27 January, 2017
Will Stewart Anderson, Greg Harlow or Paul Foster regain the ‘Just.’ World Indoor Singles title or will Les Gillett see his name in lights for the first time?
All won through in today’s quarter finals while holder and world number 1 Nick Brett, David Gourlay, Jamie Chestney and Darren Burnett saw their challenge come to an end.
2013 champion Stewart Anderson from Blantyre gave one of the best displays of the event, turning in a blistering exhibition of inch perfects bowls to end the reign of holder Brett 10-5, 10-2, putting the result out of reach with two ends remaining in the second set.
“I knew I would have to play well to beat Nicky. We all know what he’s capable off. I played a solid game and felt I played as well as I did the year I won the title, so hopefully I’ve got more left in the tank”.
Greg Harlow fought back after losing the opening set and will thank Lady Luck for the part she played in his 5-8, 10-4, 2-1 victory with number 5 seed David Gourlay knocked out by an unbelievable fluke on the last end and with the last bowl of a tie break.
Gourlay made the running in the first set winning 8-5 and was still in the equation for a straights sets victory in the second at just 6-4 down with two ends remaining, but it was Harlow who grabbed the initatative with successive doubles to win 10-4 and force a tie break.
The scoreline was again level at 1-1 with Gourlay drawing the match winner with his last bowl however Harlow still had a bowl to play. He nominated to kill the end, and with his last delivery looked to be going tight on the head, but instead his bowl clipped Gourlay’s front bowl onto the shot bowl but on the way through the bowl flicked the jack and when the dust settled it was Harlow who counted that crucial shot to his place in the semi-finals.
Admitting later, Harlow said “That was an outrageous fluke.
“I had two options with my last bowl. I could have driven David’s shot bowl out cause I had second shot or I could have struck the jack to the ditch because I had a bowl there too. I did neither. I was fortunate the way the head fell. The God’s were smiling on me”.
A gutted Gourlay shook his head and said “I am just so disappointed at the way the game finished after there were so many great bowls played. To lose like that is sore, I don’t think I’ll forget that result in a hurry. That’s three games I’ve lost in these Championships on the last end of a tie break”.
A fifth title could be on the cards for Troon’s Foster who worked hard to deny number 14 seed Jamie Chestney. He started slowly in the opening set but then only dropped two ends in the second and then came good in the tie break 6-10, 10-4, 2-1.
“I wasn’t entirely happy with my performance and I know I can play better. I struggled coming towards the commentary box in the first set and just couldn’t get my weight. I was happier in the second and then played a good tie break and live to fight another day” said Foster.
In the last match of the day 2014 champion Darren bowed out after an 8-4, 8-4 defeat from Melton Mowbray’s Les Gillett who will be the only player in the semi-finals who hasn’t won this title.
A beaming Gillett said later “I’m very happy. I had a game plan. I didn’t activate in till I had settled into the game. I started well and so did Darren, scoring four singles, so I just had to go with the flow.
“I snuck a single on the fifth end and that gave me control of the jack so I cut the length right down to the minimum.
“I played patiently and just waited for my time to come and it did. I decided to play short jacks and hoped that would knock him off his stride and it worked.”
Foster will be the first in action, when he takes on Gillett this morning, while Anderson and Harlow will clash this afternoon.
In today’s World Under 25 singles semi-finals, holder Joe Mower from Haddington meets Weymouth’s Martin Puckett from the Moonfleet 2000 club followed by Iverurie’s Jason Banks against Ellen Ryan from the Cabrammatta Club in Sydney, Australia.
RESULTS for Friday 27th January (DAY 17)
‘JUST.’ WORLD INDOOR BOWLS CHAMPIONSHIPS at Potters Resort, Hopton on Sea, Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk
OPEN SINGLES
QUARTER FINALS
QF1 [9] S Anderson (Scot) bt *Holder [1] N Brett (Eng) 10-5, 10-2;
QF2 [4] G Harlow (Eng) bt [5] D Gourlay (Scot) 5-8, 10-4, 2-1;
QF3 [6] P Foster (Scot) bt [14] J Chestney (Eng) 6-10, 10-4, 2-1;
QF4 [15] L Gillett (Eng) bt [7] D Burnett (Scot) 8-4, 8-4;
SCHEDULE OF PLAY for Saturday 28th January (DAY 18)
OPEN SINGLES
SEMI-FINALS
9.30am SSF2 [6] P Foster (Scot) v [15] L Gillett (Eng);
2.30pm SSF1 [9] S Anderson (Scot) v [4] G Harlow (Eng);
WORLD INDOOR BOWLS UNDER 25
SEMI-FINALS
Approx 11.00am SF1 *Holder Joey Mower (Scot) v Martin Puckett (Eng);
Approx 3.45pm SF2 Ellen Ryan (Aus) v Jason Banks (Scot):