Brett sharp for Open showstopper
Nothing like a good battle to put to the sword an amazing two weeks of bowls, four national titlefights on final day. Selection in Australia’s World Bowls team for the upcoming international competitions is the prize all the top bowlers are looking for, and Queensland’s Brett Wilkie gets to press his chances today.
The Bowls Australia National Training Centre (NTC) coach based at Helensvale had an up close and personal opportunity to demonstrate his current form against national coach and selector Steve Glasson in the Men’s Singles semi final yesterday, winning 21-6.
Today Wizz will be part of the show stopper for the 2016 Australian Open (June 11-24), playing one of the best bowlers in the world Aron Sherriff (Ettalong Memorial, NSW) in the last match of the tournament, the Men’s Singles final (on the television arena after the Women’s Pairs, estimated kick off about 1PM).
(Both matches will be broadcast LIVE on Fox Sports from the television arena, for those fortunate enough to have that service.)
Only five men and five women will be chosen to wear the green and gold, and what a challenge for the selectors, to choose just five who are clearly and consistently better than all of the others around them, having to look across every state, and to choose so few from the many exceptional performances displayed at AO 2016.
Yesterday was a frenetic day of bowls but today will be more leisurely but still intense for those in line to win the final four important titles.
QLD has interest in the Men’s Fours (8AM) – Wayne Wilson is playing in Barrie Lester’s rink; Women’s Pairs (11AM) – Julie Keegan is playing with 2015 AO Women’s Singles champ Ellen Ryan; Men’s Singles (on the TV arena after the Women’s Pairs, approx 1PM) – Brett Wilkie is keen to prove he’s still in cutting edge form.
The U18 Boys SIngles final will be played on The Bowls Show second television arena at approximately 11.30am (after the Men’s Fours final) but unfortunately, both of QLD’s semi finalists were eliminated yesterday, NSW’s Jono Davis (Dubbo Railway) defeated Jake Rynne from North Dalby 21-16 and SA’s Josh Studham (Holdfast Bay) defeated Mitch Mears from Algester 21-12.
A fantastic final day of the 2016 World’s Biggest Bowls Festival looms, here is today’s schedule at Broadbeach Bowls Club (Friday June 24)
TV Arena (filming for Fox Sports LIVE broadcast):
11:00am: Women’s Pairs Final: Ellen Ryan (NSW) & Julie Keegan (NSW) vs. Anne Johns (NSW) & Rebecca Van Asch (TAS)
1:00pm (approx): Men’s Singles Final: Brett Wilkie (QLD) vs. Aron Sherriff (NSW)
Green 2 arena (filming for The Bowls Show):
8:00am: Men’s Fours Final: Josh Thornton (VIC), Jerome Coles (VIC), Wayne Wilson (QLD) & Barrie Lester (VIC) vs. Steven Dennis (SA), Nathan Pedersen (NSW), Wayne Ruediger (SA) & Scott Thulborn (SA)
11:30am (approx): Under 18 Boys’ Singles Final: Jono Davis (NSW) vs. Josh Studham (SA)