FINAL; Quinlan V Emerton

QUINLAN WINS 25-20


3.10pm

Three bowls each played and Quinlan holds 2 chose shots but Emerton has two back bowls.  To use her favoured backhand a drive or weighted shot appears unlikely with a short bowl in the way so it's draw only on the backhand.  More options on the forehand and she goes there with weight.....way way narrow and she concedes to Quinlan.  Great match, credit to both ladies.

Quinlan WINS 25-20

3.05pm

Quinlan sensing victory puts her first two 6 and 8 inches front/back of the kitty while Emerton has two back.  Will Quinlan will look to cover the back bowls with her third?  No, goes to her forehand but falls short.  It's in the count but what about the cover?  Ooh, Emerton goes the trail to her back bowls and just misses as her bowls sails between the kitty and Quinlan's bowl.

Quinlan puts her last back as cover.  All on Emerton to save now.  On the forehand, crash into Quinlan's bowl and kitty and Emerton claims the shot  but Quinlan wants a measure.  No, Quinlan concedes the shot.  Big save by Emerton.

Quinlan leads 24-20.

3pm

Have to admire Emerton's resolve.  Puts her first inches back from kitty before Quinlan's second gives it a nudge to take back the advantage.  Emerton's 3rd with weight is narrow and unfortunately for her bumps Quinlan's short 3rd into contention.  Looks like 1 to Quinlan and a measure for 2.

Quinlan's last is back and right of kitty for cover while Emerton again goes to her backhand.  Just misses the kitty and goes through beyond the count.  Look out, 2 to Quinlan.  All but there.

Quinlan leads 24-19.

2.55pm

It's tense.  Emerton taking her time on the mat and is distracted by a couple of stragglers off to the side of the green.  Uncharacteristic scrappy end here from Emerton with a bowl left each and 3 to Quinlan.  A definite 3 now to Quinlan with 1 left for Emerton.  If ever Emerton needed that brilliant saving last bowl this is it.

On her favoured backhand with weight it's a mile wide and a big 3 to Quinlan.

Quinlan leads 22-19 as we hear the 2 hour mark.

2.50pm

Pressure back on Quinlan; 2 bowls each played and Emerton holding 2.   With Emerton possibly holding 3 and the backhand blocked, Quinlan goes with weight on the forehand but sails a bowl width wide of the jack into the sand.  Quinlan will not want to drop multiple shots here.

Emerton piles on the pressure with a toucher sitting in front of the kitty.  Is she holding 4?

 Pressure last bowl here for Quinlan.  Ouch.  Narrow on the drive but takes a wick back in off an Emerton bowl, moves the shot bowl and kitty to her advantage.  2 somewhat lucky shots to Quinlan.  That said, things like that happen in bowls!

19 all.  Classic.

2.42pm

With Emerton 1 to play it's a toss up to who has shot but there's room for Emerton's favoured backhand draw.  Is it short or...?  It's in and it's 2 to Emerton.  Quinlan looks a tad frustrated, unable to take further advantage after the 3 at the previous.

Emerton leads 19-17.

2.38pm

3 to Quinlan after Emerton's attacking drive goes awry.  Game on.

17 all

2.35pm

For those like me that like the odd statistic, here's a few numbers up to the finals;

Beth Quinlan undefeated with 3/3 sectional, 3/3 post sectional and 1/1 semi final wins
Won 94/165 ends at 57% and has played 739 minutes or 12hrs 19 mins

Marilyn Emerton won 2/3 sectional, 2/3 post sectional and 1/1 semi finals
Won 95/172 ends at 55% and has played 892 minutes or 14 hrs 52 mins (didn't tally number of walks to the head!  Sorry Marilyn only kidding :)  )

2.30pm

Superb drawing here.  Quinlan's 4th a cracker, just edging the kitty off Emerton's shot bowl.  Emerton goes with weight on her last and makes contact but puts the kitty out of bounds.  

2.25pm

A draw for 1 to Quinlan as the sky darkens again.  Full credit to both ladies in challenging conditions.  Light rain intermittently falling and temperature changes adding to the natural pressure felt in a final.

Emerton leads 17-14.

2.18pm

Quinlan had 2 close but Emerton with a lovely draw just bumps the shot bowl a roll or two aside to take shot with her 2nd.  Credit to Emerton as she appears nonplussed about her scoreless recent run.  Her 3rd gives her the 2nd shot and after Quinlan's 4th falls short, Emerton will look for 3.  As with earlier it's a lovely dead draw on the backhand and a momentum stopping 3 to Emerton.

