Drought breakers and drought makers

by admin on July 27, 2017

Queensland makes history in the 2017 Under 25s Interstate Test Series with a win in both the men’s and women’s test series. (Pictured left: The winners of the 2017 annual QLD v NSW Under 25s Interstate Test Series with both the men’s and women’s series shields.)

After three years of watching the New South Wales women’s side walk away with the Test Series Shield, it was finally time for the Queensland women to once again step back into the winner’s circle and take out the Under 25s Interstate Test Series at Kallangur Memorial Bowls Club.

The maroon’s win put a stop to the blues and sealed themselves into the history books as the only Queensland side to ever win both the men’s and women’s series title simultaneously.

Queensland’s Lauren Wilson says she was elated by the joint victory and praised the teamwork and tactics for the historic win.

“I’m really pleased with the result, it has been a long time coming,” Wilson said.

“This time we really just wanted the win come hell or high water and we just gave it the best crack we could and the results came our way for a lot of the games.”

In the first test, the women’s side pulled off a near perfect run and finish with the maroons only falling victim to the blues’ in the pairs discipline against the blues’ Jodie Marshall and Molly Wilton who were able to steal an 18-15 win.

In the second test the women’s side secured a 2-1 victory to take out the second test with a win in the singles after Club Helensvale’s April Wilson beat Jessica Hogan 21-13 and Angie Earle (Hamilton) and skip Lauren Wilson (Helensvale) won the pairs 17-15, only dropping a game to the fours after an 8-14 defeat.

By the third test the NSW women were in damage control mode and came out more aggressively to win the singles 21-9, but Queensland proved to be too strong of a force and were able to claim victories in the pairs with Pialba’s Kirsty DeWaard and skip Jacinta Weier (Hervey Bay) pulling off a close 17-16 victory over the blues.

The fours combination of Julia Allen-Best (North Toowoomba), Angie Earle, Lauren Wilson and skip Natasha Jones (Helensvale) were able to thrash the opposition by a healthy margin of 10 to wrap up the series for the women with a 19-10 win over opposing skip Noronha’s rink.

In the men’s competition, Queensland seemed to rule the roost with a clean sweep in the first test followed by a near perfect run in the second test with a win in the pairs and fours, but luck favoured the blues in the singles with Joel Andersen (Caloundra) defeated 15-21 by Australian rep Billy Johnson.

With two test wins already in the bag and the entire series tied up for Queensland, the pressure was off but New South Wales proved they were not just going to lie down for game three and came out swinging to claim the singles and pairs with 9-21 and 12-8 wins respectively over the Maroons.

However, skip Brendan Wilson (South Tweed) and his rink consisting of Jesse Turnbull (Hamilton), Dale McWhinney-Shillington (South Tweed) and Joel Andersen were able to hold back the blues boys from a complete romp in the series and pull off a 12-8 win and their third straight series win.

“I am stoked with the result, a lot of the New South Wales Players play for Australia so to get across the line against those boys was brilliant,” Wilson said.

“To bring home the shield for three in a row was what we were aiming for and it was good to carry it on with the boys from last year.

Under 25s QLD v NSW Interstate Test Series Result:

Men
QLD 2 – 1 NSW
Winners: QLD

Women
QLD 3 – 0 NSW
Winners: QLD

Queensland Under 25 representatives for the 2017 test series:

Angie Earle (Hamilton), Brendan Wilson (South Tweed), April Wilson (Helensvale), Cohen Litfin (Jindalee), Jacinta Weier (Hervey Bay), Dale McWhinney-Shillington (South Tweed), Julia Allen-Best (North Toowoomba), Jesse Turnbull (Hamilton), Kirsty DeWaard (Pialba), Joel Andersen (Caloundra)
Lauren Wilson (Helensvale), Nic Gosley (Musgrave Hill), Natasha Jones (Helensvale) Scott DeJongh (South Tweed)

If you would like to see the draw and full scores from the U25s Test Series click on the link below:

https://www.bowlsqld.org/Events/State-Events/QLD-vs-NSW-Under-25-Test-Series#Draw-Results-652