Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Qatar Open Final

The last 16 and i felt like i had a great chance.

I played where i did the day before and 'shocker' the edge was out of play....169 first game and now needed some help. I bowled 223 223 to get back into the game.
The last game i needed all 3 in teh 10th for 220 to force anoter guy from the UAE to double. I hit them all and waited..... He missed.

Now only 8 and i had a match against Wu Su Hong, from Hong Kong.

The format was total pinfall over 2 games.

if we both struck out in the 10th i would going into the 2nd game 2 pins up. He went first and rolled the 2-10, then tripped a 4 pin for the double.
I left a ringing 10 with a messenger that went in front.....SWEET! Now im down by 20.

The right lane was great for me, the left was awful, no opens but no doubles. Su Hong washed out in the 9th and made it, forcing me to double to shut him out.

I stuck on the approach a little, but it didnt really bother me too much, i missed left at the arrows and it never had a chance. I left the 3 pin.

Su Hong needed a mark and proceeded to dead nut the next 3 shots.

He went on to run 2nd (losing to Kirsten Penny from England). She did what i didnt do against Su Hong, doubled for the $50,000US first place prize check. AMAZING i know.

For me top 8 finish is ok, im salty about missing that shot now (not to many chances to bowl fo $50,000) but i learnt something that i didnt know before.......10th frames are no different than 1st frames.....so i need to throw the ball like its my first shot............

Cant wait to get home and see my wonderful wife. I miss her soo much.

Anyway...next stop is Las Vegas, USA...... hope i can hit the 10th frames better there

Belmo

Sunday, January 20, 2008

The last day of qualifying

Well....what an up and down day.

Yesterday i through away 2 chances of making it to the top 8. Bad bowling combined with a couple of dodgy pairs of lanes gave me no chance. My score was true, i didnt bowl any better than 120 over and 128 over. Of course there was a few un lucky breaks but i got my fair share too.
I was not in the best of moods but knew with 1 day with, anything can happen.

I came in and started with a positive out look on the day. I bowled in the part of the lane that i did the day before but for some weird reason there was no shot there at all..... i had no chance, i started with 160 somethingand the used the other 5 games as expensive practice :)

I had 1 chance left, 1 squad left to improve my score and try to get into the top 8 or at least the top 16 (top 8 gets 2 byes, top 16 gets 1)
I played the insdie part of the lane (because there was no shot on the gutter the squad before) and amazingly inside looked awful. I quickly went wide, through it hard and bagged out for 202.
Next 2 games were 223 and 224, or something like that. The back to back 267's i needed 210 the last game and i was in the top 8 for sure.
I bowled an awful first 6 frames and needed a double in the 10th for 206 (which would be enough) i went up and left the greatest smash 8 pin ever :)
Im happy though i get 1 bye and i know that the 8pin didnt cost me the top 8, it was the 9 frames before it.

Not to worry though i get a little sleep in (bowling starts at 1pm, so i start at 4pm) like i said, a little sleep in :)

Will let you know how i play tomorrow, i hope i have great news for you all

Belmo

Friday, January 18, 2008

Qatar international open!

Qatar, this is the 2nd time I have been here. The first time the weather could only be described as a sauna. This time its the complete opposite. Mother nature is not happy. Anyway enough about that and more about the bowling. The lands have played quite hard, I don't have a ball reaction where I can shot over 230. But I'll be patient like always. The people are wonderful as usual which allows me to enjoy my bowling even more.
I'll let you know how I go after I'm done.

Be good

Belmo

Sunday, January 13, 2008

The TV SHOW- ABF Tour

The final was bowled on the 'up staris' portion of the bowling centre. We never bowled a ball up there and the only practice we get is 2 balls.
It's actually a joke! 2 balls on a pair of lanes with a different pattern, on a pir we have not bowled on all week, on TV, what did they expect to happen to the scores.

The guy i bowled against bowled 4 good shots for the match, 1-4 frames were strikes, the rest of the game was filled by missing the headpin, basically having no chance to strike.
Me on the other hand had 4 good shots too, 2 struck, then a 7 pin then a 10 pin.

Going into the 10th he needed to open and i needed to bag out to win. He ,isse dthe headpin to the right and left a simple spare......It was all over.

I voiced my thoughts as to how much of a joke the final was today (granted i was a little pissed from loosing, but it needed to be said) and only time will tell if the powers that be open their eyes and use some common sense.

Im off to QATAR tonight to bowl in teh Qatar Open.....$50,000 US for first and hopefully this event will be run the way tournaments should be....

Belmo

ABF Tour, Tournament of Champions

Hey guys,

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and New year. I have had about six weeks off from bowling and must admit that I have really enjoyed the time off. Spending most of my time with my wonderful wife Kimberly. But its now back to work.
I am in Jarkarta, Indonesia. Only 7 hours flying time so that was nice.
The event I am playing in is call the Tournament of Champions. Basically you have to qualifiy by attaining points through out the 2007 abc tour.
The formats for this is the top 16 guys in points come here and bowl a 15 game round robin to then cut to the top 8. Once that happens we then play a 1 game match and if you lose your out. Win 3 matches and you win the event. That sounds good, but what makes that so much harder is the lane pattern.
Day one and two where completly different, some pairs play 42 feet others play 32 feet. There is not much oil on the lane so by the end of the day everyone is throwing the ball hard. I finished in 6th after the round robin and was so glad it was over. Today is the tv shows for the matches, I am playing the number 2 seed. Which is ok, its the two practice balls you get I'm worried about, normally most people need at least 3 minutes. But that's how its done is Asia. Wish me luck