World Team Cup – Day 8

The Australian women’s bowls team has got the early break on New Zealand in the World Team Cup final.

Kelsey Cottrell and Karen Murphy overpowered the Kiwi combination in a tie-breaker to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three-games event decider at Tweed Heads Bowls Club this morning (24/5).

After winning the opening set by six shots the Australia duo lost their way in the second, going down 6-11 as New Zealand ’s Wendy Jensen and Jo Edwards forced the game into a three-end shoot-out.

However Cottrell and Murphy found something extra in the tie-breaker, keeping the Kiwis scoreless as they secured the opening pairs rubber 10-4, 6-11, 6-0.

Julie Keegan now has a perfect opportunity to secure the inaugural World Team Cup trophy for Australia when she meets Val Smith in the singles this afternoon at 2.00pm.  

Australia wins Women's World Team Cup

A dramatic form reversal by singles player Julie Keegan has secured the inaugural women’s World Team Cup for Australia .

Keegan defeated New Zealand ’s Val Smith 7-4, 11-7 at the Tweed Heads Bowls Club today (24/5) to give Australia an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the best-of-three games encounter.

Earlier in the day, 16-year-old Kelsey Cottrell and Karen Murphy laid the foundations for the victory by winning the pairs in a tie-breaker.

Capping off a perfect day for the Aussies was a strong start in the men’s final with Wayne Turley and Nathan Rice claiming the opening pairs rubber against Ireland .

But it was Keegan who deserved most of the plaudits as she recovered from a poor tournament to-date, in which she had won just two of six games including a straight sets defeat at the hands of Smith just four days earlier, to grab the World Team Cup trophy.

“It shows the true character of Julie,” said Australian coach Cameron Curtis .

“Singles is all about the battle of the mind. It can be very lonely out there on that rink knowing that your team-mates are depending on you to perform.

“The girls winning the pairs earlier in the day was a big bonus as it meant that Julie just had to concentrate on her game and not on the result.

“It was a huge turn-around from her point of view.”

In the pairs, Cottrell and Murphy dominated the opening set, winning seven of nine ends for a six shot advantage.

New Zealand ’s Wendy Jensen and Jo Edwards fought back in the second, scoring freely to take the set 11-6 and force the game into a three-end shoot-out.

However the Australian duo was equal to the challenge and appeared to find something extra in the tie-breaker, keeping the Kiwis scoreless.

A massive count of four shots on the second end of the shoot-out — the biggest for the game — effectively put an end to New Zealand ’s chances.

The final score was 10-4, 6-11, 6-0.

In many ways the men’s pairs clash mirrored the women’s.

Turley and Rice looked completely gone when Ireland thrashed them by 13 shots in the second set, but somehow dragged themselves back into the contest to win the tie-breaker with a commanding performance.

Playing Irish stars Ian McClure and Jeremy Henry, who combined for a world indoor pairs title in 2004, the Australians made a brilliant start to the match, taking the first set 11-1.

But the Irish combination turned the tables dramatically in the second, collecting a massive nine shots over two ends to win the set 16-3 and go into the tie-breaker with all the momentum.

Once again the form-line shifted dramatically as the Australians won the three-end shoot-out 6-0 with Rice playing some stunning draw shots to the ditch to secure the result.

“We were on fire in the first set,” said Turley.

“But we played one bad end and then the Irish boys got on a roll — they were really pumped and playing to the crowd.

“Going into the tie-breaker we just said to each other that this was a whole new ball game and then Nathan played three of the best bowls you would ever see to give us a 3-0 lead.”

Australia ’s Aron Sherriff has a chance to seal victory for Australia when he plays Martin McHugh in the single rubber at 9.00am tomorrow (25/5).  

MEN: Final: 

Pairs: W Turley N Rice (Aus) bt I McClure J Henry (Ire) 11-1 3-16 6-0. 

(Note: match to be completed 25/5).

WOMEN: Final:

AUSTRALIA 2 bt NEW ZEALAND 0 

Singles: J Keegan (Aus) bt V Smith (Nzl) 7-4 11-7; 

Pairs: K Cottrell K Murphy (Aus) bt W Jensen J Edwards (Nzl) 10-4 6-11 6-0.