In a sudden change in the pairings it was Scotland’s Alex Marshall MBE with Neil Furman from the USA against England’s Jamie Chestney and Mark Dawes. Marshall’s change in partnership came after his long time partner, Paul Foster MBE, who was travelling down to the championships had to return back home due to the sudden and unexpected death of his father. Under the WBT rules, Furman, as next WBT ranked player stepped in.
Dawes and Chestney put on a great display of bowls in the first set against Furman and Marshall but it quite clear that Marshall was, quite understandably, not his usual self and did not quite manage to pull out the form we are all used to seeing from this great man. Into the second set and Marshall had rallied and this was a great set of bowls. Going into the final end Marshall Furman trailed by one shot and needed a count of two to force the much needed tie break. It was not to be as Dawes and Chestney took away any hope Marshall and Furman had with some great play and the Dawes and Chestney partnership go through to face Paxton and Ross in the first semi final on Monday 15th Jan at 2pm.