FRIDAY 1045hrs – session
Back to the A Road with the undefeated teams from yesterday’s play. The Olympic skips from Japan and Sweden continue to be on their best form, with Edin keeping on the greatest. Despite a series of blanks, the ends were far from dull. We could see guards being used to promote or knock a danger stone out. It took 9 ends – but Team Edin won out by the narrowest of victories.
In Ulsrud’s match against MacDonald, the wily Norseman failed to blink despite packed houses leading to a 5 at the sixth – game over for MacDonald 2-10.
Team Craik put up a fight till the last stone against Team Ramsjfell but again, the Norwegians won with just a margin of one.
From the outset, Schwaller and Walstad were playing with full houses, a tactic guaranteed to score big. Both manage to make early threes by keeping to the plan. But another three at the 3rd end it was time for a change of plan. The crowds in Perth have been large this year, among them a large group of small children whose presence promises a great future for the sport. Perhaps many star-players amongst them.
Team Smith turned the house red with their stones, giving Team Bryce plenty to do. Hard work if they can pull that trick and come from behind a second time, but Team Smith proved up to the challenge.
Team Craik continue to impress, fighting for every stone against Team Ramsjfell, who took some time out to consider how to handle the young Scots. It was the Norwegian’s greater experience that got them the win.
Sometimes you just do not give up, because the chances can keep coming and so the game of attrition between Drummond and DeCruz slowly turned out to be a victory for the Swiss team.