Tournament News
Day 4 Report: November 4, 2003
Today’s scores
Test Match standings
10:45 AM. Crunch time for Yanks, Kiwis.
Four of the Australia v. New Zealand singles matches have finished the first game, each country leading in two matches.
In United States v. Great Britain, Maugham and Avery are a game away from clinching the test for GB. However, Stark and Taves are game-up against Burrow and Mulliner, and Fournier has DPO’d Fulford.
11:05 AM. Aussies on the hill, Brits on the very brink.
Australia’s #1 Trevor Bassett beat New Zealand’s #1 Toby Garrison to put Team Australia a match away from winning the first test match. At the moment, however, most of the singles matches have NZ in play.
Mark Avery is working on a delayed triple that, if successful, will win the first test match for GB.
11:20 AM. Great Britain 11, United States 2.
Great Britain have won their first test match, having now won the requisite eleven matches. Despite some troubles at rover, Mark Avery has clinched the test for GB with a pair of triple peels. Avery and Maugham remain undefeated in both singles and doubles.
11:40 AM. Australia sitting pretty.
Peter Parkinson (NZ) has kept New Zealand’s hopes alive with an efficient win this morning. However, Bruce Fleming (AUS) has game, match, and test match on his mallet. The Australians are also game-up in two other matches.
Fournier and Drake played a conservative 3-ball game, but after Drake scored 1-back Clarke hit in and finished to take the first game for GB.
12:15 PM. Australia 11, New Zealand 5.
Bruce Fleming, captain of the Australian team, beat New Zealand’s John Prince to clinch the test match for Australia. Earlier, Dennis Bulloch (NZ) had beaten Stephen Forster (AUS) to keep the Kiwis’ hopes for this test alive, but the reliable Fleming never looked in serious danger during the winning break.
The Australians’ strong performance so far shows that they are here for more than redemption—they are in for the gold.
Stephen Mulliner just snicked the “last lift” to extend the Burrow & Mulliner v. Stark & Taves match.
1:30 PM. One match remains in play.
USA v. GB is finished for the day. Taves and Stark were effective again, beating Burrow and Mulliner in a scrappy match. Team USA have lost the first test match, but can take consolation from their good performance in the doubles.
Clarke (AUS) has beaten Bryant (NZ). Wislang (NZ) looks likely to extend his match with Hockey (AUS), in the day’s last remaining match.
2:40 PM. Another winning day for Australia.
Simon Hockey won the third game against Brian Wislang to make it 4-2 on the day and 13-5 for the test match for Australia.