Melaka Leg attracts record number of entries

(Report by Tony Lim and YK Choo)

About 400 participants, a record number of entries for the National Junior Tenpin Bowling Circuit turn up at the MIBC Bowling Centre in Melaka to try out the lanes and also used it as a selection process for the coming Sukma. A wise move indeed considering that the lane condition and pattern applied in this leg is anticipated to be quite similar to that of the condition used for the Sukma Bowling Championships to be held in June on the same venue.

Siti Nurzulaika of USPTN Kuala Lumpur leads the field of 68 bowlers in the girls graded division of the National Junior Tenpin Bowling Circuit held in Melaka after the first block of 8 games with a score of 1522 pinfalls giving her a creditable average of 190.

The lane conditions that was used in this 3rd leg of the circuit series is a 41 feet pattern very much like the one used during last year’s world cup. This oiling pattern is the medium oiling distance and is quite tough for the girls who do not have a high rev rate because the ball does not have much of a backend reaction to get good pin carry and playing a bigger angle of entry or bigger hook is really tough.

But nonetheless Siti Nurzulaika bowled consistently and under the guidance of coach Dzulkarnian was able to put aside the oiling obstacle and concentrated on her target posting scores of 191, 187, 206, 176, 204, 173, 214 and 171 to put her in comfortable position for the second round and a place in the finals.

In second spot is Izzati Zuhaili of Penang who also had consistent games for a total pinfalls of 1501 for an average of 187. Perhaps the thought on most of the bowlers’ mental attitude is that they will just have to spare and be content with the score and hope that it will be good enough for the second round. This is exactly what most of the trainees for the Sukma are doing.

Rabiatuladawiyah binti Ismail of SSBP finished strongly with games of 171 and 214 to secure third placing on an average of 185. Nora Lyana of Selangor started off brilliantly with a high game of 237 but could not sustain the pace and had to settle for 7 placing in the first round with a total of 1407 pinfalls.

Results of the Girls Graded Stage 1 can be downloaded in the "Downloads" box on the left.