Deaf Today: Woods outguns Sherriff in upset

January 3, 2005

Woods outguns Sherriff in upset

From: Illawarra Mercury, Australia - Jan 3, 2005

By PAUL ZALUNARDO
January 3, 2005

MERRYLANDS bowler Peter Woods gatecrashed his way into the quarter-finals of the South Pacific Carnival singles competition by ending the title hopes of 2003 champion Aron Sherriff at Wollongong RSL Bowling Club yesterday.

Sherriff entered the tournament as one of the highly-fancied bowlers but was sent packing when Woods scored a 25-23 win.

Both bowlers had chances to win the match over the final few ends. But Woods was able to hold his nerve and secure the biggest upset of the singles event so far.

Defending champion Shane Garvey narrowly avoided joining Sherriff on the tournament scrap heap.

Garvey was expected to have few problems against Corrimal clubmate Trent McMillan and the match looked to be going to form in the opening ends of their clash at Windang.

But that was before McMillan, the two-times national deaf bowls champion, hit top gear.

He closed in quickly on Garvey and had the match tied at 24-all heading into the final end.

After Garvey played a superb draw shot with his second bowl, McMillan missed the head with a drive to give Garvey the match.

Garvey said his ability to play weighted shots got him home after McMillan's draw shot proved the better of the two.

"The green we played on was probably the slowest of the three here, but he (McMillan) played very well today," Garvey said.

"He skipped a rink for Corrimal in the No1s last year and will be in the team again."

Sherriff's departure leaves Garvey and Tom Ellem as the bowlers to beat.

While the players in sections 1-39 will have to bowl again tomorrow to qualify for the quarter-finals, four bowlers from the bottom half of the draw are already through to the last eight.

The Hills' Matt Sargent kept alive his Bowler of the Carnival chances with three good wins yesterday.

He will meet Woods for a spot in the semi-finals at Windang on Wednesday morning.

Erin Smith (Warilla) will take on Narrandera's Christian Morgan in the second of the already determined quarter-finals.

Meantime, carnival organisers yesterday announced the schedule for the remainder of the event.

The program is:

Monday: 9.30am: Fours semi-finals; 12.30pm: Pairs quarter-finals. Tuesday: 9.30am: Pairs semi-finals; 12.30pm: Singles post-sectional play (section 1-39). Wednesday: 9.30am: Singles quarter-finals; 12.30pm: Singles semi-finals. 3.30pm: Singles final. Thursday: 9.30am: Fours final; 12.30pm: Pairs final.