Proteas journey ‘Down Under’ ends valiantly

The Proteas pair of Colleen Piketh and Wayne Rittmuller bowed out of the World Bowls Indoor Championships ahead of the semi-finals.

Piketh was able to play her way into the quarter-finals on Thursday at the Warilla Bowls and Recreation Club.

The decorated Commonwealth Games athlete moved into the last eight following a win over Malta’s Connie Rixon.

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Piketh flies the flag in Australia

Piketh was forced to win the second set just to keep her hopes alive before she claimed the tie-break to advance.

Unfortunately the Proteas’ hopes of another major world title ended in the opposite fashion in the quarter-finals against Amy Williams from Wales.

Piketh won the first set after starting well – she picked up a four on the first end – and ended the second set well – Piketh picked up four shots in the last ends – but fell just one shot short of winning in straight sets.

That allowed her Welsh opponent the chance to win the one-end showdown which she did.

“The tie-breaks are brutal. But we all have to play them, so credit to Amy for winning,” Piketh told thesouthafrican.com from New South Wales.

“It was close match and I kind of just needed to get a good anchor in the second set which I didn’t. The last few ends, I felt great and was so close to ending it there.

“But that’s bowls. The field here is so strong, I played well but it wasn’t enough today.”

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Proteas show up well against the best

After as slow start in the first set against Guernsey’s Ian Merrien, Proteas’ Wayne Rittmuller was able to play himself back into the contest. Unfortunately for the two-time National Open Singles champion, he fell one shot short in the second set and was unable to force the tie-break.

“It was a tough match, as they all are when you get to this level,” said Rittmuller.

“I struggled in the beginning but I was proud of my fight in the second set. Yeah, I had just a little too much to do and credit to Ian for holding on. I would’ve love to force the extra end where anything can happen. Overall, I was happy with my performance but a little disappointed to end in the last 16,” added Rittmuller.

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After five exciting days of intense bowls of the highest level, three nations have proven their skills and will be represented in the hunt for the three World title up for grabs.

Competitors put on quite the display for the hoards of spectators who flocked to Warilla.

The Mixed Pairs World title is the first to be contested this morning, with the Australian due of Kelsey Cottrell/Aron Sherrif going into the final in absolutely stellar form, up against the equally strong Scottish duo in Julie Forrest/Michael Stepney.

This will be followed by the Women’s Singles Final as Forrest will take to the stage again for Scotland to defend her Singles title, against an in-form Katelyn Inch representing New Zealand.

It will be a New Zealand / Australia Final in the Men’s Singles as Andrew Kelly will fight it out against Aron Sherriff, who’ll be looking to take home two titles today.

Men’s singles:

Round of 16: Aron Sherriff (AUS) bt Malcolm De Sousa (JER) 7-5 6-4; Dan Salmon (WAL) bt Royden Aperau (CKI) 10-1 6-6; Connor Milne (SCO) bt Wattana Kadkhunthod (THA) 5-4 5-5; Martin Puckett (ENG) bt John Nicholl (IRE) 10-1 8-3; Andrew Kelly (NZL) bt Carel Olivier (NAM) 7-6 6-4; Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple (MAS) bt Frank De Vries (NED) 10-0 6-2; Ian Merrien (GGY) bt Wayne Rittmuller (RSA) 8-1 6-6; Mike Stepney (SCO) bt Markus Mertz (CHE) 7-6 9-4.

Quarter finals: Sherriff bt Salmon 4-7 8-2 1-0; Puckett bt Milne 4-4 5-5 1-0; Kelly bt Dzulkeple 9-3 3-8 1-0; Stepney bt Merrien 7-3 7-4.

Semi finals: Kelly bt Stepney 1-8 8-4 1-0; Sherriff bt Puckett 8-5 4-5 1-0.

Women’s singles:

Round of 16: Julie Forrest (SCO) bt Palita Gangur (THA) 5-12 8-3 1-0, Kirsty Hembrow (ENG) bt Yoko Goda (JPN) 9-1 7-5; Alyani Jamil (MAS) bt Lorraine Craig (SCO) 7-1 5-3; Alison Merrien (GGY) bt Lesley Mills (IRE) 6-7 6-4 1-0; Katelyn Inch (NZL) bt Dee McSparran (USA) 10-0 9-3; Dorothy Yu (HKC) bt Milika Nathan (TON) 8-4 7-2; Colleen Piketh (RSA) bt Connie Rixon (MLT) 3-6 7-2 1-0; Amy Williams (WAL) bt Kelsey Cottrell (AUS) 4-4 6-5.

Quarter finals: Forrest bt Hembrow 11-1 10-5; Jamil bt Merrien 5-7 6-5 1-0; Inch bt Yu 7-6 8-3; Williams bt Piketh 5-7 5-4 1-0.

Semi finals: Forrest bt Jamil 6-3 5-3; Inch bt Williams 9-7 4-7 1-0.

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