PETALING JAYA: The national lawn bowls players are on course for the quarter-finals of the 7th Asia Pacific Merdeka singles cham­­pionships at the Bayuemas Indoor Bowls Stadium in Panda­ma­­­ran, Klang.

Emma Firyana Saroji and Noor­hasani Daud are virtually through from their respective groups in the women’s competition. With one more round to play, Emma and Noorhasani have six points from three straight wins in Group E and F respectively, while Zuraini Khalid (Group G) and defending champion Noor Zafirah Noor (Group H) have two points each.

The group winners advance to the quarter-finals while the second and third-placed players will vie for the other quarter-final slot via a playoff.

In the men’s competition, Mohd Hizlee Rais (Group A) and Mohd Fairus Jabal (Group B) are in pole position after three straight wins while Mohd Yamil Syazwani (Group C) is expected to go through as well after securing two wins.

Muhd Azwan Shuhaimi’s hopes of a quarter-final berth will only be known after today’s final group match against Sri Lanka’s Susil Ramanayakee. Muhd Azwan has only one win in three games after defeating Thailand’s Uthen Ontong 21-11.

Fifteen countries are competing in three disciplines – singles, mixed pairs and the fours. The others are Australia, Brunei, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

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