First of the afternoon matches saw the pairing of Scotland’s Stewart Anderson, World ranked at No.8 and Alison Merrien MBE from the Channel Islands. Anderson is a former World Indoor Singles Champion and Merrien former World Mixed Pairs Champion so this is a good pedigree in the pairs. Up against this pair is England’s Nick Brett who has won the Singles, Pairs and Mixed Pairs Titles previously, together with Helen Carman from New Zealand. This is Helens first time at the World Championships having qualified from New Zealand for the Ladies Matchplay here later this week.
Start of the first set and it was Brett that started out well, drawing inch perfect bowls taking six shots in the first two ends. Anderson / Merrien came back in end three to take a double but it was Brett who was producing simply outstanding bowls that simply overrode anything that Anderson/Merrien were producing. End four and it was a three to Brett/Carman and to this they added two more double in ends five and six to take the first set 2,11. Brett was simply outstanding.
Set two and Brett/Carman opened up with a treble on the first end with Anderson/Merrien taking a single off them in end two. Once again in ends three and four they dropped a double and a single to an awesome on form Brett. It was Anderson/Merrien that managed to hold of this fearsome onslaught in ends five and six taking a single and a double leaving them only two shots behind at 4,6. Still a chance ok making the second set and the much needed tie break. End seven and it was looking good for them, holding a possible three, jack almost unreachable it was Brett that destroyed their dream of the tie break with an awesome bowl that just somehow nudged apart their bowls and popped in for a single. Anderson had last bowl but just could not get to Brett’s shot bowl and it is Brett and Carman that go through to the semi finals on Sunday. One has to say that Brett’s performance out there on the portable rink has been the best we have seen since the start of the event.