31st December, P.Jaya: Commonwealth Championship two gold medalist and national bowler, Muhd Nur Aiman ended a superb year with victory in the Selangor Super Classic 2008 defeating challenger, Sufian Othman in one game in the stepladder finals.

Muhd Nur Aiman, who ended the 10-game semifinals to advance into the stepladder finals as topseed, defeated challenger, Sufian Othman of Diman Superbowl, 182-155 to take his one and only open title this year.

After finishing third in the Penang Pesta Open just two weeks ago and failing to qualify for the coveted Milo World Junior All-Stars Championship a few days ago, the victory made up for the slight disappointment for the national elite squad member.

"I'm glad that I finally nailed a title this year," said the 20-year-old Aiman, who was recently promoted from the backup squad to the elite team after helping Malaysia win the Team gold medal at the 20th Asian Championship in Hong Kong.

"The two gold and two silver medals I won in the Commonwealth Championship has also given me the confidence in my game. But I've to thank my coaches, Holloway Cheah and Ben Heng for helping me improve my game so much this year."

The champion finished top of field of 30 with a total of 2244 in the earlier 10-game semifinals ahead of national youth, Rodson Tong in second with 2119 and Perak's youngster, Mohd Amin Abdul Razak third with 2102.

Sufian Othman snatched the fourth and last stepladder spot despite tieing in fourth with Rosli Malik of Kuala Lumpur with 2087. Sufian made the cut as he had shot a high game of 278 to break to tie.

The runnerup, who was seeded fourth, eliminated third-seed, Mohd Amin, 192-173 in the first stepladder match before dispatching second-seed, Rodson, 192-159 in the second match. But Aiman ended Sufian's fine run in the title match.

Aiman won the top prize of RM20,000 which was awarded to him by STBA '04 Deputy President, Dato' Seri Ahmad Latffi while Sufian took home RM10,000. Rodson won RM5,000 with Mohd Amin RM2,500.

Rosli Malik won the Best Local bowler award, Shalin Zulkifli the Best Female bowler, Kim Eun Jung of Korea the Best Overseas bowler and Ahmad Amiruddin the Best Youth bowler winnng RM1,000 each.

Photos by Terence Yaw.

30th December, P.Jaya: First block leader, Mohammad Amin Abdul Razak of Diman Superbowl cruised into the stage as top qualifier of the Selangor SUper Classic 2008 at the end of the second block at Ampang Superbowl Summit USJ.

The Perak youngster, who had built up a 65 pins lead in yesterday's first block, led from start to finish in the 10-game second block to end with an impressive 4371 averaging 208.55.

Mohammad Amin Abdul Razak, bowling for Diman Superbowl, knocked down 2179 in the second block to add to his first block score of 2192 to cruise into the semifinals. Selangor's youth, Ahamd Amiruddin, who was fifth overnight notched up a total of 4284 to finish second.

Squad B leader after the second block, Mahadzir Mohd Ali of Selangor settled for third overall with 4153 ahead of three-time Junior All-Stars champion, Adrian Ang and Commonwealth Championship two gold medalist, Muhd Nur Aiman completing the top 5.

Aiman posted the highest 10-game series of 2225 in the second block to haul himself up from 55th to fifth overall. Junior All-Stars first runnerup, Aaron Kong, who twice brought down seven consecutive strikes and going for the perfect game prize of a Naza motorcycle, shot the highest game of 277.

Aaron improved from 18th from the first block to complete the second block in 11th. Other national bowlers to make the top 30 cut for next stage were defending champion, Alex Liew (13th), Shalin Zulkifli (15th), Kang Bo Long (18th), Zulmazran ZUlkifli (20th) and Syafiq Ridhwan (29th).

Other national keglers missing the cut were Daniel Lim (35th), Kelvin Keong (55th) and Zaid Izlan (64th). Notable contenders who also failed to qualify were Korea's Kim Eun Jung (39th), Saudi's Yousef Akbar (48th) and Indonesian women Putty Armein (56th) and Happy Soediyono (58th).

The 30th and final bowler to make the cut averaging 188.45 was Mohd Fazdaruddin of DBKL/Kuala Lumpur with a total of 3869. Johor's Suhaimi Rahmat missed the cut by 11 pins finishing 31st with 3858.

The top 30 will bowl 10-games semifinals starting from scratch on Wednesday, December 31 and the top 4 with the highest pinfalls will advance into the stepladder finals to determine the champion and the top prize of RM20,000.

Photos by Terence Yaw.

30th December, P.Jaya: The second block of the Selangor Super Classic 2008 preliminary rounds ended for Squad B with Mahadzir Mohd Ali of Selangor taking top spot ahead of two other Selangor title contenders, Mohammad Johari and Shazally Khamis in second and third.

