Tournament News
Day 5 Report: November 5, 2003
Today’s scores
Test Match standings
9:30 AM. Kiwis, Yanks, attempt to make scores respectable.
With both first-round test matches already decided, today’s play will be an opportunity for the beleaguered USA and NZ teams to show their resilience. Given Australia’s strong performance thus far, the second test round is shaping up as the key round for all teams. AUS v. GB may well determine the winner of the Series, while NZ v. USA now looks like the best chance for either of these teams to claim a test match victory.
11:00 AM. Americans finding form.
Team USA seems off to a better start than in the previous singles round. Stark, Taves and Louw are game-up, Drake has just tied at one-all with Mulliner, and Fournier has a chance to level with Fulford.
Taves came back after Burrow had just failed to finish his triple, roqueting peelee whilst running rover. Burrow pegged out the striker’s ball and left the other near the peg. Taves roqueted and went round, Burrow shot and missed, and Taves finished to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
Fulford attempted a 1-back leave in game 1, but left a ball directly in front of 1. He had to revert to standard 4-back tactics, but Fournier missed and Fulford finished. In game 2 Fulford was successful with the 1-back leave. Having “popped” both opponent balls through 1, he then attempted to jaws the striker’s ball in 3, not quite getting the position he wanted. Fournier missed, and in a sudden downpour Fulford failed to get position at 1. Fournier went round, Fulford missed, and Fournier has now developed a standard tripling break.
The AUS v. NZ doubles matches are evenly split thus far, with triple peel finishes to Prince (NZ) and Hockey (AUS) in two matches.
12:20 PM. USA, NZ improve scores.
Wynand Louw (USA) beat David Maugham (GB) in straight games to give Team USA their first singles win for this Series. Stephen Mulliner has levelled the day for GB by beating Curtis Drake in a three triples match.
John Prince and Brian Wislang (NZ) have beaten Stephens Forster and Meatheringham (AUS) to put NZ ahead on the day. Toby Garrison and Dennis Bulloch (NZ) have levelled with Trevor Bassett and Simon Hockey (AUS) on a triple by Garrison.
1:00 PM. A Fulford sextuple; USA 3-3 on the day.
A persistent Robert Fulford (GB) finally bagged his sextuple in the third game against Jacques Founier (USA). Americans Taves and Stark both won their matches in three games, giving Team USA a 3-3 record on the day. The final score for the GB v. USA test match is 15-6 to GB. A typically strong win for the Brits, but also a new high for the Americans in a MacRob test match against Great Britain.
2:15 PM. First test match round finished.
Simon Hockey ended the day’s play with a routine triple peel. The final score for AUS v. NZ is 15-6.
Now team captains will consider whether or not to change singles orders and doubles pairings. New orders will be posted later today.