Sides cross swords at Sunnybank
The QLD test team for Australian Sides 2017 had a chance to put out fires under test conditions at Sunnybank Bowls Club. The practice session at Sunnybank Bowls Club (March 19) for the Queensland test team ahead of Australian Sides Championships saw a few nervous moments for the selectors, as the Invited Men held their own against the selected Maroons, and in fact, kept one shot ahead on the Master Board for the first half of the first match.
In the second match, two of the Invited women’s rinks defeated the QLD rinks, giving the Invited side a one shot victory 61-60 in the simulated test clash.
MEN – MATCH 1
RICE V MURTAGH
Nathan Rice’s rink (Jacob Nelson, Jayden Christie, Brett Wilkie) were untroubled, starting strongly and finishing strongly against Alex Murtagh (Indi Conlan, Jay Cross, Des Cann), 30-12.
However it was a different story on the other two men’s rinks.
JENKINS V EGAN
Brendon Egan’s rink (Mark Williams, Cohen Litfin, Matt Lucas) was up 10-0 after multiple drops on the first few ends against Nev Jenkins (Sean Ingham, Andrew Howie, Anthony Kiepe).
The Jenkins unit fired up on the 9th, picking up three to improve their odds from 7-13 down to 10-13.
Egan took a single on the10th, 14-10, the Invited Side determined to make the selected Maroons work for their caps.
However the second half of the match belonged to Jenkins, the QLD selection adding to their own tally while holding Egan to 14, the score augmenting to 22-14 and finally 23-15 to QLD after 21 ends.
BAKER V TONG
The Sean Baker (QLD) V Steve Tong (INVITED) clash was thrilling from the start, the teams playing tit for tat until the 8th end, QLD down one shot, Baker 5, Tong 6.
A drop of four to Baker on the 9th (10-6) took the puff out of the Invited Boys for a few ends, they didn’t score again until the 14th, when it was already 13-7 to QLD, keeping that handy lead of four shots.
In the final few ends, Baker’s QLD boys pulled away to double the margin, over Tong’s Invited Team, QLD winning 23-15.
In summary, the play was tougher than the final scoreboard would suggest, QLD 76 – 42 INVITED, 34 shot margin to QLD.
The Rice rink’s18 shots-win provided the security blanket for the closer results on the Jenkins and Baker rinks, which both finished with eight-shot victories.
WOMEN – MATCH 1
MILLERICK V FANTINI
Bolivia Millerick’s QLD rink (Cass Millerick, Sam Wilson, Dee Robertson) had a similar result to Nathan Rice’s rink for the men, running away on the scoreboard to finish 32-17 over Pam Fantini’s Invited Rink (Jessie Cottell, Ester Regan, Natasha Jones).
The Fantini combo started well and scoring was sparse, 4-4 after seven ends.
Millerick was happy to pick up four on the 8th and from there QLD was looking good as the score blew out to 11-4.
However the QLD rink lost six on the 11th to let Fantini back in the game, a good wake up call about how quickly momentum can change in a high level match.
Millerick’s rink responded immediately, creating 21 shots for themselves in the second half of the match, compared with Fantini’s seven, for the runaway 32-17 win.
CLARKE V BAXTER
Jacaroos captain Lynsey Clarke’s rink (Jess Srisamruaybai, Louise Witton, Chloe Stewart) hit the greens hard and their 7-0 start accumulated in the first four ends was what made the difference.
Chris Baxter’s girls (Amanda Haevecker, Georgia White, Debbie Logan) stayed in the game from end 5 onwards, both sides playing very skillful bowls, percentage shots, no big drops to anyone, minimising the damage.
It was Clarke’s strong start that saw her finish cleanly 8 shots ahead, 20-12.
KEEGAN V CLAYTON
On debut for QLD at 2017 Australian Sides, Noelene Dutton showed why she was picked today by opening strongly for Julie Keegan’s rink (Emma Brown 2, Kristy Thatcher 3) in the practice match against Marilyn Clayton’s Invited Team (Val Jackson, Ann Maree Peart, Brenda Balchin).
The QLD girls were up 12-0 after six ends and it was the strong start that saved their bacon as Clayton’s rink came back hard in the second half, making 12 shots to the QLD girls five, for a 17-12 final scorecard.
In summary, the QLD women’s side won the First Practise ‘Test’ Match 69-39 (30 shots).
The Second ‘Test’ Practise March was a different story
WOMEN – MATCH 2
The Invitation Side won the Second Simulated Test Clash 61-60.
Two of the Invited rinks claimed victory over the selected Maroons: Marilyn Clayton’s rink had a blinder, defeating Bee Millerick’s QLD rink 30-18 and Chris Baxter’s rink cruelled Julie Keegan’s chances 21 -12. Only Lynsey Clarke’s rink saved the blow out in scorecard, 30-10 over Pam Fantini.
Cass Millerick, Sam Wilson, Dee Robertson, Bolivia Millerick (s) 18 DEF BY Val Jackson, Ann Maree Peart, Brenda Balchin, Marilyn Clayton (s) 30.
Noelene Dutton, Emma Brown, Kristy Thatcher, Julie Keegan (s) 12 DEF BY Amanda Haevecker, Georgia White, Debbie Logan, Christine Baxter (s) 21
Jessica Srisamruaybai, Louise Witton, Chloe Stewart, Lynsey Clarke (s) 30 DEF Jessie Cottell, Ester Regan, Natasha Jones, Pam Fantini (s) 10.
MEN – MATCH 2
Close results on two rinks for the QLD men also, but the result was in their favour. This time it was Sean Baker’s rink who provided the safety blanket.
Jacob Nelson, Jayden Christie, Brett Wilkie, Nathan Rice (s) 20 DEF Scott De Jongh, Paul Henricks, Jade Groenewege, Steven Tong (s) 18.
Sam White, Braidan Leese, Robert Wild, Sean Baker (s) 26 DEF Mark Williams, Cohen Litfin, Matt Lucas, Brendon Egan (s) 11.
Sean Ingham, Andrew Howie, Anthony Kiepe, Nev Jenkins (s) 19 DEF Indi Conlan, Jay Cross, Des Cann, Alex Murtagh (s) 17.
RESULTS – MATCH 1
MEN: QLD 76 DEF INVITED 42 (34 shots)
Jacob Nelson, Jayden Christie, Brett Wilkie, Nathan Rice (s) 30 DEF Indi Conlan, Jay Cross, Des Cann, Alex Murtagh 12
Sam White, Braidan Leese, Robert Wild, Sean Baker (s) 23 DEF Scott De Jongh, Paul Henricks, Jade Groenewege, Steven Tong (s) 15
Sean Ingham, Andrew Howie, Anthony Kiepe, Nev Jenkins (s) 23 DEF Mark Williams, Cohen Litfin, Matt Lucas, Brendon Egan (s) 15
WOMEN: QLD 69 DEF INVITED 39 (30 shots)
Cass Millerick, Sam Wilson, Dee Robertson, Bolivia Millerick (s) 32 DEF Jessie Cottell, Ester Regan, Natasha Jones, Pam Fantini (s) 17
Noelene Dutton, Emma Brown, Kristy Thatcher, Julie Keegan (s) 17 DEF Val Jackson, Ann Maree Peart, Brenda Balchin, Marilyn Clayton (s) 12
Jessica Srisamruaybai, Louise Witton, Chloe Stewart, Lynsey Clarke (s) 20 DEF Amanda Haevecker, Georgia White, Debbie Logan, Christine Baxter (s) 12
