Van Asch storms into Final.
Rebecca Van Asch has romped into the Australian Indoor Singles Final with a convincing 8-7 10-1 victory over fellow Jackaroos squad member Dawn Hayman. This will be the first time Van Asch has made the final of this event and will now be hoping for one more victory which will not only secure the title but a spot in the 2017 World Cup. Van Asch was challenged in the first set but was simply outstanding in the second set.
The first set score line shows it was a close encounter but doesn’t represent the pressure Van Asch was already demonstrating. Often holding two or three, Hayman needed to draw and convert well, which she did but not well enough to gain some crucial multiple counts required to overtake Van Asch. Van Asch played the set smartly, often covering the re spot mark, knowing that Hayman would need weight to convert some heads.
The second set saw Van Asch step it up another gear. Close bowls were now touchers, often in front or behind the jack, making it very difficult for Hayman to get into the game. With the score line getting away from her Hayman needed to try and create multiple scores but Van Asch had her measure and was a deserved winner of this Semi Final.
A victory in this final would be a very good feather to add to Van Asch’s cap. “It’s a great tournament and certainly one of the most prestigious, especially with a World Cup spot on the line” said Van Asch at the conclusion of her match. “I’ve been really happy with my consistency and having a strong focus on that first bowl every end.” When asked about how well she had played in that second set, Van Asch responded “It was one of the best quality singles games that I’ve ever been a part of. I’m thrilled to come away with the win.”
The Final will be played tomorrow (Thursday) morning at 11am vs Natasha Scott. Scott defeated Samantha Noronha in straight sets and is thought to be in great form. Scott has finished on top of the Australian rankings for the last two years and will join Van Asch in the World Cup team later this year.
By David Genford
