Australian Open women’s singles and pairs key match up’s.
Some of the best female bowlers in the country probably weren’t expecting to draw each other so early in the Australian Open; however in the sectional play for women’s singles and pairs we will be witness to some cracking games.
It’s a player’s worst nightmare to draw another player from their own club and unfortunately the draw hasn’t been kind to some in the women’s singles sectional play to commence on Monday June 15.
NSW NTC Squad member Natalie Noronha must have had a chuckle to herself when she saw she had struck a World Singles Champion in Val Smith (NZ) who now resides in Australia and plays out of the same club as Noronha.
The pair has formed a bond at their powerhouse club, Club Merrylands in Western Sydney, where they have been teaming up together in numerous club and district events; but here at the Australian Open they must become sworn enemies as they go head to head in the ladies singles at Musgrave Hill.
Australian Jackaroo Natasha Scott, just two days ago, was winning the district fours in Newcastle with her Australian Open singles opponent Maddison Fennell, both members of the Raymond Terrace Bowling Club who will also meet at Musgrave Hill.
Another big encounter to take place at Musgrave Hill will be Australian Squad member Kristy Thatcher from Tweed Heads and former Commonwealth Games Silver medallist and Australian Open pair’s champion, St Johns Park’s Sharyn Renshaw.
QLD NTC Squad member and a recent semi-finalist in the QLD State singles Championships Connie Rixon may not be familiar with her opponent Kerry Andersen, a long serving Western Australian representative known around the bowing fraternity as one of the best leads to ever grace the greens in the west; this game drawn at Helensvale could easily go down to the wire and will be a classic example of youth versus experience.
Another legend from the west Noelene Abe has just been named Western Australian Female Bowler of the Year, and she will need to bring every bit of that form to the Gold Coast when she meets a rising star of the sport, New South Wales’ Ellen Ryan in the singles sectional play at Helensvale.
Australian Singles representative Chloe Stewart is a hot favourite to claim this year’s singles title; however she will have to overcome ACT junior representative Jessica Hogan in sectional play at Tugun.
State supremacy is on the line when the Operations Managers from Women’s Bowls NSW and Bowls SA, Kate Windgrove and Erin Haynes, and Bowls Queensland Development Officer Charlie Harkness all meet in the same section at Paradise Point.
In what will likely be the match of the day, current Commonwealth Games singles gold medallist Jo Edwards of New Zealand will take on the two time Commonwealth Games singles gold medallist, Siti Zalina Ahmad of Malaysia.
A match that would warrant a final can be viewed at Mermaid Beach on Monday June 15 along with Australian Jackaroos Lynsey Clarke, Carla Odgers and Sam Shannahan, New Zealand international Sandra Keith, and Victorian NTC Squad members Elise Cowan and Tayla Spence who will all be playing on neighbouring rinks at Mermaid Beach.
73 section winners plus 55 next best sectional players qualify for the knockout rounds as per the conditions of Play.
Australian Jackaroos and previous winners of the Australian Open pairs Kelsey Cottrell and Lynsey Clarke will have to be on their games from day one in the women’s pairs (Wednesday June 17) when they meet Julie Lindsay and Commonwealth Games Silver medallist Roma Dunn from Western Australia.
Michaela Bailey-Nelson and Madison Styles are two whizz kids from Queensland who would love to take down some big scalps in this year’s Australian Open; however Anne Johns and Natasha Scott will have a different idea when they look to improve on last year’s semi-final appearance.
Defending Australian Open Pairs Champions Emma Brown and Noelene Dutton from Kawana will not have it all …