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By Luke Sheehan

9th March 2010 11:05:18 AM

Green and gold … Keilor Bowls Club’s Carla Odgers represented Australia at the Trans Tasman Cup last weekend in New Zealand.

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TAYLORS Lakes resident Carla Odgers did the Keilor Bowls Club proud when she made her debut for Australia at the under-25 Trans Tasman Cup in New Zealand last weekend.

Unfortunately, Australia lost the cup to the Kiwis for the first time in almost a decade, but the 19-year-old had a great experience wearing the green and gold for the first time.

“I was very, very nervous but after a few ends, I felt a bit more comfortable and loved it,” she said.

“We had a few really, really close games, it was good to have some exciting games with a close finish in the end, even though we didn’t get up. To take it to the last day, we gave it all our best, and I enjoyed it all.”

Odgers played in the pairs and fours sides but both went down 2-1 across the three tests against a strong New Zealand side cheered on by a parochial Kiwi crowd.

“There was a fair bit of a crowd, obviously most of them were New Zealand supporters but a few of us had family over there, after the first day we got stuck into them, told them they had to get a bit louder, as they were getting a bit over-cheered.”

Day one of competition for Odgers produced a win in the fours and a loss in the pairs, but on day two, those results were reversed, leaving both her tests in the balance at 1-1 heading into the deciding day three.

Odgers, with her pairs partner Bec Quail, was edged out of the pairs final 20-18, before also going down in the fours decider with Morgan Solman-Stewart, Janet Healey and Quail 28-13.

Odgers said the girls gelled together well on the green.

“We all got along straight away like best mates, we went over earlier in January for a training camp and we got to know each other really well, and I got the chance to play in a tournament with the girl I played in the pairs with (Quail), it was like we’d played together for years, there was a great team atmosphere all the time.”

She also paid credit to Australian coach Bill Cornehls’ work at the tournament.

“He (Cornehls) was awesome. He’s so encouraging, and just a fantastic coach and person, and we’re good friends as well.”

Cornehls said Odgers’ was not worried by her first-time appearance in Australian colours.

“I think she handled the pressure, obviously playing for your country for the first time, there’s going to be a fair few nerves.

“After the initial putting down the first bowl, you get back to what we’ve trained on, and she acquitted herself well on that side of it.”

Cornehls said Odgers will be back, as she has plenty more opportunities to make the under-25 side, given she’s just 19.

“Oh most definitely (play for Australia again), we’ve got another series next year, and if she keeps on developing in the way that she does, of course we’ll see her around for a number of years in the green and gold.

“I’m not a selector, but Carla will want to be a part of the team that gets the trophy back.”

Odgers said her home club Keilor was abuzz when she returned home last Monday.

“I went into the club, everyone was like asking me about it, there must have been a bit in The Age paper or something, so they were all telling me about it, some of them cut it out and gave it to me. Everyone was really, really excited about it.”

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