YALLOURN lawn bowler Lisa Phillips’ dream of representing Australia at the Commonwealth Games is still alive following her selection in a four-strong national outfit to contest the Asia Pacific Merdeka Championships in October.
After being overlooked for the Jackaroos squad of 13 travelling to Scotland for the Eight-Nations Commonwealth Games Invitational this month, Phillips will stake her claim for a 2014 Glasgow games cap at the Malaysian event.
The championship marks the Clayton bowler’s formal international debut on foreign soil where, alongside Lynsey Clarke, Matthew Baus and Shane Garvey, she will strive to break into Commonwealth Games calculations.
The 20 year-old said she was elated to secure a second chance to impress selectors in the build up to the game’s biggest showcase in Scotland next year.
“I was a little bit disappointed (to miss the Eight-Nations)… but being able to go to Malaysia and finally represent Australia… is amazing so I couldn’t be too disappointed, I was pretty happy,” she said.
“If we do well over in Malaysia they’ll definitely be looking at us, so hopefully we’ll still be in with a chance.
“Playing bowls from when I was young you always think that’s (the Commonwealth Games) the biggest thing, and it is the biggest thing you can do, so it’s always been a goal of mine; to get there would be amazing.”
Phillips has previously donned the green and gold in junior and under 25 Trans Tasman competition, but her first official senior Australian appearance will come in Malaysia.
“To go to Malaysia is going to be completely different; I’ll get to play against all countries,” she said.
“It’s going to be really good and a great experience.”
Phillips has met team-mate Clarke in competition several times in the past, including a match at the 2012 Australian Open, and Phillips said she was excited to bowl alongside players of her quality.
“We know each other quite well so I’m looking forward to playing with her and the other two boys are good bowlers and good fun too so we should have a great time,” she said.
Phillips is currently in Queensland to contest the Australian Indoor Championship and the prestigious Golden Nugget Invitation Singles.
She was bundled out of the $30,000 Indoor Championship on Monday at Tweed Heads Bowls Club, where she was seed number two, dropping her rubber to 16 year-old up-and-comer Jamie-Lee Worsnop from New South Wales.
