Quémard’s two winning cards in the singles yesterday proved enough for the Jerseyman to squeeze through and avoid the plate competition.
Meanwhile, Lee Nixon’s Jersey quartet fought back bravely to beat Samoa in a thrilling see-saw encounter.
The one blot on the horizon was the 27-7 defeat sustained by Alan Shaw, Derek Boswell, David Le Marquand and Lee Nixon at the hands of four athletic New Zealanders – but, as team manager Cyril Renouf explained, the Kiwis produced a flawless world-class performance.
Quémard, who won three of his five matches qualified for the second phase championship round-robin as one of the top three players in his group.
Yesterday, ‘AQ’ opened with a good win over Patrick Knight, who is representing Brazil, one of the lesser bowls nations, but who has an impressive pedigree, and a useful knowledge of the Northfield greens picked up as a regular competitor in the Ayr Masters.
The Jersey star must have felt under the cosh when he trailed 9-0 after five ends, but he stuck at his task, scoring 21 shots to the Brazilian’s 9 over the next 19 ends to win, 21-18.
In the afternoon, Quémard came up against the oldest competitor in the championships – Ron Campion, an Australian-born Norfolk Islander, who is 75, but who is a wily and dangerous player.
Opening with a full house, AQ added a treble on the fifth end, and surged into a 20-12 lead by the 18th end, before patiently waiting for the winning shot, which came three ends later at 21-15.
In the fours, Jersey must have been feeling shell-shocked after their drubbing at the hands of the Kiwis when they took to the green to play the effervescent Samoans after lunch, because they found themselves 11-0 adrift after only four ends.
A visit from team manager Renouf, who gave them a pep-talk, resulted in a dramatic improvement, and the Jersey quartet hit back with a 2-7-1-4 sequence that put them 14-11 in front after eight ends.
The south sea islanders levelled at 15-15, and the scores were still equal after 16 ends, when a tied end (both teams had a bowl touching the jack) left the 19-19 deadlock in place as the very last end got underway.
Even then, it was neck-and-neck, with the jack near the ditch, and a measure for shot, when Talaimanu Keti, a hefty policeman, who has played at prop for Samoa B Rugby team, delivered the last bowl of the match.
As it approached the head, his projectile looked bang on target, but, somehow, it found a narrow gap between Jersey’s nearest bowl and the jack, and landed harmlessly in the ditch, leaving Jersey the winners, 20-19.
Not so harmless, it seemed, was the bloodcurdling yell that escaped from Keti’s lips, as he realised he had been denied by Lady Luck – but fortunately, the Jersey players survived, and the eight players shook hands warmly and repaired to the clubhouse.
‘It really was wonderful to see someone enjoying their bowls,’ said Nixon.
‘He was smiling all the time, and laughing and joking with his men.
But he was a dangerous player – and they were all very good sports.”” Jersey have an outside chance of qualifying for the championship round-robin if they can beat Canada today, but, with Australia, New Zealand and Canada in their section, it would be a major achievement if they were able to do so.
