Sunday, August 12, 2007

My first Indonesian Open win

The 2 day final (16 games, split into 8 and 8) had begun and i was a little nervous about the lane pattern, it had started to play closer and closer to the gutter each day, which would of made me more comfortable if i had the right equipment but i didn't.

I started the first 3 games slow, just trying to make every spare, the condition was brutal. If you missed left or right, to fast or to slow, with the wrong release you were punished. If you bowled more than 250 on this pattern you bowled a great game. Not to mention the pin carry is very bad here.

I found a decent line to the pocket, bowling quite hard but very straight around the 17th board at the arrows. I left a million 10 and 7 pins, plus each game had at least one split. Pair to pair was just as tricky as well.
Many players including myself would struggle the first part of the game, find something good to finish the game, move pairs and the lanes were completely different. Like i said, 250 or higher was a great game.

By the end of the first day i was sitting first, by 9 pins but had another 8 games the following day.

The next day the lanes felt impossible, i bowled 100 over with next high series for the day was 50 over. The scores were so low, noone could score any high games.

I needed a 220 game in my last game to qualify top seed and i did, 224 to be exact.

I was top seed into the step ladder which is a huge advantage. If i am to loose the first match in the final, the challenger must then beat me again to win the title.

I started the final game well with the front 5, i felt those 5 strikes were my best 5 shots of the week, but like always the lane started to change a little and i left a split in the 6th and a spare in the 7th.
The young Korean i was playing had 2 spares and 4 strike in his first 6 frames meaning i was behind with 4 frames left.
The Korean left a split in the 7th, struck the 8th and spared the 9th. Meaning all i need was to stay clean to win..... i doubled the 8th and 9th and then the match was won.

My first title in Indonesia and i could not be happier.

After the match there was a press conference and there were many TV and newspaper cameras in the room. I felt like i was Roger Federer at the Australian Open haha

This was my 2nd trip in Indonesia and i will be back for sure

Jason

Earthquake hits Indonesia!

"OH MY GOD, everybody out of the hotel" was the cry from Andrew Frawley. A powerful 7.5 earthquake hit Jarkarta and it was the first time i had ever experianced such a powerful blow from mother nature.

The hotel swung left and right, the walls in the hotel starting to crack and the lighting hanging from the hotel lobby was swaying uncontrolably.

The quake was so powerful that it actually knocked Tim Mack out from his bed while he was sleeping (on the 17th floor). I was both nervous and worried that the building i was staying in was to fall any moment, but reasuring words from Andrew calmed me down.

I was feeling a little tired but after the quake is was impossible to get to sleep.

Jason

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Jakarta, Indonesia aka Crazy Town

Indonesia is a country that truly is unlike any other country in the world. It is so crazy here that the word crazy actually means 'normal'.
The road rules are worse than in Manila, (if that is possible) and the streets are covered in rubbish. But if you look past that and talk with the locals, they are some of the nicest people in the world.
The hotel is nice and the staff will bend over backwards to help you, but you may have to explain things a few times. Their English is ok, but some words get lost in translation. For example i ordered a ceaser salad at the hotel when i checked in and a pizza arrived haha. Not what i was expecting.

The bowling centre is 60 lanes, split into 40 on 1 level and 20 on another level. They play completely different too.

The lane condition for the Indonesian Open is extremley tough. The ratio is 1.5:1, meaning that any error in speed or accuracy is punished. It's the way bowling was meant to be i think.

I attempted to qualify in the morning and afternoon, had an ok ball reaction, was just throwing a bad shot every so often, and those bad shots really hurt your scores.
The night squad i changed my approach and played much smarter and straighter and bowling great. 930 for 4 games which will qualify easy on this pattern.

The finals are in a couple of days so i will take a few days off and relax and watch my mates bowl and support them, hoping they all make the cut.

I'll update you again in a couple of days

Belmo