Teenager Breaks Into Australian Bowls Team
Gold Coast based teenager Lynsey Armitage will become the youngest player ever to represent Australia in lawn bowls when she competes in the Asia Pacific Bowls Championship in Brisbane next month.
Armitage, a 19-year-old university student, has been selected in the five-player women's team announced by Bowls Australia this week.
Her selection is even more notable as she has stepped straight into the national side from the 'developing players' section of the Australian Bowls Squad. Traditionally, players are selected from the 10-player strong 'open' section of the squad.
Armitage, who began bowling when she was 12, only made her 'open' debut at state level earlier this year.
At the Asia Pacific Bowls Championship she will play lead in the triples and fours and is part of a new-look side that comprises Karen Murphy, Lee Poletti, Helen Bosisto and Maria Rigby.
Both Bosisto and Rigby will also be making their international debuts at the 'open' level at this event.
Murphy, a silver medallist at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, will play singles and will skip for Poletti in the pairs. The triples line-up is Armitage, Bosisto, Rigby, with Poletti joining that trio in the fours.
Omitted from the Australian team that defeated New Zealand 3-0 in February are Jeannette Sibly, Willow Fong and Jenny Harragon.
Bowls Australia has also announced the Australian men's team for the Asia Pacific Bowls Championship with the side comprising Steve Glasson, Kelvin Kerkow, Bill Cornehls, Kevin Walsh and Michael Wilks.
Glasson, Australia's No.1 ranked bowler, will play singles and will skip for Kerkow in the pairs. The triples line-up is Cornehls, Walsh, Wilks, with Kerkow joining that trio in the fours.
Cornehls, Walsh, Glasson and Wilks last played for Australia in a six-man side that toured England and Scotland in August.
Two players from that side - Steve Anderson and Mark Casey - have been overlooked by selectors along with veteran Rex Johnston and Brett Duprez who both played in Australia's Test match victory over Ireland in September.
Kelvin Kerkow retains his spot in the team after strong performances in recent months including a telling win in the singles rubber against Ireland last month.
The Australian men's and women's teams will be seeking to win back the overall champions title from New Zealand at this year's Asia Pacific Bowls Championship.
Australia was the best performed nation at the 1999 championship held in Malaysia, but lost the crown to the Kiwis at Moama in 2001.
This year's championship will be staged at the Pine Rivers Memorial Bowls Club in Brisbane from 26 November to 2 December and 20 countries have been invited to participate.
Countries to confirm their participation to-date include Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Japan, Canada, Cook Islands, Indonesia, USA, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia,
Hong Kong China, Samoa, Norfolk Island, Brunei, Thailand and Korea.
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Australian teams for the Asia Pacific Bowls Championship (26 Nov- 2 Dec):
Women: Singles: Karen Murphy; Pairs:Lee Poletti, Murphy; Triples: Lynsey Armitage, Helen Bosisto, Maria Rigby; Fours: Armitage, Bosisto, Poletti, Rigby.
Men: Singles: Steve Glasson; Pairs: Kelvin Kerkow; Glasson; Triples: Bill Cornehls, Kevin Walsh, Michael Wilks; Fours: Cornehls, Kerkow, Walsh, Wilks.
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