World Team Cup – Day 7

Australia has charged into the men’s final of the World Team Cup with a convincing win over the Canadian invitational team in the final rubber of their semi-final clash this morning (23/5).

Aron Sherriff, Nathan Rice and Wayne Turley proved too strong for the Canadians as they won the deciding triples clash in straight sets at the Tweed Heads Bowls Club.

The 8-6, 9-3 victory sets up a showdown with Ireland in the World Team Cup final on Thursday and Friday.

Earlier in the week the Canadians had won the pairs rubber while, 21-year-old Aron Sherriff levelled the match with a win in the singles.

The result sees both the Australian men’s and women’s teams playing off for the inaugural World Team Cup trophies with the women to play New Zealand also on Thursday and Friday.

Aussies in both World Team Cup finals

Both Australia’s men’s and women’s bowls teams will contest the World Team Cup finals after the men scored a convincing win over the Canadian invitational side in the final rubber of their semi-final today (23/5).

Aron Sherriff, Wayne Turley and Nathan Rice proved too strong for the Canadians as they won the deciding triples clash in straight sets at the Tweed Heads Bowls Club.

A massive count of five on the 5th end of the first set gave the Australians a real boost and they took the opener by two shots.

The second set was tight throughout with the Australians winning six consecutive ends from a 2-3 deficit to take the match.

A stunning delivery from Turley on the 7th end proved decisive as he denied the Canadians an opportunity to get right back into the contest.

With Canada holding two shots Turley played a perfect draw shot that came to rest nestling the front of the jack.

“I’m very relieved that we have made it through to the final as there was a lot of pressure on us as the home nation,” Turley said.

“We probably went into the game against Canada as favourites, but we still had to perform on the day.”

“Aron played outstanding lead bowls and he really set the head up for us and kept the Canadians under pressure throughout the match.”

Earlier in the week Canada won the pairs rubber while, 21-year-old Sherriff levelled the match with a gutsy win in the singles.

The 8-6, 9-3 triples victory sets up a showdown with Ireland in the World Team Cup final on Thursday (24/5) and Friday (25/5).

The Irish line-up of Martin McHugh, Ian McClure and Jeremy Henry is one of the strongest at the World Team Cup and there is no doubt the Australians have the job ahead of them.

Henry is a former world singles champion and a triple Commonwealth Games medallist, while McHugh and McClure were both part of the fours combination that beat Australia for gold at the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

However Australian skip Nathan Rice said his side was playing good bowls and were confident heading into the final.

“I felt we always had the game against the Canadians under control and if we take that performance into the final we’ll be hard to beat,” he said.

In the women’s final, also scheduled for Thursday and Friday, Australia will play New Zealand .

Day Session - 23 May 2007

MEN: Semi-Finals:

IRELAND 3 bt ENGLAND 0 

Triples: M McHugh I McClure J Henry (Ire) bt N Brett R Newman M Walton (Eng) 14-4 5-8 3-0

AUSTRALIA 2 bt CANADA INVITATIONAL 1 

Triples: A Sherriff W Turley N Rice (Aus) bt H Bhartu K Roney R Bester (Can Inv) 8-6, 9-3.

WOMEN: Rd 7:

ENGLAND INVITATIONAL 3 bt IRELAND 0 

Triples: K Hawes C Ashby C Popple (Eng Inv) bt M Cunningham D McNally M Johnston (Ire) 10-3 12-1.