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 Matt Sargeant knows the drill 

Matt Sargeant knows the drill

05 Jan, 2012 03:00 AM
Championship-winning team-mates 12 months ago, John Green and Matt Sargeant will face off as rivals in this morning’s fours final at the South Pacific carnival.

Sargeant skipped the team to victory a year ago, but today joins his new Wiseman Park clubmates Nathan Joannou, Mick Japundza and Glen Taylor in chasing personal back-to-back fours crowns.

Green took over from Sargeant as skip, and with his title-winning partners Liam Dun and Barry Martin, plus New Zealand star Rohan Brassey, wants to take home the trophy.

Sargeant is also defending his singles crown this afternoon against Shane Garvey and can make it back-to-back Player of the Carnival awards by winning either the fours or singles crowns.

One win for Sargeant would make it four player of the carnivals and equal Garvey’s mark – but a loss in both finals would, on countback, hand Garvey a fifth top player honour.

Sargeant has won 19 of 20 matches and played every day, virtually three matches per day.

He and Garvey have been the tournament ironmen – though they may be grateful to have had a break yesterday afternoon - Garvey was knocked out of his morning pairs quarter-final while Sargeant was already out in the pairs.

Sargeant should be feeling tired but says the drive of making two finals has him in good shape.

‘‘I’m not as weary as I should be. Twenty matches is a lot but you have help in the team formats and I’ve been lucky to have good team-mates,’’ he said.

Sargeant praised his fours partners for their performances in a convincing 29-11 win over Bob Johnson’s team in yesterday’s 21-end semi-final.

‘‘I didn’t have to do much,’’ he said. ‘‘I haven’t played with these guys in a tournament before but it’s all fallen into place. Everyone just does their job.’’

Meanwhile, John Green survived a thriller to beat Eric Johannes 18-17 in the other fours semi.

The turning point was the 19th end with Green leading 17-14 but Johannes holding three shots.

With his last bowl, Green, with power, clipped a bowl or two and turned three shots down and 17-17 into one-up for 18-14.

‘‘I got a bit lucky,’’ Green said.

‘‘We led 17-10 and Eric got a four with a bomb to make it 17-14. I knew I couldn’t miss wide with my last bowl, and just edged it and got the shot.’’

Green says in the final it will be important his team are not fixated on just beating Sargeant.

‘‘Matty’s a class player but we won’t be playing Matt Sargeant - we have to play the bowls. That’s got to be our focus.’’

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Matt Sargeant bowling in the semi-final of the Singles at Woonona. Picture: KIRK GILMOUR
Matt Sargeant bowling in the semi-final of the Singles at Woonona. Picture: KIRK GILMOUR

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