First match of the day here at Potters Resort in the ‘Just’ 2020 World Indoor Open Singles Championships it was World No 2, Greg Harlow from England up against charismatic Blake Nairn, PBA Australia’s qualifier. Nairn had the packed arena in his grips as they warmed to his style out there on the portable rink.
In the first set Harlow was at the top of his game and was simply outstanding, playing his bowls to millimetre precision and Nairn was struggling to find the draw pace on the rink. Nairn opened up with his drive shot on several occasions and the arena audience were awed at the power and speed of his strikes. Nairn hit several times and everything went flying but invariably it just did not go his way and by end four he 7, 0 down. Again Nairn struck to dislodge Harlow’s bowls, he was deadly accurate but the jack rebounded of a back bowl and flew back up the rink and had to be respotted as it was less than the regulation length and again it was Nairn that came of the worse. End seven it was all over for the first set as Harlow took it 12,0.
Second set and a smiling Nairn managed a single and the audience gave him a resounding cheer, they had really got behind the charismatic style of the big Aussie and supported him all the way. Harlow though took the next three ends to go 8,1 up by end four. Nairn still did not give up, dug deep and managed to get two doubles away in ends five and six to the applause of the packed arena, Again it was Harlow that remained steadfast as he took ends seven and eight to wrap up the second set and match 11,5.