WOMEN'S MASTERS:

Current Malaysian Open champion Jazreel Tan has Singapore as the front runner in the women's Masters Friday evening, hitting 232 to keep two of the strong Malaysian squad under her thumb. An expected strong challenge from American Diandra Asbaty (pictured) has yet to come to fruition.

Tan kept the lead with a 213 in her second game and holds 20 pins over Chinese Taipei 'spinner' Hung Shu-Chun. Defending champion Zatil Iman of Malaysia has a lot of work to do to get among the leaders, currently in eleventh place but only 49 pins off the pace.

Game three and qualifying leader Cherie Tan of Singapore takes over the lead and a nice 233 from Zatil Iman brings her up from eleventh place to second. With just 42 pins separating the top ten places one good game can change positions quickly.

With just two bowlers to a pair of lanes, scores are coming thick and fast and scores are improving. High game is now 247 from 'spinner' Jennifer Tan and defending champion Zatil Iman is showing her mettle by taking over as front runner. There are now eight girls with a 200 average or more..

Now it is really tight at the top as Iman slipped back a trifle with an even 200. But you can never write-off Asbaty and she has now found her line and is a strong contender for a high position come the end of the first block. A nice 248 from Siti Safiyah brought her from twelfth to fourth and it is now four Malaysians in the top six.

Now it really is a strong American challenge as Asbaty is just one pin off the lead and there are still two fences to clear before the dust settles on the women's first eight-game block. Iman has slipped down to fourth place now but there are so few pins between third and eighth that the order will once again change with the seventh game.

The penultimate game of this block and Asbaty climbs to the top of the pile with just a 202 whilst the others fall away. A 244 from Filipina Liza Del Rosario brings her into contention but it is still a very close fight for the top places.

Juxtaposition once again as the position cards are shuffled. Asbaty drops to fourth and once again cherie Tan is top of the roost adn Iman is just one pin aback. 25 pins separate the six currently inthe stepladder final positions, but with eight more games yet to bowl, anything is liable to happen and every pin will be close fought in the morning.

Photo: Tournament leader Cherie Tan (Terence Yaw)

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For further information, contact Keith Hale: keithhale679@aol.com