KNOCK OUT SEMI-FINALISTS DECIDED FOR THE MEN’S SENIOR FOURS CHAMPIONSHIP IN CYPRUS
After the Women’s knock out stages of the Atlantic Senior Fours Championships were decided yesterday (December 6), yesterday it was the turn of the male competitors to register their interest in the defining stages of the Men’s Championship and what a battle it turned out to be with nation battling against nation for one of the four knock-out places on offer.
South Africa (pictured) and England B always looked poised to secure two of the last four berths and that’s the way it pannedย out with South Africa being the stand out nation afterย only dropping one of their 15 game qualifying section – losing in round 9 to Wales 11-9, and eventually wrapping up the Group mathchs with 42 points and only that one defeat.
England B started Day 7 with narrow a 7-14 defeat from section winners South Africa but stayed the distance with a 15-4 win over Switzerland in the concluding section matches to finish in second place.
However the airwaves over the Athena Beach Hotel were tested to the limit to keep abreast of the other close encounters involving the potential qualifiers, but in the final outcome the remaining finishing positions were claimed by USA A and Wales who swung the verdict in their direction to stay in contention.
USA A played some awesome bowls to stay ahead of in form rivals England A – wrapping up a 14-7 victory to finish in third position and a determined display from Wales saw them swing the qualifying verdict in their favour 18-12 against the host nation’s Cyprus B to finish in fourth spot.
That seven shot defeat left other potential contenders – England A team and a 17-9 loss for Norfolk Island from Jersey B, left both nations out of the equation.
Both Women’s and Men’s medal competitions will be decided today. (8th December)
For the distaff side table toppers South Africa take on England while local hopeful Cyprus will be out to end the comeback run of Scotland.
For their male contenders South Africa will continue their title quest against a Welsh team who inflicted the only defeat on the Springbok team in Round 9 – winning 11-9 with England B and USA A battling it out for the other final spot later (Friday 8th December) Both semi-finals will get underway with the finals at 9.30am local Cyprus time. ** Cyprus at 2 hours ahead of UK timings.
Good Luck to all knock-out contenders.
MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP / SESSION 1/ROUND 14
Jersey B bt Zimbabwe 17-6,
Norfolk Is bt Jersey A 19-7,
Wales bt Cyprus A17-8,
Scotland bt Guernsey 20-10,
Cyprus B bt USA B 16-7,
South Africa bt England B 18-14,
USA A bt CZR 21-13,
England A bt Switzerland 24-13:
CONCLUDING ROUND ROBIN MATCHES / ROUND 15 Jersey B bt Norfolk Is 17-9, Zimbabwe bt Cyprus 15-11, Jersey A bt Scotland 23-5, Wales bt Cyprus B 18-12, South Africa bt Guernsey 16-7, USA B bt6 CZR 17-12 England B bt Switzerland 15-4, USA A bt England A 14-7:
FINISHING POSITIONS AFTER COMPLETION OF 15 ROUND KNOCK OUT SEMI-FINAL QUALIFIERS *Top four finishing positions – 42pts South Africa (174), 35 pts Eng B (87), 33pts USA A (34), 31pts Wales (67), OTHER FINISHING POSITIONS 30pts Eng A (37), 28pts Norfolk Is (68), 27pts Jersey A (-22), 24pts Jersey B (-27), 19pts Cyprus B (-7), Scotland (-14), 18pts Zimbabwe (-66), 17pts Cyprus A (2), 11pts USA B (-42), 9pts CZR ) -67), Switzerland (-127), 3pts Guernsey (-141).
SEMI FINAL LINE UP FOR DAY 8 – (Friday 8th December) BOTH SEMIS 9.30am / FINAL 1.30pm MEN’S SEMIS – South Africa v Wales, England B v USA A.
WOMEN’S SEMIS
South Africa v England, Cyprus A v Scotland.
