Stage set for the fours finals
The stage has been set for the men’s fours final as two hotly contested semi-finals took place at the 2014 Australian Open this morning. As the final day of competition got underway in good conditions at Darebin International Sport Centre, the fours competition opened play as the two teams set to fight for the $10,000 purse were decided. This new discipline, introduced ahead of the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, started with 32 teams all vying for the national title, which have now become just two left in contention. The Michael Cronin skipped team, from NSW, was the first to progress to this afternoon’s final after an 18-11 win over Dylan Fisher’s quartet from Victoria. After the NSW team lapsed through the middle ends allowed Fisher’s team to come back from 13-2 to draw to within four shots, Cronin steadied the ship to see them home safe with a seven shot win. Simon Mitchell, Brodie Turner, Jon Dimopoulous, and Michael Cronin will now take on Simon Dorr’s side, which features Jackaroo Wayne Ruediger, in this afternoon’s final. South Australian’s Dorr, Ruediger and teammates Matthew Northcott and Scott Thulborn secured a 14-10 two hour win over Neil Peach, Geoff Jensen, Brett Merkel and Wayne Masters to progress to this afternoon’s title decider. The men’s fours final will begin at 12:30pm with a live and free stream available at http://bowlsaustralia.com.au/Media/Australian-Open-live-streaming Caption: Scott Thulborn will guide his contingent in the men’s fours final.