In todays first match in the ‘Just’ 2017 World Indoor Open Singles it was Scotland’s 71 year old PBA Qualifier, Charles Bence from Blantyre up against England’s young Mark Dawes from Blackpool Newton Hall and what a match. Into the first set Bence opened up proceedings taking two singles in swift order. Dawes then took a 3 in the third end, a single in 5th end followed with another 3 in the 6th end to go 7-3 up. Bence managed to swipe a single away in the 7th and Dawes polished off with two hard fought singles to take the opening set 9-4.
Most people in the audience had written off the man from Blantyre as Dawes opened up the second set with two doubles in the first two ends, Bence was holding a single and went for a trail to make it a tiple but he just caught the jack with his bowl and instead of a triple he was left two down as the jack edged and gave Dawes a double. Then the wheels came right off the Blackpool wagon as Dawes dropped a full house of 4 on the next end and then a single before managing to literally hang on to a single in the 6th end to go 7-5 up. But then the man from Blantyre came right back over the next three ends to take the set away from Dawes 7-10 and force a tie break.
Into the tie break and it was Dawes again that opened up well taking the first end but yet again the man from Blantyre just did not go away and he played some superb draw bowls to take the next to ends and match. Bence goes through to the next round where he faces the winner of the Nick Brett/Andrew Kyle match.