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Monday March 16, 2009

Two-month stint here pays dividends for Indian bowler

PETALING JAYA: A two-month stint in Malaysia has paid handsome dividends to Indian bowler Mayank Patel. He shot the first perfect game in the Malaysian International Open at the Sunway Megalanes in Sunway Pyramid yesterday during the men’s Graded qualifying round.

Mayank, who is part of an 11-member Indian team on a coaching and training stint in Malaysia under national chief coach Holloway Cheah, brought the house down when he reeled 12 consecutive strikes. His effort earned him a Canon FS11 camcorder worth RM2,799, courtesy of the championships’ title sponsors.

Well rewarded: India’s Mayank Patel posing with the Canon camcorder he won for shooting the first perfect game at the Malaysian International Open yesterday.

Affected by the excitement of scoring a perfect game, Mayank chalked up a 170 in the second game but bounced back with a 218 to end on 688. His total of 1,326 move him up to 11th from fourth in the qualifying standings.

“Sure, I was a little tense but fortunately I was able to make a good delivery in the final ball,” said the 20-year-old second-year business management student of MS Ramaiah University.

“The 11th frame was a lucky strike as the ball went over to the 1-2 pocket. The ball I used was only drilled by Holloway when I arrived here for training. It’s so much different from the one I used before.

“I’ve only been in the sport for two years and I intend to train hard to make it to this year’s Asian Indoor Games squad and perhaps the 2010 Commonwealth Championships, which will be hosted by India.”

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