Adrian bowls 21st perfect game in Munich

PETALING JAYA: National bowler Adrian Ang shot his career’s 21st perfect game to amass a six-game total of 1,514 pinfalls to tie for second spot in the ongoing qualification of the Brunswick Euro Challenge (BEC) in Munich, Germany.

It marked the first perfect game of the prestigious Platinum-rated European Bowling Tour event, which carries a lucrative prize purse of €105,000 (RM505,000).

It was just four months ago, the 29-year-old fired a 300 during the qualifying rounds of the Professional Bowlers’ Association (PBA) Chameleon Championship in the United States.

Adrian, who was placed 32nd overnight, shared the second place with Singapore’s Shayna Ng but trailed pace-setter Thailand’s Annop Arromsaranon by only 11 pins in the 183-player standings.

Adrian’s best BEC outing was finishing runner-up in 2010. He won the Ankara Open in Turkey in 2009 for his sole victory in Europe.

The qualifying rounds run until Saturday with the best 64 finishers making the cut for the tournament proper on Sunday.

Teammate Timmy Tan also put up a superb display as he posted an improved six-game effort of 1,498 to move up from 26th to fifth while Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek is currently seventh with 1,485 pinfalls.

The rest of the national team members also did well to remain above the cut line with Sin Li Jane in 13th on 1,435, Shalin Zulkifli (1,427, 18th), Esther Cheah (1,422, 21st), Rafiq Ismail (1,408, 23rd), Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman (1,399, 26th), Natasha Roslan (1,380, 35th), Alex Liew (1,359, 43rd) and Ahmad Muaz Fishol (1,355, 48th).

Former international Zulmazran Zulkifli, who’s plying his trade as a professional, is also in the field. He registered a 1,344 total for 52nd place.

Team manager Maradona Chok was delighted with the team’s decent start to their campaign, but has urged them to keep improving their scores.

“The qualification is heating up with scores being on the high side and our bowlers need to focus on making good shots and try to hit 1450 over six games if they want to make the cut,” said Maradona.

“Our Asian games rivals are not resting as well, as Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia are here as well. The Thai men have sounded their warning by topping the qualifying at the moment,” he said.