The first match of the day here at Potters Resort in the ‘Just’ 2018 World Indoor Championships World Mixed Pairs got off to a cracking start with the Defending Mixed Pairs Champions, England’s Nick Brett and Scotland’s Claire Johnston against Scotland’s Darren Burnett and England’s Rebecca Field. A packed stadium eagerly awaited as the players came out to do battle.
In the first set though it did look as if the duo of Brett and Johnston were going to get it all their own way. Taking a double and a single in the first two ends it was Burnett that managed to get a conversion to get a double on the third end. Despite everything that Field and Burnett did it was Brett and Johnston that took the remaining ends and the set 9,2.
Set two and it was Field and Burnett that got away to a good start to take the first two ends with a single and a double, Brett and Johnston took the next end with a single. All four players suddenly found their stride and the crowd were applauding superb bowls from all four. End five and the score stood at 2,4 to Burnett and Field when Darren played a superb end and walked away holding a triple to make it 2,7 to them. Brett and Johnston could only make a single on the last end so it went to tie break. First end went to Brett and Johnston after Burnett elected not to play his last bowl after looking at the head and thinking he held shot, after a tight calliper measure the Umpire judged the shot to be Brett and Johnston’s to his disbelief. However, Burnett and Field recovered and played out of their skins for the next two ends and took them both to seal match victory and the Defending Champions were out of the event.