Tournament News
Day 9 Report: Sunday, November 9, 2003
Today’s scores
Test Match standings
9:40 AM. Must-win day for Aussies, Kiwis.
USA and GB look to win their test matches today; NZ and AUS fight to keep the tests alive through the final day.
Fulford (GB) v. Bassett (AUS) has had a quality start. Fulford went round on turn 3 off the “supershot” opening, Bassett hit the short lift shot and went round to a New Standard Leave, and Fulford hit the short lift shot and has embarked on a standard triple.
At the moment, Australian and American players are on the court in most of their matches.
10:30 AM.
In the GB v. AUS singles, Great Britain are leading by a game in two matches; Australia leads in three matches.
In the USA v. NZ doubles, United States are leading in two matches.
11:35 AM. Aussies battling, but the door is closing.
Australia’s Stephen Forster and Martin Clarke have posted straight-games victories to put AUS up for the day so far, but Great Britain’s Mark Avery has won his match and his countryman Robert Fulford has his match on his mallet. Bruce Fleming (AUS) hit the lift in game 3 against Chris Clarke (GB).
Jacques Fournier (USA) could win the first match of the day in the NZ v. USA doubles, if he completes his triple peel.
High Noon: Brits on the hill, Yanks two away.
Great Britain #1 Robert Fulford beat Australia #1 Trevor Bassett to put GB one match away from winning its second test match of the Series.
A pair of triple peels by Jacques Fournier (USA) puts Team USA up 1-0 on the day. The test match score now stands at 9-4, so USA needs only two more wins out of the remaining eight matches to win the test.
12:20 PM.
Simon Hockey (AUS) has levelled his match with David Maugham (GB), keeping Australian hopes for the test alive. But Chris Clarke (GB) can clinch the test match with a triple peel. Two turns previously, Clarke started with his balls in contact and moved his 4-back ball in preparation for taking croquet. Realizing his error, he asked the referee whether or not he had elected that ball as striker’s ball for the turn, and the referee incorrectly replied in the affirmative. Clarke made a leave, Fleming missed, and Clarke began his tripling break. Cosmic justice, or the reverse? You decide.
12:30 PM. Great Britain lead the Series with two test match wins.
Chris Clarke (GB) completed his triple to beat Bruce Fleming (AUS) in a three triples match. This decides the test match against Australia, the score currently 11-6. Great Britain have now won two test matches and appear to be in a very strong position to retain the Shield.
2:20 PM. Kiwis live to fight another day.
Stark and Taves (USA) beat Garrison and Bulloch (NZ) to put United States on the hill, but Bryant and Parkinson (NZ) kept NZ in the test with a win over Louw and Rosenberry (USA).
USA enter the final singles round needing to win only one of six matches, the most comfortable lead ever for USA in a MacRobertson Shield test match.