Queensland claim the bragging rights
THE Queensland men’s team have claimed the Wal Currey Memorial Shield over NSW at Tweed Heads.
Nathan Rice’s rink of Jayden Christie (Helensvale), Jamie Anderson (Enoggera) and Sean Ingham (Broadbeach) led the way, winning their rink in all three Tests.
Queensland won the first Test on the grass and then, due to inclement weather, it was decided to move the series into the Tweed Heads Indoor Complex.
NSW claimed the second Test before Queensland finished the stronger, winning the third and final Test to claim the series.
The Queensland women’s team were competitive in each Test but faded in the dying stages to lose the first and third Tests. They had a good win in the second Test.
Nathan Rice and Lynsey Clarke followed on from their Australian trials form to claim players of the series for Queensland.
NSW won the respective men’s and women’s under-25 competitions.
Queensland selectors now have the task of selecting the teams for the Australian Sides Championships to be in Ettalong, NSW, in April.
■ BOWLS Premier League 09 began last night in Wellington, New Zealand, and will be played each day until the finals on Thursday.
Brisbane Pirates are the reigning champions from BPL08 at Pine Rivers in November but the Gold Coast Hawks are defending champions from 12 months ago in the New Zealand BPL07.
Last year Lynsey Clarke was part of the winning team – this year the Hawks have opted to go with Georgia White along with Nathan Rice and Aron Sherriff.
Matt Lucas has replaced Mark Casey as the coach.
Broadbeach’s Ryan Bester will represent Moama Steamers while Kelsey Cottrell will again represent the Pirates.
Games will be live on FoxSports from 3pm each day or on Bowls Australia’s “Rinkside Live” on Facebook during the day.
■ TWEED Heads have moved to the top of the Premier League Queensland ladder after a three-game losing streak from South Tweed saw them drop to fifth.
Broadbeach jump to third, thanks to a three-rink win over Victoria Point.
Helensvale are seventh on the same amount of game wins as Broadbeach after they scraped home against Enoggera. Only rink wins separate third to eighth on the ladder with four rounds remaining.