Australia’s Comeback Queen
Anne Johns has pulled off a trade mark come from behind victory defeating Commonwealth Games fours gold medallist Nor Hashimah Ismail of Malaysia. Despite being 1-11 behind on the scoreboard Johns incredibly went on to score 20 shots to the Malaysian’s two. A tactical change of hands worked for Johns as she hit her straps and notched up 12 unanswered shots to lead for the first time in the match 13-11. Maintaining the pressure every end with great opening bowls, Johns continued to race away from the Malaysian veteran. Ismail managed to find the scoreboard with two single shots before Johns put her foot down once more winning the next three ends and claiming the match 21-13. Brett Wilkie was very impressed with the performance of Johns. “Anne showed great fighting spirit once again coming back after a slow start and completely dominating the second half of the match; it was brilliant to watch,” Wilkie said. Anne Johns has another singles match scheduled for 7:30pm AEST against Brunei. Andrew Howie and Kristy Thatcher have opened their mixed pairs account with a win over Malaysia ‘D’. The Australian’s were up against two rising stars in Malaysian bowls who had yesterday knocked off Malaysia ‘A’s’ Hizlee Rais and Azlina Arshad. In what National Training Centre Coach Brett Wilkie described as an extremely high quality game it was the Australian’s that took the early lead 7-2. On the seventh end the Aussies applied the pressure and a great end by Thatcher and Howie resulted in four shots and jumped out to an 11-6 lead at the half way mark. The Malaysian lead played three fantastic ends in a row; however Howie managed to reduce the deficit to only one down each end. Thatcher regained control of the leads battle after a change of length and great support from Howie, the Aussie’s won the next two ends to lead 14-9 after 13 ends. Malaysia claimed the next three ends to get within one shot before Howie played three brilliant bowls to claim four as the siren sounded to end the game; victory to the Australians 18-13 after 17 ends. The Australian mixed pair’s combination will be faring well in their section with no teams undefeated after 2 rounds. Next up on Bayuemas Indoor Stadium is St Johns Park’s Ben Twist who plays Malaysia ‘B’ at 3:30pm AEST followed by some more mixed fours action at 5:30pm AEST. DAY 1 RESULTS: Men’s Singles: Ben Twist (AUS) def Christian Huang (SIN) 21-19 Women’s Singles: Anne Johns (AUS) def Rosita Bradborn (PHP) 21-16 Mixed Pairs: Kristy Thatcher & Andrew Howie (AUS) def by Singapore 6-22 Mixed Fours: Thatcher, Johns, Howie & Twist (AUS) def Singapore 13-8 DAY 2 RESULTS Mixed Pairs: Kristy Thatcher & Andrew Howie (AUS) def Malaysia ‘D’ 18-13 Women’s Singles: Anne Johns (AUS) def Nor Hashimah Ismail (MAS) 21-13
