2004 Ladbrokespoker.com Weber Cup

 Europe vs USA Tenpin Bowling Challenge

 Friday 8^th October

EUROPE GET THEIR NOSES IN FRONT

Europe  4 – 3  USA

Defending champions Europe came back over the final two games to take a one point lead into day two of the 2004 Weber Cup at the Altrincham Leisure Centre, Manchester. It was the final Baker format match, normally an American strength, that saw Tomas Leandersson’s side into the lead in the best of 35 game tournament.

In the opening match of the event, Mike Mullin was seemingly always behind before coming on at the end to edge past Lasse Lintila in a low scoring encounter. Left-hander Mullin, who is making his fourth Weber Cup appearance, landed a brace of strikes at the death to claim the opening point of the competition.

Gery Verbruggen, the former European No.1, looked in clinical form as he dismantled Dino Castillo by a huge 90-point margin. Verbruggen’s score of 257 was one of the highest in recent Weber Cup history and Castillo had no answer as he struggled to get to grips with the conditions.

 An ebullient Bill Hoffman, using brand new Legends balls, restored US superiority as he skated past an out-of-sorts Tore Torgersen, so often a lynchpin for the Europeans. The animated Hoffman put in a solid performance whilst his opponent never came close.

Euro skipper Tomas Leandersson put in a captain’s showing to restore parity as he got the better of Tony Manna Jnr. Leandersson was always ahead as Manna failed to get any strikes going early on and maintained his lead to the finish.

The much anticipated showdown between England’s Phil Scammell and US captain Tim Mack was more of a damp squib as Mack limped to victory in a low scoring encounter. Mack’s 13 pin victory put his side back into the lead. 

In the final singles match of the evening, Bill Hoffman and Gery Verbruggen returned to the fray as captain’s picks and it was the on-form Verbruggen who prevailed in a close game. The Belgian had started out with five strikes on the bounce but his momentum was interrupted by a pin setter malfunction which delayed proceedings for around five minutes. That allowed Hoffman the opportunity to get back into the game, but Verbruggen reasserted himself to claim a narrow victory.

Tomorrow sees afternoon and evening sessions with a further 14 games to be decided.

The Scores

Lasse Lintila  177 - 188  Mike Mullin                                                            0 – 1

Gery Verbruggen  257 - 167  Dino Castillo                                                 1 – 1

Tore Torgersen  167 – 204  Bill Hoffman                                                     1 – 2

Tomas Leandersson  211 – 192  Tony Manna Jnr                                    2 – 2

 Phil Scammell  175 – 188  Tim Mack                                                          2 – 3

 Gery Verbruggen  216 – 194  Bill Hoffman                                                 3 – 3

 Europe  206 – 179  USA                                                                                  4 – 3

                                                                                               Courtesy of Luke Riches. Matchroom.com