves into a winning position,” Senior Sides debutante, Pialba’s Lynn Long said.
“They’re a good mob of ladies in this side and it’s great to be here playing alongside them.
“It’s very exciting to get a win first up, we just need to keep it going now.”
Long played third in skip Jenny Blundell’s winning team, which squeaked home with a one-shot win over Tassie’s Ruby Jamieson, 20-19.
Meanwhile on the next rink, Sue McKenzie’s Queensland four dropped their opener to Mary Beaumont’s outfit, 18-15.
Luckily Patty Elliot’s crew was there to pick up the slack, pulling the Maroons over the line with a 24-15 victory over Gaylene Elsworthy.
Next up this afternoon is Queensland’s arch-nemesis on the national stage, New South Wales.
While the Blues got off to a good start in the men’s comp, the NSW women suffered a two-rink loss to WA this morning, 72-55.
Victoria’s women also went down, beaten by ACT in a shock result, 58-50. (SA had a bye).
Round 2 action gets underway about 15 minutes behind schedule at 1.30pm.