Villanueva, Al Awadhi excel in Funland Ramadan bowling

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

J M Villanueva and Ziyad Al Awadhi registered their respective group’s high series on the 19th day of qualifying in the Funland Ramadan Bowling Tournament 2022, being held at Funland Centre’s lanes.

Villanueva had a 686 series to top all Group A participants, while Al Awadhi had a 680 trial to lead Group B’s bowlers. Competitors in the tournament are being divided into two groups, with Group A for advanced bowlers and Group B for beginners and ladies.

Contestants from both groups in this first phase attempt trials as much as they need, with the total pinfalls including handicap for their best three trials being considered. Each trial is composed of three games.

Qualifying action continues today as action in this stage of the championship is in its final week. Villanueva’s 686 total was his second-best of the competition to date. He had previously registered his other leading scores of 712 and 683, and has now raised his total to 2,081 pins for a 231.2 average.

Despite his improvement, Villanueva stayed in 10th position on the Group A standings. Fellow-Filipino bowler Emerson Gotencio continued to lead their division with a 2,283 total and 253.7 average, while narrowly behind him were Abdulla Abdulkarim with a 2,265 total and 251.7 average and Adulrahman Al Kheliwi from Saudi Arabia on marks of 2,207 and 245.2.

Ahmed Al Khaja (2,132, 236.9) and Ahmed Al Goud (2,129, 236.6) were fourth and fifth, respectively, whereas rounding off the top eight were Ahmed Fareed (2,119, 235.4), Ali Al Mass (2,118, 235.3) and Essa Taqi (2,099, 233.2).

Meanwhile, Al Awadhi had his best outing of the tournament thus far with his 680 high series. It added to his two other top trials of 597 and 557, bringing his total to 1,834 for a 203.8 average. Al Awadhi climbed up to eighth place on the Group B standings after previously being ranked 14th.

Euly Salcedo from the Philippines stayed in the top spot with a 2,005 total and 222.8 average, followed by Ahmed Al Ansari with a 1,964 total and a 218.2 average. Khalid Sameer was third on marks of 1,936 and 215.1, and Filipino bowler Ronald Seralvo (1,893, 210.3) was fourth.

Sami Saloom rose to fifth after improving his total to 1,878 for a 208.7 average, while Isa Akbari (1,871, 207.9) was sixth and Dexter De Asis (1,859, 206.6) from the Philippines seventh, just ahead of Al Awadhi.

At the end of the qualifying round on April 21, bowlers ranked first and second from Groups A and B will advance directly to round three, while bowlers ranked third to 16th from each group will play in round two.

The Funland Ramadan Bowling Tournament is being held in memory of the Late Murtadha Qudrat Rasti, the Late Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, and the Late Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Khalifa. Nearly BD4,000 in prize money will be on offer to the top 16 finishers.