Could Carla become Australia’s Number 1?
Three titles in five weeks has catapulted Victoria’s Carla Krizanic into serious contention to finish the season Australia’s No.1 ranked female bowler.
Krizanic (nee Odgers) won the Victorian State women’s fours title, and the Women’s Champion of Champion Singles at State Champions Week in Bendigo in April, along with a win in the $10,000 South Tweed Ladies Prestige Singles in May over a high-class field.
The wins have moved the Sunbury bowler to within four points of current leader Natasha Scott (NSW) going into the last month of the 2015-16 season, setting up a grandstand finish and raised stakes at the season-ending Australian Open at the Gold Coast from June 11 to 24.
Interestingly, Krizanic and Scott will play together in the pairs and fours at the Gold Coast, thereby cancelling each other’s rankings points out.
That could mean the national No.1 ranking is decided by their respective performances in the Australian Open women’s singles.
There are six Victorians in the current women’s top 20 – Lisa Phillips (Coatesville) the highest of the rest sitting fourth.
Gold Coast-based Ryan Bester has all but secured men’s honours for the 2015-16 season, well clear atop the men’s national rankings.
Victorian Garry Ball (MCC Kew) remains sixth after a stellar tournament season, while Nathan Wilson (Essendon) and Victorian men’s State singles champion Philip Thorn (City of Echuca) are also in the top 20.
National women’s rankings to end May 2016
National men’s rankings to end May 2016
Bowls Australia national rankings story
All you need to know about the Australian Open
