U18 Boys take Test Series Title!
July, 7-9
Queensland won all the matches on Sunday, July 7, the first day of the U18 QLD vs NSW Test Series played at Cabramatta Bowling Club, NSW.
On a roll, they flew through the second session by winning the girls singles and girls fours and boys Singles on Monday, July 8. However, The Blues won the boys fours, setting themselves up for the next challenge.
While the QLD girls tried to hold on, NSW proved too strong and came out firing in the first session of the second test, claiming a solid win in the Pairs and a dominant performance in the Triples. The Blues girls marched through to a second test victory in the second session in the Fours. QLD’s Caysee Wilson prevented a Blues clean swipe with a solid win in the Singles.
The opening rubbers of the second test saw the QLD boys put a dominant performance in the Pairs, while the Triples scored an important, hard fought victory to keep the test on an even footing.
Toby Peters started strongly for the Blues in the Singles clash, before Jake Rynne surged ahead and looked to be leading a QLD victory charge. Peters, however, dug deep to claim a 21-20 win and kept the Blues in the series.
The Blues hopes of claiming a second test victory were thwarted when QLD claimed the boys Fours. QLD edged ahead in the back half of the game before the Blues fought back in the closing stages, but the Blues needed a count of 5 on the final end, the Maroons limiting their chances to run out winners and square the test.
It was to be a tough third test, with the girls winning one test each and both sides pushing for a third test victory to see who would walk away with the title.
Queensland continued to hold the advantage in the boys with 1 test win and 1 test draw by the end of the second test.
Today it oh so close when the QLD boy’s took the shield with a shot margin. With each side taking 1.5 tests each, it was the shot margin that pronounced QLD this year’s test series winner. It was a close call for the QLD girls when again, both sides took out 1.5 tests each. This time, it was the NSW girls with the shot margin that gave them the title. What a thrilling and close test series! Well done to all of the U18 Queensland and New South Wales players!
See the final results below or you can find all the progressive scores in more detail here: https://www.bowlsqld.org/Events/State-Events/QLD-v-NSW-U18-Test-Series#Draw-Results-240
Boys singles
J Rynne 18 def by 21 T Peters
Boys Fours
K Nelson 12 def by 15 M Phillips
Girls singles
C Wilson 21 def 10 M Hotson
Girls fours
O Rothwell 18 def 14 B Camp
Boys under 18 QLD 1.5 tests to NSW 1.5 tests QLD win on shot margin
Girls Under 18 QLD 1.5 tests to NSW 1.5 tests NSW win on shot margin
Source: Bowls NSW