Interesting to see Emerton's positive body language returning as she followed her last bowl down knowing it was good out of the hand.

Emerton leads 17-13. 

2.13pm

Another single to Emerton, her 4th winning end in a row.  Back within a shot.  Tense!

Emerton leads 14-13.

2.06pm

Close bowls around the kitty with Emerton holding 1 before Quinlan's slightly weighted forehand  sliced the kitty to her advantage by 1.  Emerton couldn't beat it with her last.  Another 1 back to Quinlan.  

Talking mindsets earlier, Emerton couldn't fail with her last bowl earlier but now it's not the case.  Quinlan looking more and more settled but it's worth remembering after dropping a critical 4 in her semi against Edna Anderson, Emerton shrugged it off and picked off a single then 4 back at the next.

It's a great contest.

Emerton leads 14-12.

2.02pm

Quinlan holds 2 as Emerton's running last shot is narrow and collects the shorter bowls.  2 more for Quinlan and she's back within 3.  Light rain starting to fall.

Emerton leads 14-11.

1.56pm

Interesting to see Emerton short with her first two and long with her 3rd.  Will she AGAIN convert with a pressure 4th and last bowl?  Quinlan holding 1 maybe 2 as Emerton plays her last and this time it goes through the gap.  Can Quinlan make it 3.....and draws it.  Confidence boosting 3 to Quinlan.

Emerton leads 14-9.

1.51pm

Wouldn't mind a pedometer on Emerton to tally the metres walked with her many trips to the head in a match.  

Playing her last, Quinlan goes with weight to move Emerton's close two, succeeds in separating the bowls but her contact was right of centre and her bowl continued right and away from the count.  2 to Emerton.

Emerton leads 14-6.

1.45pm

In case I didn't mention this before, remember to refresh the page (F5) so you get the latest update.

Meanwhile with 3 each played Quinlan has two shots close, in front and a few inches off centre of kitty.  Quinlan rolls a 3rd and Emerton's options seem limited.  Forehand and drive blocked, either a dead draw backhand or backhand with a bit of weight to her back bowl.  Again Emerton turns 4 down into 1 up.  A brilliant draw to within inches gives 1 to Emerton.

You wonder what this does to Quinlan's mind set, twice in 3 ends she's held 4 only to see Emerton's last bowl take the shot.

Emerton 12-6.


1.40pm

Quinlan picks up a single as it gets a little darker outside....wind barely moving the flags.

Emerton leads 11-6.

1.35pm

That was some save.  With Quinlan holding 4 shots around the kitty and nothing nearby, Emerton played a great weighted shot to not only sit Quinlan's best, but turned the 4 down into a shot for her.  Five shot turnaround.  Brilliant.  Drew a smirk from Quinlan too.

Emerton leads 11-5.


1.30pm

It's been longish ends all the way but Quinlan takes the mat back and it's a metre shy of the maximum distance.  Holding 1 Quinlan's face tells the story as she falls short with her final bowl.  Emerton now looking to counter but draws wide, 1 to Quinlan.

Emerton leads 10-5.  

1.25pm

Emerton again with 3 close but this time Quinlan plays a delightful draw with her 3rd to take shot.  Emerton plays even better to take shot.  Quinlan again, brilliant draw, sits Emerton out to take 2 back.  

Emerton leads 10-4.

1.18pm

Even the bowls are SOO like, Emerton (Qld) with pink bowls and Quinlan (NSW) with the blue speckled bowls.

Quinlan hasn't settled at all, her drawing length is OK but her grass is too wide mostly.  Emerton    has also struggled this end so Quinlan can still pull 1 or 2 back.  Slightly lucky wick in off Quinlan's shot bowl sees Emerton hold 1 maybe 2 as Quinlan's bowl rolls over.  Quinlan again with weight hits the outside of Emerton's bowls but her last doesn't stop another 2 to Emerton.

Quinlan needs to break this run of Emerton and to settle into the final.

Emerton leads 10-2.

1.15pm

Emerton is all over the jack with her first 3 while Quinlan fires wide and unsuccessfully with a Kerkow-esque drive while Emerton calmly plants her 4th close.  Quinlan goes again with the drive, takes out 1 Emerton pink bowl but it still down 3.

Emerton leads 8-2.

1.10pm

Quinlan has a drive with her last, when the dust settles it's 2 to Emerton.

Emerton leads 5-2.

1.07pm

Quinlan wins 2 at the first but is a bit wayward at the next allowing Emerton to collect 3.

Emerton leads 3-2.

1pm

Welcome.  The wind has settled and the sky is cloudy but visibility good.  Let's hope it stays that way!