National Masters

[Robot1982]

I have been keeping an eye out on the scores for the national masters and I only see 1 600! on the board, that as to be telling them something wouldn't u think. What does everyone think the cut off will be? I made it just last yeah with a 648 and I though those lanes in Canberra were hard. Lanes getting harder or just don't have as good bowlers anymore? I have been told a lot of years u had to shot 700 at least for the guys. What is happening with the junior bowlers these days?

 

[Hedley]

Robert,

The main thing the low scoring is telling us is that few, if any, of the President's Shield bowlers have bowled to date, so I would not get too worried yet about lower standards or harder lanes. Once the top guns arrive you will start to see the 650 plus scores appearing on the board. Although the lanes at Mt Gravatt are not easy, the good Junior bowlers are still scoring well there. For example, Matthew Smith, a member of the SQ Team, bowled a 904 (including a 299) in the Youth Invitational League at Mt Gravatt a few weeks ago and I think Andrew Nobbs (another SQ team member) shot an 899 in the same League at around the same time.

On the last occasion (1998) the Junior Nationals were held in Queensland (qualifying at Ashmore), you only needed 614 (Ross Sanson and Jarrod Pearce) to make the Open Masters cut and the top qualifyer was Brett Fox (SQ), with 693. The following year, on a much easier condition at Elizabeth (Adelaide), the cut was 660 (Terry Adams) and the top qualifyer was Dylan McKeown (NSW), with 739. (Coincidently, there was exactly the same spread, 79 pins, between first and last qualifyer in 1998 and 1999.) Last year, in Canberra, the cut was 631 (Brett Lacey) and Jason Twohill (SQ) was the top qualifyer with a 715 - a spread of 84 pins.

On this basis, it has got to be four years or more (if ever) since you needed at least 700 to make the Junior Open Masters cut. My guess is that this year the cut will, again, be around 630/640.

 

[scotti2hotti]

Robert 600 is 600 it is still a 200 average , from what i hear is the lanes are very punishing for bad shots , which in a good way it is good to see the lane conditions a bit harder so then you can see the best bowlers come out on top and also as my mate headley said you havent yet seen the best bowlers over there yet they will all be ariving in the next couple of days so look at the scoring start to get a little higher .

 

[zwaters]

Yeap i agree with you headley, but also juniors in Australia are falling, Especially in Queensland TBAL Needs to do something about this !!

 

[Hedley]

Hey Scott,

Not just a "little higher"!! You and Shane are a couple of the bowlers I am backing to bowl 650 plus in qualifying. That's if one or other of you hasn't grabbed an "arm-chair ride"

by winning the WA State Masters. See you soon.

Zach,

I agree with you that bowler numbers (both Junior and Adult) are falling, not just in Queensland but Australia-wide. What do you think TBAL should be doing about it?

On a more positive note, despite the drop-off in junior numbers, I think those who have stuck with the sport have acheived a very high standard. When I look at tthe quality of the Girls and Boys in this year's South Queensland President's Shield Team, I find it hard to believe that SQ has fielded many teams that have been stronger all round. There are also some really top-class bowlers in the other teams - just look at the strength and experience of the WA and Vic Boys, for example. Perhaps it's a case of quality rather than quantity

.

 

[craig]

from what i saw last weekend, the condition looks thin flat and tough.

there will always be quality in juniors, someone will always be ready to fill someones shoes, its always been that way and always will

 

[Hedley]

Great comment about the Juniors, Craig! Succinct and right on the button.