23rd April, Barnsley: Top PBA bowler, Chris Barnes of USA emerged the champion in his first-ever appearance of the World Tenpin Masters 2006 after he defeated Englishmen, Paul Moor, 458-437 over two games in the final stepladder matches.

A gritty fightback from Paul Moor was thwarted by missing the 7-pin in the fourth frame of the final game and was maybe the turning point of what could have been an English surprise victory.

Moor tagged along on the coat tails of the talented American but never hit the strikes he enjoyed earlier in the day. Barnes rolled a very strong ball that set well into the 1-3 pocket and kept his nose in front of Moor, a man desperate for a win after suffering at the hands of Jens Nickel last year.

"We've got a great sponsor in partypoker.com and I hope to get an invite to come back next year," said Barnes at the presentation.

"I found the lane tougher than earlier in the evening," he added. "But we were both bowling well. When Moor missed that 7-pin it was a great gift to me and I was able to carry the advantage.

"I watched the Moor vs Nickel match and wondered which I would rather play in the final. If against Nickel I knew that I would have to handle a lot of lane changes as being a right-hander he would change my track. But the way Moor was bowling, playing him looked to be suicidal. I think I was lucky to emerge as the champion.

"Although I have never bowled in such a tight environment as this and on one lane, I have watched the Weber Cup on TV and so knew what I was going to have to face. This was a great experience and the other players and the crowd were absolutely great.

"I thoroughly enjoyed coming to the World Tenpin Masters, especially as my wife Lynda and I could play in the same event. I wonder if I would have won if we had played against each other. That made it really special. I hope we both are invited back next year."

Paul Moor was, of course, really disappointed to lose yet another WTM final. "It just didn't flow for me tonight and the occasion got to me," he commented. "I was pulling too many shots and I found the lane a lot tighter.

"I didn't feel a lot of pressure, in fact there was more in the match against Nickel," he added. "The constant re-racks that Barnes took didn't worry me at all. The American pros do that a lot. I'm happy to pocket $10,000."

The champion had earlier outclassed another debutant and the sole Asian survivor, Alex Liew of Malaysia, 515-419 in the first semifinal while the runner-up, Moor easily knocked out defending champion, Jens Nickel of Germany, 515-371 in the second semi.

Story and photos courtesy of Keith Hale, Bowlers' Journal International.

22nd April, Barnsley: Asian Ranked No. 1, Alex Liew of Malaysia, passed hirst first test in top competition to cruise into the next round of the World Tenpin Masters 2006 after defeating three-time World Tenpin Masters champion, Tore Torgersen in Round 1.

It has been said that a couple of the competitors in this year's World Tenpin Masters' field were doubtful of Liew's credentials to be included in such a prestigious line-up. Evidently word of the Malaysian's ability and his reputation of being Asia's number one ranked player had not reached certain ears.

Now, after taking out three-time World Tenpin Masters champion and PBA pro bowler Tore Torgersen of Norway, 491-403, Liew was held in awe among players and spectators alike and many were looking forward to his next match against the winner of Glover vs Belmonte match on Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, a disappointing showing from Filipina Liza Del Rosario gave the local Englishman Paul Moor, a more comfortable ride than he anticipated, despite starting off the match with an open frame.

Del Rosario's bowling ball was rolling out early and she was never accurate into the pocket. Moor was happy to cruise through the second game, hitting the pocket with deadly accuracy, deserving strikes in the third and fourth frames where stubborn pins thwarted his efforts. Moor easily won with 433-357.

The fourth woman to fall at the first hurdle, Kirsten Penny of England fought a valiant battle and looked to be holding off the challenge of the stocky Canadian and reigning World Cup champion, Michael Schmidt. Schmidt changed to another bowling ball in the tenth frame of the first game and struck three times.

He stayed with that ball through the second game, adding another string of five strikes and looked likely to roll a perfect game, but an eight-spare in the sixth frame put paid to that. Penny hit a nasty split in the sixth frame and that brought any chance of good fortune to an end loosing 397-460.

Once again, all five women have been defeated in the first round. Britt Brondsted of Denmark, had an almost impossible task to take on a top PBA bowler in Barnes, a man who has won $300,000 during the past week and is right on top of his game.

Wife Lynda was in the commentary box for this match and was very pleased to see hubbie emerge the victor, 471-400 and will face Michael Schmidt of Canada in the next round.

Story and photos courtesy of Keith Hale, Bowlers' Journal International.

21st April, Barnsley: An impressive strikefest in the opening game of the ninth World Tenpin Masters saw defending champion, Jens Nickel of Germany clinch the first game by just 18 pins and went on to win the second game to move into the next round.

Despite three open frames in the second game, Nickel managed a double, turkey and double to keep his advantage and survived to round two, 453-425, and maintained the chance to make the double.

A power cut and therefore a complete blackout after the second frame of the second game certainly upset the equilibrium of Nickel. When play resumed, he missed the single 9-pin and suffered a 7-split before getting back into the strike zone and surged to the finish.

"That break made things just a little difficult," commented the stocky German. "I was very relieved to get back on line and get over the first hurdle. Barrett bowled very well, I think I'll adopt him as a son, I know he has a tremendous future in bowling ahead of him."

Barrett was, of course, disappointed to lose his first match in the World Tenpin Masters, especially as he had the chance to get back at Nickel in the second game. "I just didn't get the breaks I needed to overhaul Nickel in the second game," he commented. "But I will be back."

After both players stringing strikes in the opening game, it was a case of after the Lord Mayor's Show as neither Leandersson or Caminsky could hit the pocket in their first games. An unusual three open frames from the lithe Swede and the South African just with lowly spares saw just two pins separating the pair as they progressed to the second game.

A gutter ball in the first frame was the worst possible start for Barnes as she took on the lofty Dutchman. A clean game with all but the ninth frame saw Wim Van der Veen with a comfortable 34 point lead going into the second game.

That lead was whittled down by Barnes as the second game progressed and it all came down to the final couple of frames to decide who stayed and who departed. Van der Veen put ball after ball heavily into the pocket, but the lefthander kept leaving a single pin.

"I'm so disappointed to have come so far and lose in the first round," said Barnes. "I just couldn't get a match-up. Wim should have beaten me by at least 70 pins. Now I'm sorry that the girls back home don't have something to cheer about."

Van der Veen, having edged Barnes, 275-352 will be up against defending champion Jens Nickel in the first match of the second round. That takes to the lane at 21:00 Saturday evening. Play resumes Saturday afternoon at 14:00 with a further three matches.

Story and photos courtesy of Keith Hale, Bowlers' Journal International.