22nd July, P.Jaya: Top-seeds, Shalin Zulkifli and Azidi Ameran of Malaysia, swept the Women's and Men's Open Masters titles of the CCM 2nd Selangor International Open just concluded at Ampang Superbowl Summit USJ Saturday evening.

Double ABF Tour title winner and four-time Asian Ranked No. 1, defeated challenger, Siti Khadijah of Selangor over two matches, 201-206 and 171-160 to bag her fifth international title this year. The 28-year-old top-seed, who was forced to work for the victory after loosing the first match, edged Siti for the title.

After taking a break with the three-month suspension in November last year, the ex-national signalled her comeback to win the Thailand Open and ABF Tour Thailand leg in April. She went on to bag the 3rd Kuwait Open two weeks later.

Despite only finishing 11th in the Philippines Open, Shalin went on to cap another title winning the ABF Tour Philippines for her fourth title. The win has brought her tally to five this year making her a strong favourite for next week's Indonesia Open.

Siti Khajidah of Selangor settled for second despite knocking out second-seed, Lai Kin Ngoh and SUKMA XI Mixed Doubles Gold medalist, Ili Syazana of Selangor, 204-165-180 before going down to the champion.

Shalin took top spot after she totaled 3310 over two blocks of 8 games finals, 192 pins ahead of Lai in second, Siti Khadijah third and Ili Syazana fourth. Selangor youth, Christyn Chew and American, Melissa Bellinder, missed the cut for stepladder finals in fifth and sixth positions.

National Elite squad member and top-qualifier, Azidi Ameran easily defeated Ampang Superbowl's Mahadzir Mohd Ali, 200-179 in the men's final stepladder match to end a 3 year title draught to claim the men's crown.

The champion, who was third in Friday's first block of 8 game, stormed into the lead with a superb second block to take top-seed going into the stepladder finals. The men's first match saw Mahadzir defeating second-seed, Annop Arromsaranon of Storm Thailand and fourth-seed, Daniel Lim of Selangor, 198-171-179.

In the final crunch, Azidi displayed coolness to beat the nervous, Mahadzir for a well deserved victory. The Champion took home RM20,000 for the win with Mahadzir RM8,000. Shalin pocketed RM10,000 for her effort with Siti Khadijah won RM5,000.

Meanwhile in Friday night's Men's Graded Masters finals, Pahang's Kenny Yap edged Team Zing's Micky Un by 23 pins to claim the title with a total of 2516 over 12 games. The runner-up posted 2493, another 41 pins ahead of third-placed, Sufian Othman of Swarna Bumi Com on a score of 2475.

In the Ladies' Graded division, Selangor's youth, Noor Amilia Mohd Nor emerged the champion with a score of 2299 with teammate, Ili Syazana in second with 2236 and CPS Superbowl's Debbie Kong of Sarawak third with 2222.

Photos by Lukman Jasril, Asst. Secretary, STBA '04.

21st July, P.Jaya: Double ABF Tour leg champion, Shalin Zulkifli of Selangor and Storm Thailand's Annop Arromsaranon topped the Women's and Men's Open Masters first block of the CCM 2nd Selangor International Open Friday evening at Ampang Superbowl Summit USJ.

With already two international open and two ABF Tour titles, the ex-national and four-time Asian Ranked No. 1, proved too good for the field of 13 finalists, leading by a comfortable margin of 143 pins with a total of 1664.

Except for four sub-200 games, Shalin knocked down lines of 221, 195, 200, 214, 190, 199, 228 and 217 in the 8-game finals for the lead. Ex-national and recently recalled back into the national squad, Lai Kin Ngoh finished a distant second with 1521.

Twenty pins further away came 2005 ABF Tour Grand Slam champion, Wendy Chai of Bowlzone on a total of 1501 ahead of another ex-national, Tang Joh Six of CPS Bowl, Sarawak in fourth position with 1471. Selangor's Siti Khadijah settled for fifth, just 1 pin adrift with 1470.

