Leading players on track for titles shot

BOWLS Australia has made the first step towards choosing its representatives for two benchmark international events, with the naming of the Australian Jackaroos and Emerging Jackaroos squads.

National selectors have cast an eye towards the 2019 Asia Pacific Championships and 2020 World Bowls Championships in selecting the new 20strong top-tiered contingent and 14-player second-tier feeder squad.

Club Helensvale is well represented in the senior squad with Lynsey Clarke, Nathan Rice and Aron Sherriff, while Broadbeach’s Bolivia Millerick and Tweed Heads’ Chloe Stewart were also selected.

The Australian Jackaroos contingent will be contracted for the next 12 months, following the Asia Pacific Championships, while the Australian Emerging Jackaroos team will remain intact for the rest of 2018, giving selectors an opportunity to include any inform omissions ahead of 2019’s first international competition, the Trans-Tasman Test Series in February.

Former vice-captain Brett Wilkie made himself unavailable for selection following his resignation after the 2018 Commonwealth Games and former World Champion of Champion Scott Thulborn was relegated to the emerging squad.

“The players chosen in these squads have the potential to be immediate and longterm international competitors and are capable of achieving world titles, if they strive to reach it with hard work and dedication,” national coach Steve Glasson said.