SA verge on breaking Shield drought, NSW make Trophy history
South Australia is on the cusp of breaking a 26 year drought at the Australian Sides Championships, and are just one win away from claiming their second ever Alley Shield.
The Croweaters have been a surprise packet at the sport’s premier state versus state event this week, but proved to any naysayers they were the absolute real deal in the penultimate round, when they stretched their unbeaten record to six after a blockbuster performance against the also untarnished NSW contingent.
The Reds prevailed against the Blues in two of the three rinks to claim an aggregate 70-53 victory against the highly fancied 18-time men’s champions, leap-frogging their way to the top of the leader-board with an unblemished six wins.
Having only secured the men’s ultimate prize in 1988, the Croweaters will look to seize just their second victory in the 50th staging of the time-honoured tournament, but are required to surpass one final hurdle tomorrow morning.
The ACT is all that lies between South Australia and the coveted accolade in the men’s competition, which is theirs to lose, but if they falter at the finish line the Shield could still end up in NSW, who face an eighth placed Northern Territory to conclude the round-robbin draw .
While NSW were left rueing in the men’s event, the Waratah state could not be happier about how proceedings have panned out in the women’s competition.
The Blues have attained an unassailable lead in their endeavor to record a historic four-peat of the Marj Morris Trophy, and will walk away with the silverware regardless of tomorrow’s final round result.
Sitting two-and-a-half games clear of second placed South Australia, courtesy of their 80-41 demolishing of the Reds this afternoon, the Blues have already established an impregnable position after extending their streak to six, and have secured their 10th title win in 26 stagings.
NSW also appear destined to regain the Overall Champions Trophy for combined genders’ results from Queensland, which will give them a 4-3 lead over the Maroons since its introduction in 2008.
Click here for full results from the 2015 Australian Sides Championships.
Caption: NSW’s Natasha Scott has all but wrapped up the best performed rink skip honours at the Australian Sides Championships.
