Leslie Ingram-Brown sends this report from Erzurum:
WOMEN DRAW 1 v CZECH REPUBLIC
SLACK SHOTS RESULT IN OPENING LOSS FOR THE ANNA SLOAN TEAM
In the words of skip Anna Sloan after having lost her opening game to Czech Republic's Anna Kubeskova 'a few slack shots and I thought we were pretty unlucky losing a couple of cheap twos and never finished it off in the end.'
It was also a session with a couple of surprise results. The strong Russian team lost out to Korea whilst Japan were defeating Canada. Also Poland recorded their first ever win at this level against hosts Turkey in nine ends and Germany suffered an extra end loss to China.
It could be said after practice things certainly did turn themselves around in the performance of several of the teams. The GBR team of Anne Sloan, Lauren Gray, Vicki Adams and Claire Hamilton swapped singles with the Czech Republic over the first two ends before Sloan had an open hit for 3 in the third to lead 4-1. Kubeskova hit and rolled but stayed in the house for a single in the fourth when trying to blank and then in the fifth came the first GBR error allowing a steal of 1 but still led 4-3 at the break.
Sixth and another slack shot by Anna Sloan when looking to tap back for a 2 saw the shooter rock the outside half of the target stone and run out leaving only 1 shot but a 5-3 lead but the Czech Republic came right back into the game when Kubeskova fired a perfect double to count 2 in the seventh and square the game at 5-5. Blanking the eighth GBR took the single in nine when a 2 count was on for most of the end. Again failure to finish off cost dearly with only a one shot 6-5 score advantage coming home. With her first stone Anna drew which Kubeskova countered.
With the Czech Republic lying shot in the open GBR went for the draw behind a fairly long guard which was excellent if only it had not finished on the wrong side of tee. Kubeskova nominated the tap back which was perfect both in play and control counting the 2 shots for the win.
In the next session (M1) GBR men skipped by Glen Muirhead have the hardest of starts opening against Team Canada skipped by Jonathan Beuk."
Women Session 1 Scores: Czech Republic 7 Great Britain 6, China 6 Germany 5 (extra end), Japan 6 Canada 4, Poland 8 Turkey 3, Korea 5 Russia 4
Line Score:
GBR 10300 10010 = 6
CZE * 01011 02002 = 7
Thanks Les. I note that team lineups and match results are now on the official website here.
