Malaysian bowlers make instant impact at USBC Queens

Malaysia's, Sin Li Jane in action for the final match women open division - stepladder during 39th Malaysian International Open 2016 Champion in Sunway Mega Lanes, Kuala Lumpur. FAIHAN GHANI/The Star.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s women bowlers have made their presence felt on their return to the Professional Women Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour’s USBC Queens for the first time since 2008.

Sin Li Jane led the way in making the cut for the top 64 match-play round in sixth spot after downing 3,371 pins in the 15-game qualification at the The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

The three-day qualifying rounds, involving 256 bowlers, ended on Monday.

Joining recently-crowned Malaysian Open champion Li Jane are ninth-placed Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman (3360 pinfalls), 39th-placed Natasha Roslan (3256), 56th-placed Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi (3209) and 63rd-placed Nur Syazwani Sahar (3192).

It was, however, the end of the road for Esther Cheah, Sharon Koh and Nora Lyana Nastasia Norkamal.

Li Jane and her team-mates will now bowl in the best-of-three-game elimination rounds.

Li Jane will take on Dena Buxton of Australia while Siti will face Syaidatul, thus ensuring Malaysia a spot in the last-32.

Nur Syazwani faces a daunting task against Poland’s second-seeded Daria Pajak, while Natasha will be up against American veteran Anne Marie Duggan, winner of 15 PWBA titles and the 1994 PWBA Player of the Year.

The eight-member squad will also compete in three more tournaments after the USBC Queens. The tournaments are the Wichita Open (June 2-5), Lincoln Open (June 9-12) and Detroit Open (June 16-19).

RESULTS

Leading qualifying standings (US unless stated): 1. Birgit Poppler (Ger) 3601, 2. Daria Pajak (Pol) 3450, 3. Jenny Wegner (Swe) 3414, 4. Shayna Ng (Sin) 3384, 5. Kelly Kulick 3374, 6. Sin Li Jane (Mas) 3371, 7. Joey Yeo (Sin) 3366, 8. Liz Johnson 3364, 9. Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman 3360, 10. Diana Zavjalova (Lat) 3357.

Selected Malaysians: 39. Natasha Roslan 3256, 56. Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi 3209, 63. Nur Syazwani Sahar 3192, 91. Esther Cheah 3109, 97. Sharon Koh 3088, 143. Nora Lyana Nastasia Norkamal 2991.

*Only top 64 bowlers qualify for the knockout stages.