‘Moving Day’ in Naenae – World Champion of Champions day three round-up

On Nov 21, 2022 970

For reasons known only to the gods of the game, day three of major internationals has gained infamy over the years as ‘moving day’ – and so it was again at the marvellous Naenae Bowling Club in New Zealand today.

However, this time around it wasn’t just surprise results that made headlines, add in the most challenging of weather conditions as Wellington’s renowned arctic blasts moved in on the World Singles Champion of Champions.

However, someone forgot to tell the hosting Bowls New Zealand people who simply upped and brought the afternoon’s program inside the amazing Naenae indoor/outdoor complex. But not before Norfolk Island champion Trevor Gow, who doubles as club president, toppled England international Sam Tolchard, his section leader, after being comprehensively beaten in the first set. This also put unbeaten local hero Kelvin Scott into the lead run of Section 1, and barring disaster, they will meet for the top spot in the final qualifying round on Wednesday.

Then, further up the green, Hungary’s Zoltan Pavelko also had the tongues wagging when he took a set off the seemingly invincible tournament leader Lee Schraner, and forced the hot favourite into a fourth end of a tiebreaker, before losing 2-19 5-4 2-4 in a rousing performance. The normally sedate beef farmer from outside Budapest, who has been on the scene for about four years, was absolutely cock-a-hoop to have come so close to the defending champion – ‘This is my career highlight,’ he declared.

Also having a career-best winning streak at world event level is America’s top lady Anne Nunes, who disposed of Melanie Thomas from Wales this morning after the pair were sharing second place on the women’s table behind Aussie Carla Krizanic, who is in imperious touch. Nunes has now banked an unblemished tab of six wins from six starts heading into tomorrow’s fourth day.

Sadly, we are unable to offer much in the way of glad tidings about England’s Stef Branfield, whose form seems to have abandoned her temporarily – watching her struggle against those demons out on the green is despairing, although she would do well to just write this one off. A heavy loss to local champion Tayla Bruce this morning then a pleasing straight sets win over Daphne Arthur-Almond from the Falkland Islands is the summary of her day.

As the contenders move into the business end of this mighty event and a date with destiny, it is local hero Kelvin Scott (and Sam Tolchard), along with Aussies Lee Schraner and Carla Krizanic who are running hot – quite a contrast to today’s wilds of Wellington.

DAY THREE RESULTS / TABLES

Men – Section One:

Rd. 7: C Alexander (FLK) bt S Williams (GUE) 12-6 9-8, G McCloy (IRE) bt B Nicholls (CYP) 14-8 12-6, T Gow (NFI) bt S Tolchard (ENG) 4-16 6-5 3-1, A Loh (SIN) bt G White (SCO) 6-7 9-8 4-3, K Scott (NZL) bt M Mercer (ZAM) 21-1 18-2.

Rd.8: McCloy bt K Pillay (FIJ) 13-2 10-6, I Lealaiauloto (SAM) bt Mercer 17-3 5-11 4-0, Nicholls bt Williams 9-6 10-4, N Benguric (RSA) bt E Nyoka (BOT) 11-5 9-4.

Rd.9: Gow bt Nyoka 15-3 14-2, Scott bt Lealaiauloto 10-3 13-0, Tolchard bt Loh 14-5 11-3, Pillay bt Alexander 7-10 8-7 4-0.

Progressive: Scott 18 points +103 shots, Tolchard 15 +101, Gow 15 +41, White 12 +45.8, McCloy 12 +53.5, Benguric 12 +44.8, Loh 12 +1.8, Pillay 9 -26, Lealaiauloto 9 -32, Alexander 6 -10, Nicholls 6 -71, Mercer 3 -53.5, Nyoka 3 -59, Williams 3 -58.

Men – Section Two:

Rd.7: R Davis (JER) bt I Dzulkeple (MAS) 8-7 8-6, R Aperau (CKI) bt C Herbert (USA) 9-4 9-7, L Schraner (AUS) bt Z Pavelka (HUN) 19-2 4-5 4-2, K James (WAL) bt O Bäckgren (SWE) 11-3 17-3.

Rd.8: F Tafatu (NIU) bt Pavelka 16-0 9-5, A Krahenbuhl (NAM) bt A Amar (ISR) 15-4 6-7 4-2, M Leong (CAN) bt T Waelti (SUI) 7-6 11-4, Dzulkeple bt Aperau 11-4 10-7, W Cheung (HKC) bt Herbert 4-14 9-7 4-2.

Rd.9: Schraner bt Bäckgren 9-4 11-7, James bt Amar 11-7 10-7, Davis bt Cheung 5-8 10-3 2-1, Tafatu bt Krahenbuhl 8-5 11-5.

Progressive: Schraner 18 points +126 shots, James 18 +48, Aperau 12 +13.5, Dzulkeple 9 +35, Davis 9 +8.5, Cheung 9 -3, Tafatu 9 -7, Herbert 9 +1.8, Leong 9 +1.3, Waelti 9 -18, Krahenbuhl 9 Sq, Pavelka 6 -59, Bäckgren 6 -34, Amar 3 -63.

Women:

Rd.7: A Nunes (USA) bt M Thomas (WAL) 14-2 9-7, C Krizanic (AUS) bt J McClure (IRE) 7-5 9-5, T Bruce (NZL) bt S Branfield (ENG) 13-3 10-3, A Tarmizi (MAS) bt N Mataio (CKI) 3-11 10-6 6-0.

Rd.8: McClure bt D Arthur-Almond (FLK) 12-4 8-6, D Viljoen (NAM) bt E Dolieslager (NED) 7-10 10-5 3-1, Thomas bt C Jones (NFI) 11-6 8-5, Krizanic bt E Haley (RSA) 13-2 11-3.

Rd.9: Branfield bt Arthur-Almond 10-5 13-5, Bruce bt Mataio 15-2 8-5, Nunes bt Viljoen 7-6 13-3, Haley bt M Modutlwa (BOT) 5-7 13-6 4-2.

Progressive: Krizanic 18 points +68 shots, Nunes 18 +40.8, Bruce 15 +67.3, Thomas 15 +22, Tarmizi 15 +29.3, Jones 9 +18.3, Modutlwa 9 -15.3, Dolieslager 9 -26.8, Haley 9 -13, McClure 6 -1, Mataio 6 +1.5, Viljoen 6 -23.7, Branfield 6 -44, Arthur-Almond 3 -32.3.

[Words via David Allen (World Bowls PR), images via Bowls New Zealand]

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