In possibly the greatest match in the eight-year history of the World Tenpin Masters, Australia's Jason Belmonte bowled the tournament's first ever 300-game but was still forced right to the wire as 2001 champion Shalin Zulkifli came so close to her own maximum in the second game.
Belmonte, who delivers the ball using both hands (pictured), rolled home his historic 12 strikes in front of a near capacity crowd at the Adwick Leisure Center in in Doncaster, England, to establish a huge 98 pin lead after the first game. That brought a lengthy standing ovation from the crowd and seemed to make the outcome of the match a foregone conclusion.
Zulkifli, however, had other ideas and started striking as her opponent wilted to record two spares and an open frame in his first three frames. After ten strikes from the Malaysian, the match was still balanced on a knife-edge before a stubborn ten pin sealed Zulkifli's fate and booked Belmonte's quarter-final spot.
achievement; "That's my 20th 300-game but I've had plenty more 298's and 299's than 300's so you never know until that last strike goes down. I was very nervous at the end because I know anything can happen and luck can come into it.
"Shalin never gave up though. She's the kind of bowler that when she needs strikes, she gets them and she was so aggressive in that second game.
"Tomorrow is another game though and I know you can't shoot 300 every time. I feel very confident and relaxed out there but I know these players aren't any old hacks from around the world!"
Courtesy of www.bowlingdigital.com
Good work Belmo.
Belmonte, who delivers the ball using both hands (pictured), rolled home his historic 12 strikes in front of a near capacity crowd at the Adwick Leisure Center in in Doncaster, England, to establish a huge 98 pin lead after the first game. That brought a lengthy standing ovation from the crowd and seemed to make the outcome of the match a foregone conclusion.
Zulkifli, however, had other ideas and started striking as her opponent wilted to record two spares and an open frame in his first three frames. After ten strikes from the Malaysian, the match was still balanced on a knife-edge before a stubborn ten pin sealed Zulkifli's fate and booked Belmonte's quarter-final spot.
achievement; "That's my 20th 300-game but I've had plenty more 298's and 299's than 300's so you never know until that last strike goes down. I was very nervous at the end because I know anything can happen and luck can come into it.
"Shalin never gave up though. She's the kind of bowler that when she needs strikes, she gets them and she was so aggressive in that second game.
"Tomorrow is another game though and I know you can't shoot 300 every time. I feel very confident and relaxed out there but I know these players aren't any old hacks from around the world!"
Courtesy of www.bowlingdigital.com
Good work Belmo.
You are a real champ and you should be proud of your achievement at such a young age. 
