King Henry strikes again
Warilla’s Jeremy Henry joins an illustrious list of multiple Australian Indoor Championship winners after claiming a memorable victory in this year’s men’s singles final against New Zealand representative Paul Girdler.
The final match of the tournament lived up to expectation with both players trading blows in what was a high quality contest between two great champions.
Home town favourite Paul Girdler started the match in phenomenal style, asserting himself on a rink he has become so familiar with; a former Australian Indoor Championship finalist has made Tweed Heads his home and has had plenty of time to perfect the carpet.
It was Girdler who struck the first blow taking the opening set 7-4; however it took a further five ends before Girdler was able to find the score board again with Henry beginning to take control of the second set.
At 8-0 in front the crowd began to sense a tie-break but a surge from Girdler got him back within four; however Henry’s count of three on the eighth end was a killer blow to the kiwi’s chances and we were straight off to the tie-break.
Henry could not have played the opening end any better, drawing all three of his first four bowls within six inches and a final drive by Girdler was unable to reduce the count.
Girdler played a crucial conversion on the second end of the tie-break and once again the crowd were up in arms for their local charge.
With Henry leading 3-2, an extra end was looming but Henry’s third bowl put a stop to that; Girdler was unable to make contact with his henry’s shot bowl and the Northern Irishman had created history.
Henry, the 2011 Australian Indoor Championship winner, went on to represent Australia at the World Cup where he won the first of two World Titles wearing the green and gold.
Henry will now represent Australia, alongside women’s champion Carla Odgers, once more at next year’s World Cup which has been confirmed to stay at Warilla for 2016 and 2017 after being staged there for the past eight out of nine years.
It is there the indoor superstar can continue his dominance and claim a hat-trick of World Cup titles in front of a home crowd.
The 2016 World Cup will be staged at Warilla Bowls and Recreation Club in NSW from March 15 to 23, with free entry and rink-side viewing.