Mohammad Johari, who led Squad B last night but finished fourth in the overall standings, immediately lost the lead to Shazally Khamis in the opening game in another 10 games for today's second block.

Shazally managed to stretch his lead from just 4 pins to 51 pins after two superb games of 228 and 222 in his first two games but Mohammad Johari fought on galantly to close the gap back to 4 pins after game 3.

While Shazally bowled consistently, Mohammad Johari had less consistent games allowing Shazally to increase his lead to 74 pins after the sixth game but was reduce to 38 pins after the seventh game.

Selangor's Mahadzir Mohd Ali, who was queitly keeping pace with the two battling for the lead, shot 244 to take over the running after the eighth game but lost it to Shazally and Mohammad Johari tieing after the ninth game.

In the end it was the 33-year-old Mahadzir who finished the strongest of the trio to end the block in the lead with 20-game total of 4153. Johari settled for second, 66 pins adrift on 4087 while Shazally's last game of 172 dropped him to third on 4067.

Newly-wed, Shalin Zulkifli who finished 17th yesterday and 38th overall, shot the highest 10-game total in the second block with 2081 to haul herself up to fourth in the squad with 4008.

Mohammad Amin Abdul Razak of Diman Superbowl, who topped the overall standings yesterday, will take to the lanes this afternoon for his second block. The top 30 with both squads combined will advance into the semifinals on new year's eve.

Photos by Terence Yaw.

29th December, P.Jaya: Selangor's Mohammad Johari topped the first block second squad of the Selangor Super Classic 2008 but only finished fourth after the two squads were comdined with Diman Superbowl's Mohammad Amin B Abdul Razak remaining in pole.

Selangor's southpaw, Hafeiz Bakri set a cracking pace with 247, 202 and 194 in his three opening games of Squad B to lead Kuala Lumpur's bowler, Shazally Khamis in second, 31 pins adrift.

But a disasterous 144 in Hafeiz's fourth game handling the lead to Shazally who led until the halfway mark of the 10-game first block. Kuala Lumpur's season campaigner, K.H. Lim took over the running for the next three games.

Another Selangor's Mohamad Johari of Majlis Perbandaran Klang stormed home with 227, 213 and 233 in the last three games to snatch pole in the squad with 2064. Shazally also overtook Lim to claim second with 2052.

Lim settled for third with a total of 2034. The leader's score was, however only good enough to give him a fourth place finish in the overall standings after the two squads were combined.

Squad A leader, Muhammad Amin B Abdul Razak of Diman Superbowl remained in the lead with 2192 followed by Mohd Hazri Razali of Kuala Lumpur in second with 2127 and newly-crowned Milo World Junior All-Stars champion, Adrian Ang third with 2115.

Mohammad Johari and another Selangor youth, Ahmad Amiruddin rounded up the top 5 with 2064 and 2053. The competitors will bowl another 10 games tomorrow with pins carried forward.

The top 30 at the end of the second block will advance to another 10

games semifinals from scratch. The top 4 after the semifinals will advance to the stepladder finals to determine the champion.

Photos by Terence Yaw.

29th December, P.Jaya: Youngster, Muhammad Amin B Abdul Razak of Diman Superbowl upstaged Mohd Hazri B Azali and Adrian Ang to take the lead in Squad A first block of the Selangor Super Classic underway at Ampang Superbowl at the Summit USJ.

iding a a hot streak, national elite squad member and newly-crowned Milo World Junior All-Stars champion, Adrian Ang scorched the lanes with a superb 259 opening game but lost the lead after the second game to trail Mohd Hazri Azali by 49 pins.

But the 20-year-old three-time Junior All-Stars champion bounched back to regain the lead at the halfway mark of the 10-game first block by 20 pins. For the next three games, there were very little separating the top 3 but it was Diman Superbowl's Muhammad Amin Abdul Razak who finished the stronger of the trio to end the block with the lead.

Muhammad Amin, who has been taking part mostly in the SportExcel Junior Circuit and has won two legs this year, ammassed a total of 2192. Mohd Hazri snatched second position with 2127 leaving Adrian settling for third with 2115.

"The lanes suited my style of play and I was doing great in the early stages," said the 20-year-old member of the national elite squad, Adrian. "But when the lanes broke down, it was more difficult to get the ball to stay.

With another squad taking to the lanes in Squad B and another ten games to bowl in the second block with pins carried forward, it will be a close fight but would not matter much so long as the bowlers finish in the top 30 to advance into the semifinals.

Another 10 games will be played in the semifinals starting from scratch and the top 4 will advance into the stepladder finals to decide this year's champion. Squad B will commence their first block preliminary rounds shortly.

Photos by Terence Yaw.