Meanwhile, Thailand's Annop Arramsaranon hung on to the lead in the Men's division by just 13 pins on a total of 1772 at the end of the 8-game first block finals. National Gemilang 2010 squad member, Jonathan Lim of Sarawak finsihed second with 1759.

National Elite squad member and top qualifier, Azidi Ameran did well to stay with the leaders in third spot with 1707 while southpaw, Mahadzir Mohd Ali of Ampang Superbowl took fourth position with 1692.

Newly-crowned Vietnam International Open champion, Purvis Granger of Storm-Bowlmart finished a creditable fifth with 1681 followed by ABF Tour Grand Slam champion, Daniel Lim of Bowlzone in sixth spot with 1645. Defending champion, Alex Liew had a disappointing run finishing 23rd.

The finalists will bowl another 8 games in the second block on Saturday, 22nd July at the end of which, the top 4 in both the divisions will make the cut for the stepladder finals to determine this year's champions.

Photos by Lukman Jasril, Asst. Secretary, STBA '04.

21st July, P.Jaya: Newly-crowned Selangor leg champion, Fatin Syazliana and Bowling Camp's Hwang Dong Jun of Korea brought home convincing victories in the Girl's and Boy's Open Masters of the CCM 2nd Selangor International Open Friday afternoon.

Fatin, who has won already won two Junior Circuit titles this year, stepped on her recent win in the Selangor leg to cruised to a comfortable victory to cap her third title with a score of 2016 over the 10-game Masters finals.

The petite national youth member from Penang also debuted in the 9th Asian Schools Championship in April this year winning the Team Gold medal. SUKMA XI Mixed Doubles Gold medalist, Ili Syazana of Selangor, finished second with 1946, 70 pins behind the champion.

SUKMA XI two Bronze medalist, Debbie Kong of CPS Bowl, Sarawak took third spot with 1856 ahead of another Selangor youth, Nor Amila Mohd Nor and national youth, Yap Pui Yee from Kuala Lumpur fourth and fifth on scores of 1851 and 1844 respectively.

Meanwhile, newcomer from Korea, Hwang Dong Jun of Bowling Camp, triumphed in the Boy's Open division with 2060, 58 pins ahead of Selangor's Tengku Yasser in second with 1988 while Kuala Lumpur's top spinner, Muhd Fahd Hazali finished third with 1973.

Soo Chun Kit of Selangor and Hwang's teammate, Kim Jae Min of Bowling Camp, Korea settled for fourth and fifth spots with 1969 and 1963 pinfalls. Pace-setter and SUMKA XI Trios Gold medalist, Fahmi Bahri of Johor ended up in seventh behind Penang's Kelvin Tan in sixth position.

Earlier in the day, Sharifah Marissa of Selangor took her maiden win when she emerged the Girl's Under-16 champion with a score of 1729. SUKMA XI All Events Gold medalist, Syaidatul Afifah of Sukan Teras, Perak tied for second with Kuala Lumpur's Sukan Teras youth, Hanan Fateha on a score of 1704.

The Boy's Under-16 title went to Penang's Sukan Teras youth, Muhammad Saman after he amassed a 10-game total of 1912. Boy's Open champion, Hwang Dong Jun finished second with 1882 ahead of Negeri Sembiland's Sukan Teras youth, Ros Qusyairi third with 1859.

Photos by Lukman Jasril, Asst. Secretary, STBA '04.

18th July, P.Jaya: National Elite squad member, Azidi Amrean signaled his intentions to claiming the Masters title of the on-going CCM 2nd Selangor International Open as he moved to the top of the Men's qualifying leaderboard.

Since winning the 2003 Malaysian International Open, the 34 year-old has had a couple of podium finishes but is still looking for the elussive win. Despite qualifying for three consecutive World Ranking Masters and failing to make any impression, Azidi is bullish that he will do well this year.

