NSW duo David Ferguson (Engadine) and Natasha Scott (Raymond Terrace) have secured Australia’s number one male and female bowler titles respectively at the conclusion of the 2017/18 rankings period.
For their exceptional success and consistency over the course of the past year, the pair will be named the Male and Female Bowlers of the Year at Bowls Australia’s next Awards Night in October and will each be awarded a $3,000 prize-purse.
Both players enjoyed success across all levels of the sport during the 2017/18 rankings period, with Ferguson finishing 36 points clear of Tasmania’s Lee Schraner to earn his first Number One Male Bowler title, while Scott obtained her fourth Number One Female Bowler accolade – and third since the Player Rankings System came into effect in 2014 – ahead of the Apple Isle’s Rebecca Van Asch by 73 points.
Ferguson amassed 543 points during the period, 39 points more than any player in the history of the national Player Ranking System and 135 points more than any previous male winner.
His biggest achievements during the timeframe include victories at the Australian Indoor Championships men’s event, NSW State Champion of Champion Singles, the Ballina Summerland Singles and Pairs, The Hills Twilight Pairs and the Engadine Broughton Triples.
Further recognition came as a runner-up int he NSW State Singles, semi-finalist of the Australian Open pairs, runner-up at the Weston Creek Summer Fours and as a semi-finalist at the Park Beach Singles.
Scott, who won the Female Bowler of the Year titles in 2012, ’15 and ’16, secured the bulk of her rankings points through a grand-slam of NSW State titles, in the singles, pairs, triples and fours, which collected 198 out of her 343 total points.
Additional points were awarded courtesy of success at the Australian Championships, with victory in the women’s triples and runner-up placings in the other three disciplines, semi-finalist placing at the State Champion of Champions singles and quarter-final finishes in the Australian Open’s singles and pairs.
The full list of points obtained by David Ferguson and Natasha Scott during the period can be viewed here.
While the NSW pair covered themselves in glory, praise must also heaped on Tasmania’s Schraner and Van Asch, who finished the rankings period in second place.
Ferguson and Schraner’s efforts were recognised earlier this week with inclusion in the Australian Emerging Jackaroos squad, which can be viewed here.
Ryan Bester’s results illustrate the growth of the Player Rankings System and increase in the quantity of ranked events since it came into effect in 2014, with the 366 points than he earned this year, to finish fifth, greater than the number that won him the title in 2015/16 and only marginally less, by 2.5 points, than his first victory in 2014/15.
The player rankings system is a 12 month rolling system, with all accrued points being valid for 12 months or until the equivalent event is held again the following year. The 2017/18 rankings period has already begun – click here to see upcoming rankings events.
Bowls Australia would like to thank Honorary Rankings Administrator Sam Clough OAM and acknowledge the considerable amount of time and work he invests in maintaining the Player Rankings System.
Click here to learn more about the Player Rankings System.
Top ranked players by state (men):
ACT: Mac Mclean (overall ranking – 23rd)
NSW: David Ferguson (overall ranking – 1st)
NT: Trystan Smallacombe (overall ranking – 19th)
QLD: Aron Sherriff (overall ranking – 4th)
SA: Nathan Pedersen (overall ranking – 25th)
TAS: Lee Schraner (overall ranking – 2nd)
VIC: Dylan Fisher (overall ranking – 10th)
WA: Shane Knott (overall ranking – 28th)
Overseas: Ryan Bester (overall ranking – 5th)
Top ranked players by state (women):
ACT: Margaret Bacchetto (overall ranking – 35th)
NSW: Natasha Scott (overall ranking – 1st)
NT: Colleen Orr (overall ranking – 13th)
QLD: Ester Regan (overall ranking –6th)
SA: Cassandra Harvey (overall ranking – 33rd)
TAS: Rebecca Van Asch (overall ranking – 2nd)
VIC: Carla Krizanic (overall ranking – 5th)
WA: Kristina Krstic (overall ranking – 4th)
Overseas: Kelly McKerihen (overall ranking – 19th)
Overall Player Rankings (Men)
1st: David Ferguson (NSW – 533 points)
2nd: Lee Schraner (TAS – 497 points)
3rd: Ben Twist (NSW – 470 points)
4th: Aron Sherriff (QLD – 397 points)
5th: Ryan Bester (QLD 366 points)
Overall Player Rankings (Women)
1st: Natasha Scott (NSW – 343 points)
2nd: Rebecca Van Asch (TAS – 270 points)
3rd: Gayle Edwards (VIC – 253 points)
4th: Kristina Krstic (WA – 247 points)
5th: Carla Krizanic (VIC – 245 points)