Juniors in the spotlight
Whilst the rain continues to fall here on the Gold Coast the quality of bowls is only increasing as the men’s pairs campaign kicks off across 12 bowling clubs with close to 90 sections in action today.
Some of the youngest ever Australian Open competitors were stealing the show in round one with seven year old Jett Simmons headlining the act at Southport Bowling Club.
Simmons and partner Alan Fawcett won 10 of their 15 ends to post a first round victory over Ricky Orchard and Barry Orr 17-11, much to the delight of NBN Gold Coast News who were there to interview young Simmons for tonight’s sports news.
Whilst Simmons stole the heart of the crowds at Southport, 2010 Australian Open pairs champions, New Zealand’s Gary Lawson and Canada’s Ryan Bester were in scintillating form on a neighbouring rink, kick starting their pair’s campaign with a 24-3 win.
Victorian young guns Jay-Bye Norris (18) from Essendon and Lachlan Morison (12) a member of the Melbourne Bowling Club, posted the second highest winning margin in round one at Broadbeach defeating Gregory Micke and Brian Burnett 27-3, only to be outdone by Sunday’s giant killer, Jesse Noronha who knocked Kelvin Kerkow out of the men’s singles competition, who together with partner Wes Falconer, triumphed 28-2.
Bowls prodigies run in the Morison family with Lachlan’s sister, Tayla Morison having a break-through year, making the Victorian open state side and being granted the opportunity to trial for the Australian Jackaroos alongside the countries best female bowlers.
Australian Defence Force competitors are out in force in this year’s Australian Open with 16 bowlers from across the country teaming up for the world’s biggest festival of bowls.
At Broadbeach Bowling Club in round one, Gerard Harkins and Lucas Baker defeated Stan Munster and Tony Donda 20-11 and will look to replicate the fortunes of fellow Defence Force player Anita Jenkins who yesterday qualified top of her section in the women’s singles after a stunning victory against Australia’s most capped international bowler Karen Murphy.
Another Defence Force team of Ian Lane and Wayne Jones struck tough competition this morning when they met world champions Mark Casey and Aron Sherriff; the pair is considered favourites to take out this year’s Australian Open pair’s title, Casey and Sherriff took the match 20-7.
The flyin’ Scotsman’s Alex Marshall MBE continued his wining form with a 21-4 win alongside Australian Jackaroo Barrie Lester at Benowa Bowling Club.
Ben and Steve Glasson OAM will be hoping to be the first father and son combination to reign supreme at an Australian Open; they posted a comfortable 19-6 victory in their opening match at Musgrave Hill.
Australian Jackaroos Brett Wilkie and Nathan Rice were tested in their first round match against Brad Clarke (Helensvale) and Shepparton’s Mark Ryan, only managing to score a four shot victory over the pair.
The only blemish for the Australian Jackaroos in round one was Taren Point’s Wayne Turley and partner John Green who struck an in form Malaysian duo of Muhammad Hizlee Abd Rais and Fairul Izwan Abd Muin at Southport.
Caption- Lachlan Morison delivers a bowl at Broadbeach in the men’s pairs