30th July, Jakarta: Newly-crowned Indonesia International Open champion, Alex Liew of Malaysia created history by winning two back-to-back ABF Tour Indonesia legs as he defeated Hong Kong's Wu Siu Hong twice in two days at Jaya Ancol Bowl Sunday evening.

Both Liew and Wu started off with a double but the Hong Kong wonder boy dropped a poor split in the third to trail Liew by 15 pins. Liew then picked up his pace with a turkey from frame four to try and widen the gap between himself and his opponent. With a great fighting spirit, Wu came back a two double strikes in the fourth and fifth frames.

With Wu hot on Liew's heels, a mistake in the seventh frame could have cost the champion his title while his challenger came back with four strikes in a row and putting pressure on Liew. Wu ended the match first with 231 to force Liew needing to strike in the ninth frame and double up on the tenth.

Just before his delivery, there was a thunder at Jaya Ancol Bowl and that must have given the champion the spirit he needed to strike in the tenth frame and to take the victory. The Malaysian supporters were on their feet as Liew duly oblidged to eventualy edge Wu by 2 pins.

"I rushed my shot when I miss the simple single pin spare in the seventh frame as the ball got off my hands too quick," said the 30-year-old Proshop Manager. "I thought I had given Wu a chnace to come back at me but fortunately he didn't strike in his tenth frame.

"I knew I had to strike home in order to seal the victory so I just had to recompose myself before I made that last shot," added the delighted champion.

Liew had earlier thrashed Indonesia's only hope and tour debutant, Jansen Tjang, 268-216 in the first semifinals to reach the finals while the runner-up, knocked out Singapore's Helmi Chew, 230-212 in the other semi.

n the womens division, Malaysia almost celebrated another double as the match between Choy Poh Lai and Filipina, Liza Clutario were set for the TV lanes. Again, both the bowlers started off with a double and a spare in the third.

But luck was not with Choy as she encountered the first split in the fourth frame and later another open frame in the seventh frame to give her opponent a smooth sail to the victory. Clutario claimed her first-ever title winning the match, 208-176 which wil assure her a spot in the Grand Slam finals.

"I wasn't too concern with what my opponent was doing except to keep telling myself to stay focus and to make good shots," said Clutario. "I came to Jakarta and didn't expect to win and I'm not only pleased but pleasantly surprised.

Choy made the finals after she knocked out favourite and fellow compatriot, Shalin Zulkifli, 220-204 in the first semifinals while the champion outclassed ABF Tour Malaysia leg champion, Vanessa Fung of Hong Kong, 257-161 in the other semi.

ABF Tour last stop will be in Hong Kong on the 17th September, 2006. The ABF Tour 2006 comprises 8 Legs and a Grand Final. Top 16 men and 16 women bowlers from the preceding International Open Masters Event (Open Grade) will be qualified and competed in a one-game match play knock-out competition for the individual men's and women's titles.

Highlights of the ABF Tour - Indonesia will be televised later on local television stations of the eight countries where the tour is being held. It is also broadcast later from parts of Europe, Africa, the Middle East, central Asia, China and Australasia with an estimated audience of around 90 million.

For further information and details please contact ABF Tour Committee Marketing and Event Management Division at Tel: (852) 2810 5191; Fax: (852) 28105192; Mr. Ritchie Lai (Mobile: (852) 93598669; email: ritchie.lai@tndgroup.com or by visiting ABF Tour official website: www.abftour.com.

Photos by Terence Yaw and Abiprayadi.