Sherriff leads team to victory

Ettalong bowler Aron Sherriff helped his team to victory in the fours competition at the Asia Pacific Bowls Championships in Adelaide held from Wednesday, November 30, until Sunday, December 11.

The Australian men's team, who took bronze at the 2009 Asia Pacific Championships, proved too strong for the New Zealanders and took the game 23-16 to win the gold medal.

Australia's fours side of Mark Berghofer, Commonwealth Games gold Medallist Mark Casey, Commonwealth Games Medallist Rice and world number eight Aron Sherriff took a strong position from end six where they led 8-6.

That two-shot margin was the closest the Black Jacks side of Tony Grantham, Dan Delaney, Ali Forsyth and Richard Girvan got to the host nation for the rest of the game.

Australia opened strongly with a four, which the Kiwis replicated in the second end.

A two for Australia then a one for NZ followed by a repeat performance by both countries saw the game 8-6 after six ends.

Two threes for the host nation and a three for the Kiwis followed but a four by the Aussies in the 10th ends saw them double the Kiwis score, 18-9.

By end 13, the Australians were up by 11 shots and led 21-10.

New Zealand tried valiantly to make a comeback with a three, one and two in ends 14, 15 and 16 but it was not enough.

Australia took the final end with a two to win gold.

"We're stoked," said elated Aussie skipper Sherriff said after the victory.

"We played really well in the fours, we gelled right from the start and I thought we were a real strong chance to win that one probably at the start of the tournament.

"We obviously had to play really well because there are some quality teams but I think it was a pretty flawless performance for our fours, we had one little hiccup against Singapore, but we got out of that one and we pretty much dominated from the on.

"It was a really good performance.

"There's that much talent in Australia that when you get opportunities like this you have to make them count, there are some fantastic bowlers waiting to take our spot.

"It's good to get a gold and a silver medal out of these championships though we're still definitely going to have perform next year in trials and things to get a spot in the World Bowls team, but fingers crossed, and I can't wait to get back here, " said Sherriff.

New Zealand coach Dave Edwards was full of praise for Australia's Aron Sherriff in his summary of the men's fours.

"Aron Sherriff was the difference in the men's game.

"I felt we matched the Australians player for player, however, Aron played some amazing conversion shots and was hard to stop, he was sensational," Edwards said.

Media Release, 12 Dec 2011 Sue Hill, Foster Hill PR and Marketing