The Great Britain women's team got the night off to a high as the won their test against Australia, with Great Britain's men narrowly losing the test by 1 point.
Women
The Great Britain women's team took an unassailable lead in the 3 match series after a comfortable 33 points victory at Newport International Sports Village. Great Britain were solid throughout the team with every rider winning at least 2 races each in a very impressive display, Laura Watson top scored with paid 19, but it was a real team affair.
For the Australian women's team Leticia Collins and Lucy Milican impressed on the large Welsh circuit.
Scores
Australia
Jess Snowden 9 Leticia Collins 15+2 Latisha Bevear 5 Kayleigh Clarke 10 Lucy Milican 13+1 Ebony Clark 6
Great Britain
Michelle Whitehead 15+2 Rebecca Davies 11+1 Danielle Riley 10+1 Charlie J.Herbert 12 Laura Watson16+3 Vicky Brown 13+2 Lauren Hookway 14
Australia 58 Great Britain 91
Mens
This meeting was expected to be close, and so it proved with some of the closest and most competitive racing seen at the superb Welsh track.
Australia took the lead in heat 3 after a tape exclusion to Aris a lead they maintained up to the interval after 4 shared heats the racing really was that close.
The 300 strong crowd were now getting into the meeting urging their country on.
The Chadwick boys took heats 10 and 11 in impressive style for the visitors, but Great Britain packed the minor places.
Heat 12 saw another tapes infringement Brooke the culprit, but back came the hosts with the Mould/Carmichael duo bringing their team to just 2 points adrift after 13 heats.
The atmosphere was now electric with both sets of supporters getting behind their team, a Macmillan/Edson heat advantage in heat 16 increased the Australia advantage to 4.
Great Britain were giving their all and man of the match Evans sped to a heat 17 win to record a maximum with heard tucked in for third.
Heat 18 saw Mould off grid 2 needing to gate over the impressive Chadwick to get something from the match but he wen straight through the tapes and the match over, unlucky for the Welshman who won his previous 4 races in style.
Scores
Australia
Shane Bentley 12+ 2 Bobby Macmillan 14+1 Joel Chadwick 15 Shane Weinart 9+2 Ryan Eddon 8+1Cody Chadwick 18 Robert Selleck 9 Cameron Crisp 3
Great Britain
Mark Carmichael 8 Ben Mould 16 Paul Heard 11+1Josh Brooke 9+1 Lee Aris 12 Adam Peck 9+1 Nicky Evans 16 Chris Parish 6+3
Australia 88 Great Britain 87
This was Cycle Speedway at its best fast, close action on a fabulous track with a big noisy crowd. Newport Cycle Speedway Club did the Ashes series proud, the awards were presented by match sponsors Dig it Landscapes of Pontypool who were very impressed.So its onto Coventry for the series decider..
