Sunday March 3, 2013
Dayang tops Masters field after round one
By KNG ZHENG GUAN
Making amends: Dayang Khairuniza came alive to roll down 1,407 pinfalls over six games. PETALING JAYA: A terrific performance by Dayang Khairuniza on the short oil pattern has put her at the top of the standings in round one of the women’s Masters at the Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling Championship in Auckland, New Zealand.
Only the top 12 bowlers in the All-Events qualified for the Masters and Dayang, who only finished eighth, roared to life with a six-game score of 1,407 yesterday.
Team-mate Siti Shazwani Ahmad Suhaimi, who has already won three silver medals (singles, doubles and mixed doubles), continued to impress by coming in second with 1,378 pinfalls, followed Malta’s Joanna Attard (1,368).
But it was the 22-year-old Dayang who impressed the most, especially after her poor performance in the mixed team which dented Malaysia’s chances of finishing higher than third.
She was on fire right from the word go, defeating singles champion Kirsten Penny of England 227-206 before picking up wins over Singaporeans Geraldine Ng (255-187) and Bernice Lim (226-216) and Shazwani 225-216 in the sixth game.
The only setback for Dayang was losses to Malta’s Sue Abela and Attard in the second and fifth games respectively.
“I’m really confident on the short oil and I quite rightly expected a good performance from myself in the Masters event,” said Dayang.
“After scoring a disastrous 125 in the fifth game on Friday ... which cost the team dearly, I really wanted to make up for that and perhaps that was my source of inspiration.
“But this is not the end yet and I can’t be too comfortable. There are six more games to go and I’ll try my best to stay on top.
“It’ll be on the long oil pattern where I haven’t really done well. So, it’s crucial for me to convert all my spares.”
In the men’s event, Isaac Russell Paul also produced a strong showing – with 1,414 pinfalls – to be in third spot and stay in contention for the medals.
He could have finished higher but paid the price for a poor 163 in the fifth game.
Singles champion Sam Cooley of Australia leads the pack with 1,513, followed by Englishman Christopher Oates (1,501).
Malaysian teenager Mohd Rafiq Ismail is out of the medal chase after falling behind at ninth with a score of 1,211.
RESULTS
Masters (after six games)
Men: 1. Sam Cooley (Aus) 1,513, 2. Christopher Oates (Eng) 1,501, 3. Isaac Russell Paul (Mas) 1,414.
Selected: 9. Mohd Rafiq Ismail (Mas) 1,211.
Women: 1. Dayang Khairuniza (Mas) 1,407, 2. Siti Shazwani Ahmad Suhaimi (Mas) 1,378, 3. Joanna Attard (Mlt) 1,368.
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