2023 Nationals; day seven recap
The opening day of the 2023 Australian Sides Championships dished up some sensational results across Sorrento Bowling Club as Victoria and New South Wales have completed the first two rounds atop the respective tables.
The two sessions in Perth on Saturday will be pivotal as states look to entrench themselves with a chance of hoisting the coveted Alley Shield and Marj Morris Trophy.
Marj Morris Trophy
Victoria were the pick of the bunch on the first day as the Big V concluded proceedings undefeated and on the top rung of the ladder.
The navy blue squad commenced their tournament against South Australia and trailed for the first 55 ends before staging a remarkable comeback to win the overall contest 58-55 with both states sharing a win, loss and draw.
Victoria would go on to defeat the ACT 68-47 in the second round to confirm its place on top.
The ACT however would provide one of the upsets of the day, stunning a star studded Queensland lineup 66-52 in the opening round, clinching two of the three rinks in the process.
In another stunning upset, second placed and home side Western Australia dispatched the defending champions in New South Wales with a 67-55 win before going on to overcome Tasmania 55-50 despite relinquishing two contests.
New South Wales would rebound in their second round against the NT, defeating the territory 107-34 to sit third at the end of the day.
Queensland sit fourth after rectifying their opening result to beat South Australia 65-42.
The territories sit in fifth and sixth, with the ACT just edging out the NT at one win apiece, while Tasmania and South Australia round out the table.
Overall rink leaders are Western Australia’s Lisa Brannan, Lisa Smith, Chris Ace-Watson and Kristina Krstic.
View women’s senior sides championships results here.
View the player ladder here.
Women’s ladder (after two rounds)
Alley Shield
Last year’s top two hold those positions yet again in 2023 with the reigning runner up in New South Wales currently in the ascendancy after day one.
The Blues opened the morning with a 77-40 win over the home side of Western Australia before going on to overcome the Northern Territory 76-45, winning all six rinks in the process.
Queensland would defeat the ACT 63-48 and a spirited South Australian outfit 57-50 but dropped two contests, leaving them two points behind their southern rivals.
Four teams sit on an even ledger with Tasmania the best placed in third ahead of Victoria, the ACT and Western Australia.
The shock of the day came as the Australian Capital Territory secured a 59-47 victory over Victoria despite dropping two of the rinks.
Falling in 18-23 and 16-17 contests, it was up to Gary Charker, Will Russell, Sean Robertson and James Smith to overcome Tyson Cromie, Brad Pavey, Brett Mahoney and Matt Flapper.
The quartet did so, and in style, clinching a remarkable 25-7 win that saw the state record its first salutation of the event after only securing a single victory in 2022.
South Australia sit winless in seventh with the Northern Territory rounding out the table.
In the overall rink standings, New South Wales’ Ben Twist, Mason Lewis, Ray Pearse and David Ferguson top the field.
View men’s sides championships results here.
Men’s ladder (after two rounds)
The 2023 Nationals will run from October 6-20, 2023, with live streaming to take place on Bowls Australia’s Facebook and YouTube channels.
The 2023 Nationals in Perth, Western Australia is proudly supported by Tourism Western Australia, City of Joondalup, and the State government through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and Lotterywest in Western Australia. Sport and recreation creates vibrant, inclusive and connected WA communities.
