Lee Schraner heads 2023 Australian Champion of Champions Table after Day 1
NSW’s Lee Schraner heads the 2023 Australian Champion of Champions table after Day 1 of play.
Lee won three of his four matches and holds a handy +20 shot difference.
BHBR’s Brenton Coad sits 6th on the table after winning one of his three matches today.
Following a Round 1 bye, he faced the Grange’s Craig Mills (SA) in his Round 2 clash, an opponent he met and defeated in last month’s VBL at the Dandenong Club.
It was a close battle early with scores tied at 6-6. 9-9, 12-12, before Brenton edged ahead 14-12 after 18 ends.
However, Craig Mills finished strongly, snaring 7 of the last 8 ends to turn a two shot deficit into a 6 shot victory, winning 21-15 in a hard fought clash.
Brenton’s Round 3 matchup was Queanbeyan’s Scott Dagwell (ACT).
Scott got away to a good start leading 5-3 after 5 ends, but Brenton landed 3 shots the very next end and never looked back, going on to win 21-9 in convincing fashion.
It was a top performance against a tough adversary and Osborne Park’s Jack East (WA) awaited Brenton in the 4th round.
A topsy turvy match ensued with Jack getting out to a 13-4 lead after 10 ends before Brenton upped the ante scoring 3, 2, 1, 2 and 2 shots the next 5 ends to lead 14-13 after 15 ends.
But just like that, Jack landed 2, 2, 1, 2 shots in the next 4 ends to edge ahead by 5 shots (19-14) after 19 ends.
Not to be outdone, Brenton returned fire with 4 shots on the 20th end to be down by just one shot (18-19) in an enthralling contest.
The game was decided on the 21st end when Jack East managed 2 shots to land a 21-18 victory.
A mixed day for Brenton results wise, but from a bowling perspective, an outstanding effort against high quality opponents and doing the Ballarat Highlands Bowls Region proud.
It doesn’t get any easier for the Ballarat bowler with three more rounds tomorrow including a clash with three-time Champion Lee Schraner in the second game.
His match against Lee Schraner is being live streamed on the Bowls Australia Facebook page and Youtube channel tomorrow afternoon at around 5.30pm Ballarat time.
Good luck to Brenton tomorrow.
Day 2 Matches
R5: 11.30am – Glen Pitts (Algester, QLD)
R6: 2.15pm – Lee Schraner (Raymond Terrace, NSW)
R7: 5.30pm – Daniel Baker (Darwin, NT)
>>> View all 2023 The Nationals results here
2023 Australian Champion of Champions Ladder (Day 1)
