Protea Women’s 4s; Men’s triples, in finals

By Alan Simmonds, Media Officer, Bowls SA

The Protea women’s fours and men’s triples won through to the finals of their disciplines with some brilliant bowls at the Atlantic Championships in Cardiff Wales. Colleen Piketh narrowly failed in her quarter-final match to proceed.

At the end of a tough first week featuring 25 countries from the European, African and South American theatres at four host clubs around the Welsh capital – Barry Athletic, Dinas Powys, Penarth Windsor and HQ, Penylan – spectators have seen a feast provided by the best-credentialled field.

So, after yesterday’s no-nonsense elimination finals, eight teams will contest four finals today.

Scotland and South Africa will have two shots at gold – the ‘Tartan Army’ in the men’s triples and men’s pairs, the Proteas inwomen’s fours and men’s triples. Guernsey and Israel will fight out the women’s singles, and Wales will take its shot in the women’s fours.

England’s lone chance of gold is in the men’s pairs where Steve Mitchinson and Jamie Walker take on the great Scots and at 2pm. It’s a tough assignment for Walker and Mitchinson.

The South African men’s trio of Billy Radloff, Jason Evans Prince Neluonde face a bruising encounter against the reigning triples gold medalists , , Derick Oliver, Darren Burnett of Scotland.

Also on the suprb Penylan greenis the women’s fours final, where the two best sides of the week will meet to decide the gold.

The Welsh quartet of experienced skip Anwen Butten and her three fresh-faced teammates Melanie Thomas, Bethan Russ and Ysie White will enjoy strong home crowd support, but the awesome Proteas foursome of Anneke Snyman, Esmé Kruger, Nici Neal, Jacqui Van Rensburg will give a very good account of themselves.

The blue riband women’s singles final features World Cup singles winner Lucy Beere, from Guernsey, who meets canny campaigner Ruti Gilor of Israel.

Thanks to roving world, bowls journalist David Allen for news from Cardiff and Glamorgan – Barry Athletic, Dinas Powys, Penarth Windsor and HQ, Penylan.

Day 6: Women’s singles:

Elimination finals: ENG (Natalie Chestney) bt RSA (Colleen Piketh) 21-19, ISR (Ruti Gilor) bt FRA (Cindy Royet) 21-15.

Semi-finals: GUE (Lucy Beere) bt ENG (Natalie Chestney) 21-20, ISR (Ruti Gilor) bt SCO (Caroline Brown) 21- 7.

Women’s fours:

Elimination finals: SCO (Hannah Smith, Stacey McDougall, Megan Grantham, Claire Johnston) bt ENG (Jamie- Lea Winch, Rebecca Wigfield, Lorraine Kuhler, Sian Honnor) 17-4, ZIM (Allyson Dale, Melanie James, Heather Singleton, Kerry Craven) bt KEN (Susan Wambugu, Grace Njuguna, Sophy Kihuyu, Esther Ndungu) 16-12.

Semi-finals: RSA (Jacqui Van Rensburg, Nici Neal, Esmé Kruger, Anneke Snyman, skip) bt SCO (Hannah Smith, Stacey McDougall, Megan Grantham, Claire Johnston) 17-10, WAL (Melanie Thomas, Bethan Russ, Ysie White, Anwen Butten) bt ZIM (Allyson Dale, Melanie James, Heather Singleton, Kerry Craven) 14-10.

Men’s pairs:

Elimination finals: MLT (Mark Malogorski, Brendan Aquilina) bt IRE (Aaron Tennant, Mark Wilson) 14-13, JER (Derek Boswell, Ross Davis) bt GUE (Matt Solway, Matt Le Ber) 14-10.

Semi-finals: ENG (Steve Mitchinson, Jamie Walker) bt MLT (Mark Malogorski, Brendan Aquilina) 21-18, SCO (Paul Foster, Alex Marshall) bt ER (Derek Boswell, Ross Davis) 15-14

Men’s triples:

Elimination finals: ENG (Ian Lesley, David Bolt, Sam Tolchard) bt MLT (Peter Tonna, Wes Hedges, Len Callus) 25-9, NAM (Piet Appolis, Johan Jacobs, Willy Esterhuizen) bt JER (Greg Davis, Scott Ruderham, Malcolm De Sousa) 14-12.

Semi-finals: SCO (, Derek Oliver, Darren Burnett) bt ENG (Ian Lesley, David Bolt, Sam Tolchard) 15-14, RSA (Prince Neluonde, Jason Evans, Billy Radloff, skip) bt NAM (Piet Appolis, Johan Jacobs, Willy Esterhuizen) 20-13.