Aussies grab lead in Squad 2

1st September, Monterry: Ann-Maree Putney and Jayde Flanagan of Australia topped Squad 2 of the World Women's Championship with a total of 2644 but not enough to challenge Squad 1 leaders Korea.  After the dust settled from the second squad of the day, the sister of Anja Ginge Jensen and Mai Ginge Jensen set a cracking pace with 489 to lead Australia's Ann-Maree Putney and Jayde Flanagan by 37 pins with Ana Germania Herniquez and Aumi Guerra of Dominican Republic in third.

Guerra then posted the highest single game of the squad with 290 in the second game with her partner scoring 234 to give the duo a 524 total and the lead by 39 pins pushing down into second and Australia third.

The Dominicans continued their fast pace to maintain their lead and looked certain to top the squad until a poor 357 in the final game saw them giving away the pole to the Aussies with a total of 2644 but not enough to challenge squad 1 leaders, Korea who totaled 2787.

  "We bowl well together," said Ann-Maree, a resident of Sydney. "We won a silver medal in Cyprus last year at the Commonwealth Championships. We're both happy on the long and short oil patterns, so hope to do well in all the events. The Australian team is evenly balanced and we're not having any altitude problems so far."

Jayde hails from Melbourne and that fine city will be hosting the next Women's World Championships in 2009. The Aussie's 2644 was just seven pins better than the 2637 rolled by the Dominican Republic's Aumi Guerra and Ana Germania Herniquez.

"We're the Dominican trademark doubles team," joked Aumi after the squad. "We won gold in the 2003 Tournament of the Americas." Commenting on the conditions here in Mexico, she added: "Normally the short oil pattern is not my good point, but I changed equipment and today I did well. Perhaps it will change for the future.

  "We enjoyed bowling today and it is fantastic to be surrounded by such great players, so we feel really good about coming into second place on this squad." No Singapore pair was in this squad. Evelyn Chan and Sabrina Lim will start in next squad while Jasmine Yeong-Nathan and Jennifer Tan will bowl in Squad 4 on September 2.

Detailed scores: Doubles Squad 2 | Doubles Combined | Photo Album.

Photos courtesy of Keith Hale, Bowlers Journal International.