OVERCOMING tough first-up matches was too big an ask for four Warrnambool bowlers contesting the Australian Open in Melbourne.
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Singles competitors Neil Crisp and Kellie Bowles, along with Neville Lynch and Barry Crimmin in the pairs, bowed out in the first round.
All four started as the underdog against highly credentialled bowlers who have competed at national and international level.
Crisp lost to Scottish international Graeme Archer 21-19 in a first-to-21 men’s singles match which could have gone either way.
Bowles was outgunned by New South Wales’ Karen Murphy 21-4 in her first women’s singles match.
Murphy, an Australian Jackroos representative, is the world number one, although she is yet to win an Australian Open singles crown.
Lynch and Crimmin went down to South Australian state representatives Wayne Ruediger and Scott Thulborn 17-8.
Bowles qualified for two events at the open and last night started her women’s fours campaign alongside three Victorian teammates.
She was playing third to skipper Judy Davey (Glenroy), with Robyn Thomassen (Grangeburn) and Rebecca McMahon (City Colac) also in the side.
The match started at 6.30pm, but a score was unavailable when The Standard went to print.