Rivera seizes control in Asian tenpin masters

The Philippines’ Biboy Rivera won four matches and drew one to assemble a 1772 aggregate and post a 3-pin lead over trios gold medalist Saeed Al-Hajri of Qatar in the first block of the men’s Masters finals in the 19th Asian Tenpin Bowling Championships in Jakarta yesterday.

Rivera rebounded from a poor start in the short oil with a solid game in the long oil to show the way, hoping to sustain his fine game for a crack at one of the three berths in the stepladder finals.

"I had a slow start in the singles in the first day because I’m not so good on short oil and was using the wrong ball," said Rivera. "I’m good on the long oil and that’s probably why I bowl well today. I’ll try to tackle the shorter oil tomorrow and hope to finish in the top 3.

The finalists will bowl another eight games today with the top three from each division making the cut for the stepladder finals.

Saeed, who set a torrid pace at the start, settled for second with 1769 while team gold medalist Alex Liew of Malaysia stormed home in the final series to claim third spot with 1764.

Early leader and singles gold medalist Ryan Lalisang fizzled out to finish fifth behind Tomokatsu Yamashita of Japan.

"I bowl well except in the fourth and fifth matches when I was missing my target," said Saeed. "Luckily I regained my composure and was able to bowl better. The different oiling pattern doesn’t bother me too much and I feel confident I’ll be able to maintain my position."

Teener Tannya Roumimper of Indonesia, on the other hand, showed up the veterans in women’s Masters as she took charge with 1775, winning five of the eight matches played.

Team gold medalist Kim Hyo-Mi of Korea finished second with 1744, 31 pins ahead of compatriot, Gye Min-Young, who is in third with 1741.

Roumimper had a so-so start in the 8-game round-robin matchplay finals over the long oil pattern with 188, 200 and 208 in her first series but came on strongly with 232 and 225 in the fourth and fifth matches to haul herself up from fifth to second behind Chien Hsiu-Lan of Chinese Taipei.

Despite a temporary setback in the sixth match of 184, a superb high game of 258 in the seventh match enabled Roumimper to take over the lead with one more match to end the first day of the Masters finals.

"I’m surprised that I can lead such an experience field of bowlers," said the 16-year-old Indon rising star. "There is still 8 games tomorrow and I’ll just bowl my game and keep my concentration."