United team ready to rock and bowl

PREMIER THOUGHTS: Ipswich United Services lawn bowlers Brent Blake (left), his father Bob (right) and Gary McCool ponder tomorrow night’s major challenge at East Ipswich.

Claudia Baxter

IT’S a rare sporting challenge to play against a world champion on home soil.

That’s the exciting prospect awaiting the Ipswich United Services Premier League bowls team tomorrow night at East Ipswich.

IUS are playing the powerful Helensvale team which includes Malaysian-based world number one bowler Safuan Said and Australian representatives Brett Wilkie, Anthony Kiepe, Mark Casey, Lynsey Armitage and Nathan Rice.

Wilkie is the current world singles Champion of Champion.

Kiepe is the 2009 Australian Indoor Singles champion.

Casey, who used to play for United Services, and Armitage are 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medallists.

Rice was last year’s Queensland State Singles champion.

IUS team captain Tony Petrohilos said it was a terrific opportunity for the players and spectators to see some top class bowls in the city.

“They (Helensvale) have got all the money whereas our team plays on heart,” Petrohilos said.

“We’re punching above our weight. But we play very strongly as a club.”

United Services are sitting mid-table with five wins from 10 Premier League matches.

The winning team tomorrow is based on an overall score from the three teams of fours playing 21 ends against each other.

The United Services team includes the father and son combination of Bob and Brent Blake. Other IUS representatives are Petrohilos, Damian Hicks, Gary McCool, Wade Bell, Ross Gilbert, Charlie McAnany, Ken Evans, Gaetin Augustin, Bert Eleison and Terry Waters. Pam McAnany is manager.

The Premier League round is at the Joyce St, East Ipswich venue, starting at 5pm.