SNUB FOR BOWLS STAR

No room for some of our most highly-rated bowlers

NATIONAL bowls team captain and local favourite Lynsey Clarke is a shock omission from the Australian teams to prepare for the Commonwealth Games.

A total of six Gold Coast bowlers were named in the open men’s, open women’s and disabled bowlers sides.

Club Helensvale four of Brett Wilkie, Nathan Rice, Aaron Sherriff and Kelsey Cot- trell were joined by a disabled pair and Clarke was, according to selector Kelvin Kerkow, one of two victims of the current depth of class in Australian female bowlers.

“Unfortunately seven does not go into five,” Kerkow said of the omission of Clarke and crack NSW teenager Ellen Ryan from the Jackaroos sides.

“If we could have a sevenmember team it would be fantastic but we have only five players for the four Games disciplines (singles, pairs, triples and fours).”

Kerkow said trimming the final team selection was a difficult task but it was difficult to drop players who were sensational at the world titles late last year, an event which Clarke was not picked for.

“Obviously this (team selection) has been a two-year process and what made it so challenging is that the current Australian team performed outstandingly at the worlds last year. They won three golds from four disciplines, the most successful team to go to the worlds.

“Lynsey is very unlucky, so is Ellen, but as I said I only wish we could have seven players in the team.”

Ryan, 19, has already won two Australian Open singles titles and this year won both the singles and pairs at Broadbeach, venue for the April Games.

Kerkow said should there be any late withdrawals from the Jackaroos women’s team then Clarke and Ryan would be first cabs off the rank. The composition of the teams for the four disciplines will not be known until early next year.