Tickets to the big time on the line
Australia’s 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games’ hopefuls will be placed squarely under the microscope when the Australia v Malaysia International erupts at Victoria’s Ocean Grove tomorrow. The three-day international hit-out features 18 of the nation’s next batch of Commonwealth Games stars vying to capture the gaze and attention of the Australian selection panel during the competitive trial. While the quality of personnel involved in the bout is evident, with six current world champions among the ranks, the opportunity to impress on the ‘eve’ of the Games throws open the enchanting proposition of a smokey flying under the radar to secure one of the 10 Glasgow positions on offer. Jackaroos preparations for the slow and testing conditions displayed in the Northern Hemisphere are well advanced, but tomorrow’s clash boasts added impetus in the search for the legitimate green and gold combatants. The Ocean Grove greens have been meticulously manipulated to replicate the Scottish setting, so the results exhibited in the international encounter against a powerhouse in the world of bowls should provide a true representation of where Australia sits in its bid to eclipse the five-out-of-eight gold medals in secured 12 months ago at the World Championships. With only 226 days remaining before the sport’s pinnacle event ignites, players are under no illusions as to the importance of the task at hand, and a single solid performance could be all the separates the anointed and the heartbroken. The 2013 Australia v Malaysia International, supported by the City of Greater Geelong, will be staged at the Ocean Grove Bowling Club from Tuesday till Thursday, December 12, with free entry daily. Click here to learn more about the 2013 Australia v Malaysia International. Caption: Victoria’s Dylan Fisher and Barrie Lester are among the 18 Australian aces eager to cement a ticket to Glasgow at tomorrow’s Australia v Malaysia International.