With the Europeans disappearing into the sunset last night with their tails between their legs after losing the last three matches of the session, the thoughts of an early victory for the home team have gone down with the setting sun.
The current points position is 11-7 in favor of the Europeans and it will be the first to 17 points to decide the 2010 champions.
Early this morning, USA captain Tim Mack promised: "This is going to be the biggest comeback in the hitory of the Weber Cup."
Maybe if the Europeans lose the opening matches this afternoon a deep depression will set in and the
Americans could emerge the winners, it is possible but vertainly not probable.
The format for today's opening session will be the same as yesterday's first session, Baker team, doubles, singles, doubles, singles and doubles.
(Photos courtesy Paul Natzyl)
When play started this afternoon it certainly looked as though dame fortune was favoring the colonials, coming onto the lanes after three convincing wins in singles last night.
However, the big dream of a fantastic comeback were severely dented when the Europeans won the Baker team, the opening event of this final day, 192-185.
Then the talented combo of Weber and Barnes kept hopes alive in the first of three doubles matches, taking out Palermaa and Koivuniemi with an impressive score of 277-192.
Palermaaa, the European captain stayed on stage for the first singles match and was walloped by Pete Weber, 255-189, thereby closing the gap between the teams' points.
The second doubles, featuring Dominic Barrett and Mika Koivuniemi against Tommy Jones and Chris Barnes went the way of the Europeans once again, 229-204.
Back came Barrett against Jones in the final singles match of this session and the advantage once again swung back to the Americas as Jones, famous for his three perfect games on this specially installed lanes, once again went on the 300 trail but a six-spare in the fifth frame put paid to that attempt but he did end with a 276, taking the point over Barrett's 182.
Then came one of the most exciting matches ever in the eleven-year history of the Weber Cup, a doubles encounter of a memorable kind with Palermaa and Moor facing Mack and Weber. Although Palermaa started with a 6-split and Morr failed to convert the spare, a string of ten strikes and a nine-count brought them a total of 278. Unfortunately for them, the american duo hit five strikes, nine-spare, five strikes and a nine-count, also gave them a 278 game. so the tie rule came into force, a ninth and tenth frame roll-off. Weber struck with his first ball, then Mack left the 3-6-10. Weber chopped off two pins so the Americans had a total of 28, a score easily beaten by the European pair with 39.
So we go into the evening session at 18:00 with the Europeans still four points ahead and needing three points to secure victory.
CURRENT POINTS:
EUROPE |
14 |
UNITED STATES |
10 |
Match 1 - Baker team
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | TOTAL | |
X | X | X | X | 8s- | 6s3 | 9/ | X | 5w1 | XX7 | |||
Europe | 30 | 60 | 88 | 106 | 114 | 123 | 143 | 159 | 165 | 192 | 192 | |
8s1 | 7/ | -9 | X | 9/ | X | X | X | X | 9- | |||
USA | 9 | 19 | 28 | 48 | 68 | 98 | 128 | 157 | 176 | 185 | 185 |
Match 2 - Doubles
Name | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | TOTAL |
Palermaa | X | 9/ | X | 8s1 | X | X | 8/ | X | X | 8s1 | ||
Koivuniemi | Europe | 20 | 40 | 59 | 68 | 96 | 116 | 136 | 164 | 183 | 192 | 192 |
Weber | X | X | X | X | X | 7s/ | X | X | X | XXX | ||
Barnes | USA | 30 | 60 | 90 | 117 | 137 | 157 | 187 | 217 | 247 | 277 | 277 |
Match 3: Singles -
Name | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | TOTAL |
Osku | 7s/ | 6s2 | 9/ | X | X | 9/ | X | X | 9/ | 8s1 | ||
Palermaa | Europe | 16 | 24 | 44 | 73 | 93 | 113 | 142 | 162 | 180 | 189 | 189 |
Tim | 8/ | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 8s1 | XX9 | ||
Mack | USA | 20 | 50 | 80 | 110 | 140 | 170 | 198 | 217 | 226 | 255 | 255 |
Match 4 : Doubles
Name | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | TOTAL |
Koivuniemi | 9/ | X | 7/ | X | X | X | X | 9/ | X | 9/X | ||
Barrett | Europe | 20 | 40 | 60 | 90 | 120 | 149 | 169 | 189 | 209 | 229 | 229 |
Jones | X | 9/ | X | X | 9/ | X | X | 9/ | 8s1 | 9/9 | ||
Barnes | USA | 20 | 40 | 69 | 89 | 109 | 138 | 158 | 176 | 185 | 204 | 204 |
Match 5: Singles
Name | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | TOTAL |
Dominic | 8s1 | 9/ | X | X | 8s1 | X | X | 9/ | X | 81 | ||
Barrett | Europe | 9 | 29 | 57 | 76 | 85 | 114 | 134 | 154 | 173 | 182 | 182 |
Tommy | X | X | X | X | 6w/ | X | X | X | X | XXX | ||
Jones | USA | 30 | 60 | 86 | 106 | 126 | 156 | 186 | 216 | 246 | 276 | 276 |
Match 6: Doubles
Name | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | TOTAL |
Palermaa | 6s3 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | XX9 | ||
Moor | Europe | 9 | 39 | 69 | 99 | 129 | 159 | 189 | 219 | 249 | 278 | 278 |
Mack | X | X | X | X | X | 9/ | X | X | X | XX9 | ||
Weber | USA | 30 | 60 | 90 | 119 | 139 | 159 | 189 | 219 | 249 | 278 | 278 |
9-10 frame roll-off: USA: X 72 = 28 Europe: 9/9/X=39