Del Rosario barges into World Cup final

PATTAYA, Thailand — Fiery Filipino bowler Liza del Rosario took a step closer to her dream of winning the World Cup yesterday by beating American Kristal Scott in two straight games to arrange a title showdown with Japan’s Nachimi Itakura on specially installed lanes in the arena adjacent to PS Bowling here.

The 24-year-old, 5-foot-7 Del Rosario triumphed in the best-of-three semifinal match, 214-207 and 216-207.

"I can’t believe it! I’m in the finals against the Japanese," Del Rosario, a first-timer in the World Cup, exclaimed with delight after the match.

Itakura, 26-year-old veteran from Wakayama City, knocked out one of the pre-tournament favorites, Ross Greiner of the Netherlands, 2 games to 1.

Itakura took the first game, 258-224, lost the second 223-226, and then won the deciding game, 227-205.

"I’ve bowled in this type of arena bowling before and I was able to shut out the crowd and just concentrate on hitting the spot on the lane," said Itakura.

Del Rosario, who shared the doubles gold with veteran Arianne Cerdena in the 21st Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia, and Itakura were scheduled to dispute the title late yesterday.

Scott, who upset heavily favored Kirsten Penny in the quarterfinals, burned the lanes for four consecutive strikes at the start of the first game, while Del Rosario came up with three spares and a strike.

But the American came to grief when she drove the ball into the gutter in the fifth frame and got only six pins. Scott also had a split after that to enable Del Rosario to pull through.

It was also close in the second game until Del Rosario posted a double, leaving the American with the difficult task of having to punch out to win. Scott failed and Del Rosario roared into the finals.

Qatar’s Ahmed Shaheen rallied to beat Mexico’s Daniel Falconi, 235-244, 205-186, and 259-257, to gain another shot at second World Cup crown.

Falconi had a four-bagger in the third game, but Shaheen struck out to finish two pins ahead.