First match of the day here at the Co-op Funeralcare International Open 2017 hosted by Partingtons Holiday Parks from their Newton Hall Park in Blackpool was between World Ranked No.14, Jamie Chestney and Professional Bowls Association qualifier, Scott Edwards.
In a cracking first set both players were playing really well. Chestney opening up proceedings taking two hard won singles in the first two ends, Edwards then swiping a superb single in the 3rd end with Chestney responding with another single. With the score sitting at 3-1 to Chestney it was Edwards that played a superb little tickle to grab a full house of 4 shots on the 5th end to go 3-5 up. In the 6th it was Edwards again holding but Chestney played a superb bowl and took that end with a single and then Edwards responded on the next end with a double to go 4-7 up. Into end 8 and Chestney managed a single going into end 9 5-7 down. Both players were playing really well but it Chestney that dug deep and played superbly to get a score of two to even the set at 7 all.
Into set two and it was Chestney that got the flying start going 5-0 up by the start of the 4th end. In a tit for tat run over the next three ends it was Chestney that was coming out on top going into end 7 8-4 up. Edwards hung in and picked up a hard fought single and was looking for a treble on the last to force a tie break - he opened up holding two only inches off the jack, Chestney played a timer but narrowly missed - Edwards drew a third a foot away and Chestney played a yard on running shot on the only line left available which was tight and he absolutely had to have the perfect line and weight to hold for the jack through the narrowest of gaps on that line - he steadied himself on the mat and played the shot - absolutely inch perfect as he picked the jack clean and took it into the ditch leaving Edwards with nowhere to go with his last bowl!! Chestney took the set and match and marches into the quarter finals.