Tasmanian Gaylene Elsworthy has caused a major upset by defeating defending champion Lynsey Armitage at the Australian Open bowls tournament.
ULVERSTONE'S Gaylene Elsworthy shocked defending champion Lynsey Armitage by knocking her out at the quarter-final stages of the Australian Open bowls tournament on Wednesday.
Australian Jackaroos captain Armitage was upstaged in a thrilling contest 9-4, 4-9, 3-2.
"I don't know what to say, because I can't believe it happened," Elsworthy said.
"I didn't go out there expecting to lose, but practically I thought 'if I don't bowl well, I haven't got a hope', all I wanted to do was bowl well so I could come off and feel good about myself.
"The first set was great, but then I knocked a couple of hers in and then I knew the rot had set in and I thought I didn't have a chance at winning the tie- break."
Standing in Elsworthy's way for a spot in the final, is 2011 singles winner and last year's runner-up, Lisa Phillips, who prevented an all-Tasmanian semi-final by accounting for Invermay's doubles world champion Rebecca Quail, 9-8, 10-3.
Jackaroos pair Karen Murphy and Carla Odgers also cemented semi-final spots.
World No.2 Murphy booked her ticket courtesy of a 7-5, 12-3 win over 15-year- old NSW prodigy Dawn Hayman, while SA International Series silver medallist Odgers accounted for 17-year-old Victorian young gun Chloe Stewart 10-7, 9-2.
In the women's pairs, Armitage and Kelsey Cottrell made the final with an 8-4, 6-7, 2-1 win over 18-year-old Queensland twins Bolivia and Cassandra Millerick. Armitage and Cottrell will go up against Queensland's Carol Williams and Jane Bush, who defeated Echuca's Veronica Kelly and Melissa Larcombe, 4-11, 7-6, 5-1.
In the men's pairs, Moonee Ponds' Adam Galloway and Mark Jacobsen prevailed against Club Merrylands duo Peter Williams and Neil Burkett. Securing the other position in the pairs final was Russel Green jnr and Dylan Fisher.
