SQUAD 6 - FRIDAY, AUGUST 19 - 12:00:
There's an old song, circa the 1940s - 'I don't want to set the world on fire!'. Just a couple of subtle changes and a new theme song for Tomas Leandersson  (pictured) - 'I just want to set the lanes on fire'.

The lithe Swede enjoyed a strikefest of major proportions Friday afternoon, hitting 1025 over his first four games in the midday squad, then coming out with the extraordinary total of 1480 over the six game stint, beating the previous high on the leader board of 1372 by Finland's Jouni Helminen, set on this 12:00 squad yesterday.

"Just before he left, I told Swedish coach Magnus Johnson that my game play was to score 150 pins over par over the first four games," smiled Leandersson. "I was just 25 pins short of that, but I was happy to keep that pace. Then to get another 455 over the last two games was good, as so many people have fizzled out there.

"I worked on a more relaxed and longer swing, and that got the ball through the heads, which is one of the problems here. The lanes can be really tricky, especially after a couple of games and, as Magnus also told me, anything over 1400 is a good score here.

"Now I can pack my bowling balls away until Sunday. I did have re-entry reservations on all squads, but I guess I won't be needing those now.

"Martin Larsen was chasing me all the way and he, too, beat 1400 to come in with 1452. But he's only a young kid and has got a lot to learn to be able to beat me!"

Leandersson started this squad with a 246 then had ten strikes. going for another perfect game, he left a seven-split to hit a 286 and 532 over two games. This was followed by 258-235-246 and 209 for pole position on 1480.

On a couple of squads there are spot prizes for the most spares. It could have been a bonus for Leandersson if this had been for strikes, he enjoyed 48  today and had just two open frames, both splits.

SQUAD 7:
There was no serious challenge to Leandersson's pole position when the heat of battle had subsided at the end of the afternoon squad, the seventh to be completed to date.

In fact, just one player managed to break through the 1300-barrier, and that was slim Finn Lasse Lintila from Helsinki, finishing his last game with a 247 to total 1322. Closest contenders to him were Petri Mannonen from Finland with 1296 and Sweden's Carl Wikhede on 1288.

"I've had a problem with carry here this week," explained Lintila. "I drilled two new balls and they seem to be working better. With such a mix of players here today it is making the lane changes so difficult as they all seem to be playing different lines. When top players are competing the lanes play a lot better."

Lintila threw his cap into the ring and projected 80-something for the cut to 48 tomorrow night.

SQUAD 8:
1347 was the top score in this final squad of the day, coming from the hand and bowling balls of Sweden's Jussi Lindgren. A high game of 278 in his second game put him on the road to a challenging position, but so far nobody is able to top Leandersson's fantastic 1480.

Next squad - 08:00 - get an early breakfast!

STANDINGS AFTER SQUAD 8: