Coach to get bowlers back on track
COACH Holloway Cheah expected total dominance from his bowlers in the just-concluded National Championships in Bandar Sunway.
But most of them did not meet Holloway’s expectations. Some even failed to make the cut in the qualifying round for the men’s and women’s Masters.
With only four months left before the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games, Holloway must find new methods to train his bowlers.
The pressure is on the bowlers to deliver as they are targeted to win six of 11 Sea Games gold medals on offer.
Adrian Ang was the only national bowler to make the men’s stepladder finals. He eventually finished third behind champion and ex-international Kang Bo Long and former national youth member Johnathan Chan.
Natasha Roslan, however, was the only national bowler to meet the target when she retained the women’s title.
Rafiq Ismail, who has won countless titles, and former Asian No 1 Alex Liew failed to progress beyond the men’s qualifiers while Zulmazran withdrew from a back injury after just two games in the Masters.
National bowlers Victoria Chin and Radin Nur Najwa Arifah Radin Dzulfakar both exited from the women’s qualifying round.
Holloway is disappointed with some bowlers but he is not pressing the panic button just yet.
“We still have time to improve but the performances of some were definitely unsatisfactory at the national meet,” Holloway told Timesport yesterday.
“Some were not sharp enough at the national meet. They could not adapt quickly enough to the changing of patterns.
Holloway will meet the bowlers and demand for answers for their poor form when they report back for centralised training on Friday.
“From my observation, Natasha, Shalin Zulkifli and Nur Aiman Khairuddin have good chances of making the team.“I expected more from Ahmad Muaz Fishol in the national meet as long oil is his favourite pattern. But he did not perform,” said Holloway.
The bowlers will only get to try out the oiling patterns for the Sea Games in the second-half of next month. Ajitpal Singh