The leader posted an impressive 973 and averaging 243.25 to top the table ahead of ex-national, Mustafa Yassin of Selangor in second with 915. Asian Bowling Tour Grand Slam champion, Daniel Lim finished third with 897.

Early overseas challengers, Andrew Lee of Singapore, Annop Aromsaranon and Tosrin Kunawat, both of Storm Thailand, taking up fifth, ninth and 11th positions with 871, 813 and 753 respectively.

Meanwhile, Melissa Bellinder of Brunswick USA, who is making her debut on local turf, grabbed the lead in the Ladies' Open division with a superb 940.

The ex-PWBA bowler, who was the youngest ever bowler to be in the Team USA 2000-2001, was the 1998 National Youth Champion. Bellinder was also champion in the PWBA Regional Players' Championship in 2003 and voted Collegiate Bowler of the Year 2003.

Double ABF Tour title winner, Shalin Zulkifli of Malaysia took second spot with 898 followed by Selangor's Nor Amila Mohd Nor third with 880.

2004 Malaysian Open runner-up, Siti Khadijah of Selangor managed 868 to take up fifth spot ahead of early leader, Tang Joh Six of CPS Bowl,

Sarawak in sixth position on a score of 867 followed by Sinai Open champion, Wendy Chai seventh with 799.

Selangor youths dominated the Boy's Open qualifying with Kelvin Keong, Amir Syakirin and Tengku Yasser occupying the top 3 positions while SUKMA XI Silver medalist, Debbie Kong of CPS Bowl, Sarawak claimed top spot in the Girl's Open division.

Photo by Lukman Jasril, Asst. Secretary, STBA '04.

17th July, P.Jaya: National kegler, Alex Liew is aiming to cap his second international crown this year as the southpaw prepares to defend the Masters' title of the CCM 2nd Selangor International Open underway at Ampang Superbowl Summit USJ.

With some of the stronger teammates off to Berlin, Germany for the 9th World Youth Championship and the current crop of tougher opponents from Asia either skipping this championship for the the 4th Indonesia Open starting this week or in preparation for the all-important 19th Asian Championship early August, it appear to be an easy task for the Alex Liew.

Liew, who just turned 30 yesterday, bagged his first international title this year with a convincing victory over fellow compatriot, Zaid Izlan in the Malaysian International Open in late March. Liew then followed it up with a good showing to reach the semifinals when he debuted at the World Tenpin Masters in Barnsley, England, only to be knocked out by eventual champion, Chris Barnes of the USA.

Finishing 11th and missing the cut for the top 8 in the World Ranking Masters in May and failing to defend his Bahrain International Open title, Liew has been training harder than ever and is determined to well in preparation for the 19th Asian Championship in August and the Men's World Championship in September.

Meanwhile, national Elite squad member, Azidi Ameran strolled to the top of the Men's Open Masters qualifying table with a superb 973 followed by Singapore's Andrew Lee in second with 871. Malaysian Open stepladder finalist, Lim Fung Jung of Megalanes, Pahang, finished fourth with 854 ahead of two ex-nationals, Mohd Nadri and Mustafa Yassin in fifth and sixth positions with 809 and 782 respectively.

In the ladies' division, only three qualifiers have taken to the lanes at Ampang Superbowl Summit USJ with ex-national, Tang Joh Six of CPS Superbowl, Sarawak topping the table with 803. National youth, Yap Pui Yee of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor's Siti Khadijah finished second and third.

The defending champion is Korea's Lee Eun-Ock, who finished second runner-up in this month's 4th Vietnam International Open. It is uncertain whether she will be defending the title as there will be an important local championship that she may be competing in.

Qualifying continues through to the 20th July and the top 29 men and top 15 ladies plus the defending champions will contest the Masters finals on the 21st and 22nd July.

Photo by Terence Yaw, MTBC.