The journey to Burnie
Reigning International Bowler of the Year Aron Sherriff has been gunned down by former Australian teammate Anthony Kiepe during a blockbuster start to the Super 6 series at South Burnie this morning. With many pundits believing Sherriff will assume the nation’s singles role for the Commonwealth Games duties in Glasgow – after earning inclusion in the Australian Bowls Team earlier in the week – more than a gold medal in the blue-ribbon discipline is on the line for Sherriff, but the NSW ace had his colours lowered earlier in the tournament’s proceedings. Queensland got one up on their traditional Blues rivals, with Keipe posting a 21-19 victory after scores were locked on the 32nd end. Joining him on the winners’ list in section two is former-Victorian-turned-Tasmanian Lee Schraner, whose move could pay golden dividends for the host state after a 21-9 demolishing of South Australia’s Adelaide Endurance star Scott Thulborn. A tantalising encounter between Sherriff and Schraner will take place in round two. Posting wins on the other side of the board was Victoria’s 20-year-old Australian Jackaroos representative Dylan Fisher, who edged ahead of Western Australia’s Stuart Bainbridge 21-18, and ACT’s defending champion Andrew Howie, with a 21-13 victory against Northern Territory’s Ian Smith. In the men’s pairs, the Apple Isle’s defending champions Michael Sims and Robert McMullen face a tough task of going back-to-back after a first rubber loss to South Australia’s Adam Forbes and Max Kleinig, 16-10. In the same half of the draw, Queensland’s Anthony Fantini and Mark Casey solidified another Maroons victory over arch nemesis NSW, against current and former Australian representatives Matthew Baus and Wayne Turley. On the other side of the ledger, the Big V’s Matthew Flapper enjoyed a comfortable start to proceedings on the back of selection to the sport’s premier competition – skipping Peter Loe to a 20-10 win over the Sandgropers’ 2013 Australian Open runner-up Matthew Ayres and Matthew Ellul. Making it three-from-three for the Victorian continent was Barrie Lester, Brett Foley and former Australian Open singles winner Aaron Wilson, recording a 20-13 victory against Daniel Patterson, Clive Adams and Thomas Mitchell. Three sectional rounds will be played today, with gold/silver and bronze/fourth play-offs tomorrow morning. Click here for full results from the first round of the Super 6 at South Burnie Bowls Club, Tasmania.