Women bounce back

24/10/1998

THE Malaysian women's team rallied to qualify for the step-ladder finals
at the Third World Tenpin Team Cup in Hoofddorp, Holland yesterday.
They made the step-ladder after beating Denmark 223-190 in the third-
placing roll-off while Finland topped the standings with a victory against
the United States in the roll-off for the first and second placings.
Malaysia, comprising Lai Kin Ngoh, Low Poh Lian, Sharon Low, Shalin
Zulkifli, Karen Lian and Wendy Chai, will now play the United States in
the first match of the step-ladder and the winners will face top team
Finland in the final.
The Malaysian women were third two years ago in Calgary, Canada.
Trailing by five points behind Denmark at the start of the day, Malaysia
edged Sweden 2-1 with scores of 433-394 but lost 2-1 (381-427) to the
United States in the next match.
The team then combined well to win the next four games, posting 3-0
victories over Germany (420-392), Venezuela (392-324), Norway (409-351)
and Brazil (393-328) to face Denmark in the roll-off for third placing.
Team manager Sidney Tung said Kin Ngoh, the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth
Games team silver and individual bronze medallist, was the best Malaysian
as they battled into the step-ladder finals.
The Malaysian men also had a good day when they beat Qatar 2-1 (411-
389), Brazil 2-1 (379-349) and Denmark 3-0 (429-383) before losing to
Dominica 2-1 (372-398) and Canada 2-1 (394-408).
United States had a perfect game enroute to beating Malaysia 3-0 in the
seventh frame. Malaysia drew 457-457 against Belgium in the final match.
"Although the men are 12th in the standings, they are not far off from
the seventh-placed team and there is still hope of finishing in the top 10
bracket," said Tung.
RESULTS - MEN: Malaysia bt Qatar 2-1; Dominica bt Malaysia 2-1; Canada
bt Malaysia 2-1; Malaysia bt Brazil 2-1; Malaysia bt Denmark 3-0; United
States bt Malaysia 3-0; Malaysia draw Belgium 1.5-1.5.
Standings: 1 United States 77 pts (16,410 pins); 2 Sweden 76.5 (16,041);
3 Finland 74.5 (15,869); 4 Canada 69 (15,569); 5 Holland 68 (15,928); 6
Denmark 66.5 (15,457); 7 Ireland 62.5 (14,993); 8 Venezuela 60 (14,845); 9
Qatar 58.5 (14,883), 10 Belgium 58 (15,596), 11 Republic Dominica 56.5
(15,071), 12 Malaysia 54.5 (15,364); 13 Spain 54.5 (14,707); 14 Italy 45
(14,636); 15 Brazil 31 (13,764).
WOMEN: Japan bt Malaysia 3-0; Malaysia bt Denmark 2-1; Malaysia bt
England 3-0; Holland bt Malaysia 2-1; Malaysia bt Taiwan 3-0; Malaysia bt
Finland 3-0; Malaysia bt Sweden 2-1; lost to United States 2-1; bt
Germany 3-0; bt Venezuela 3-0; bt Norway 3-0; bt Brazil 3-0.
Third placing roll-off: Malaysia bt Denmark 223-190.
Final standings: 1 Finland, 2 United States, 3 Malaysia, 4 Denmark, 5
Sweden, 6 Germany, 7 Holland, 8 Taiwan, 9 England, 10 Norway, 11 Japan, 12
Venezuela, 13 Brazil.
(END)