Australians close in on glory
The overall Trans Tasman result will go down to the wire tomorrow, after Australia and New Zealand shared the honours across the four open and development events in the second test.
The Australian Jackaroos men have all but shipped the Open Men’s Trophy home to Australian shores, after clean sweeping the second test’s six rubbers during a clinical performance in Burnside today.
Mark Casey, Wayne Ruediger, Mark Casey, Matthew Flapper and Brett Wilkie dominated during day two, finishing the test without a blemish to their names and 26 shots in the black, ensuring they retain possession of the silverware regardless of tomorrow’s third test result.
Wilkie lead the charge for the green and gold contingent, earning two singles victories against Clayton-based-Kiwi Aly Forsyth, 21-16 and 21-18.
“I was happy with the way I finished, Ali is always a tough man to beat so it’s good to get over the line,” Wilkie said after his second win.
“I got a bit of break there and strung a few good ends together, but to Ali’s credit he played some good ends and made it that much harder.
“I think the conditions were more favourable for us today, it’s been challenging at times but the greens here at Burnside have been very nice and its always a pleasure to come over here to New Zealand.”
In the open women’s event, tomorrow’s final test will decide the triumphant, after New Zealand produced a 4-2 rubber win on the penultimate day.
Only two sessions will be played to decide the third test; pairs and triples followed by singles and fours.
In the mixed age development event, Australia is destined to retain the development trophy irrespective of how things pan out tomorrow.
Dylan Fisher finished the second test without fault, while Jono Davis, Joshua Corless, Ben Twist and Matthew Baus won their encounters, but split their fours match 12-all.
The development women are resigned to the fact that they won’t return to Australia with their specific trophy, after dropping a consecutive test, but can still play an important role in impacting the Overall Trans Tasman Trophy winner tomorrow.
Live streaming of the men’s pairs third test will commence at 7.00am AEDT, and women’s singles will begin at 10.15am.
Click here to view the live stream.
Test two – session three results
Open Women
Singles – Aust 14 v NZ 21
Fours – Aust 11 v NZ 16
NZ win 2nd test 4-2 (+ 13 shots)
Series tied at 1-1 with 3rd test tomorrow
Open Men
Singles – Aust 21 v NZ 18
Fours – Aust 19 v NZ 12
Aust men win 2nd test 6-0 (+ 26 shots)
Aust men lead series 2-0
Development Women
Singles – Aust 16 v NZ 21
Fours – Aust 11 v NZ 20
NZ win 2nd test 4-2 (+ 17 shots).
NZ lead series 2-0
Development Men
Singles – Aust 21 v NZ 6
Fours – Aust 23 v NZ 9
Aust men win 2nd test 5.5 – 0.5 (+ 45 shots).
Aust men lead series 1.5 – 0.5 and retain their development trophy no matter what the result tomorrow but will be going for outright series victory in 3rd test.
