GREAT BRITAIN versus POLAND

POLAND EDGE HOME IN LAST HEAT THRILLER - posted 20 February 2009

Polish team manager Janus Danak opted to "rest" his top pairing of Marcin Symanski and Maciej Ganczarek with Darius Pilas and Pawel Cegielski as the replacements whilst Great Britain made two changes with Gavin Wheeler and Leigh Cossey replacing Daniel Pike and Lewis Osborne reports Pete Barnes.

A Chris Jewkes and Lee Aris maximum heat win early on in addition to three exclusions incurred by the Polish squad gave Great Britain a four point advantage at the half way stage. But a Przemek Binkowski and Marcin Paradzinski 7-3 over the Aris and Jewkes pairing levelled the scores. Poland then opened up a slender lead but when Steve Harris and Jono Birks took the major placings in heat seventeen the scores were again drawn.

But with Poland starting from the favoured inside gate position in the final heat, Binkowski and Pilas gained the six points needed to secure victory.

Poland 87
Artur Poprawski 8+1, Radoslaw Handke 19, Przemek Binkowski 12, Marcin Paradzinski 16+1, Pawel Kozlowski  1, Daius Pilas 12, Pawel Cegielski 8, Lucasz Nowacki  11
Great Britain 85
Gavin Wheeler 10+1, Leigh Cossey 2+1, Steve Harris 12, Jono Birks 16, Chris Jewkes 13+1, Lee Aris 14+2, Andy Angell 4, Marcus Wadhams 14+2

Poland win series two matches to nil

A GREAT ADVERT FOR THE SPORT - posted 18 February 2009

The first Test match between two of the leading nations produced a terrific advert for the sport.  Polish manager Janus Danack had no hesitation in naming his strongest line up whilst Lions' manager Dave Murphy took the option of introducing Andy Angell and Marcus Wadhams into his squad reports Pete Barnes from Adelaide.

The first half saw Maciej Ganczarek and Marcin Szymanski rack up three unbeaten rides each whilst the Lions could only produce one heat winner in Wadhams and trailed by fifteen points at the interval.  The Lions clawed back seven points in heat eleven from Angell and Steve Harris after the double exclusion to Radek Henke and Marcin Paradzinski followed by a convincing win from Chris Jewkes a heat later.

Both Angel and Wadhams took heavy falls in the later stages and despite reserve changes the Lions had to concede the fixture by a twenty five point margin.  The Australian international referee showed his vast experience in controlling a fiercely fought fixture.

Great Britain 75
Lee Aris 10+1, Chris Jewkes 10, Steve Harris 14, Andy Angell 6+2, Jono Birks 9, Marcus Wadhams 7, Dan Pike 11+1, Lewis Osborne 8
Poland 100
Marcin Szymanski 17+3, Maciej Ganczarek 15+1, Artur Poprawski 11, Lucasz Nowacki 14, Radek Henke 9, Marcin Paradzinski 11, Rafel Dulinski 12, Przemek Binkowski 11

Poland lead 1-0 in two match series.