33rd Canon Malaysian International Open (16th March)

Yep, another bad and good squad but the good squad was even better. I woke quite early thinking that I really need that damn magical 700 series. I came early so I can secure the squad at 10.30 a.m. I already secured the squad for 9 a.m yesterday. Luckily the bookings were released and I got 1 of the spot in the 10.30 a.m squad. Today also the day I finally got my Storm T-Road Solid ball so I can bowl the inside line. I got no more equipment to bowl on the inside line. The Morich N'sane LevRG doesn't perform the way I expected. I think I need to plug and re-map the ball again like the Storm T-Road Solid. Okay then, let's continue with squad report. As for the 9 a.m squad, it was the first squad after oiling, I decided to use the Brunswick Copperhead ball and 'Walter Ray's' line. I also experimented using the Storm T-Road Solid ball on the inside and also on the 'Walter Ray's' line. What is 'Walter Ray's' line? Read my previous blog. I was doing fine during the practice, hitting the pocket and getting strike but when the game started, on the left lane, I can still hit the pocket and getting strike but the right lane, my ball went into the nose. When I adjusted a little bit, the ball didn't hit the head pin at all. I was struggling and confused. I ended up with the score of 170-something. I tried to compose myself for the second game, it was the same story again. The first frame was on the right lane, the ball went through the nose again and I decided to change ball using the Storm T-Road Solid. It went well for the next 3 frames. I got a turkey but after that, both of the lanes react differently again. I kept hitting the nose or didn't get the head pin, sometimes getting wash-out. I was frustrated, really frustrated. Another low score: 160-something. The third game was all about playing inside using the Storm T-Road Solid. I can hit the pocket consistently but I couldn't get a string of strikes. The last 2 frames of the game, I played outside again and got 2 splits, 170-something in the end. Damn it! I said to myself. But there is one positive thing coming out from this, that Storm T-Road Solid can hit the pocket really consistent. So I decided for the 10.30 a.m squad that I will only use this ball and bowl on the inside line. As the 10.30 squad started, for the first game, the ball really reacted very very well, I was getting a string of strikes and all I need was try to keep the ball hitting the target without worrying much about my release. I shot 240-something for the first game. I was lucky also, the lanes didn't change much and my playing partners were playing the same line as me, so we basically opened up the lanes and make them easier to bowl. I was getting excited and I got 7 strikes in-a-row for the first 7 frames. The score for the 2nd game was 265. For the 3rd game, I was thinking of playing it safe but I was too excited. In the first 6 frames, I did manage to get 4 baggers but one of the strike was quite lucky to get when my ball hit the nose. The trouble began on the left lane, I missed the head twice. The 2nd miss was a costly mistake. It was on the ninth frame. A wash-out and I couldn't spare it. It was not the end of my mistakes though. On the last frame, I managed to get another wash-out. My release was horrible for the last 2 frames and I thought I blew it. Luckily, lady luck was smiling at me and I did spare the wash-out and ending up the score 0f 210-something. The total score for the 10.30 a.m squad was 728. 728 plus the next best squad, 678 for the total of 1406. Second in the local pool at the time this blog is written. I think I still need another 700 plus series to be safe and also, the National Elite bowlers just came back from Paris and they haven't bowl yet. So, understandably, my total score will be push down if I don't improve it soon. I'll bowl again tomorrow afternoon after my class. This time with full confidence!