The opening match from the International Arena at Potters Resort in the ‘Just’ 2020 World Indoor Open Singles Championships in today’s quarter finals saw the Defending Champion, Scotland’s Stewart Anderson up against a tough opponent in the form of World No 8, Robert Paxton. Both players were giving each other a tough time on the rink , both in great form and they kept the crowd in the arena on the edge of their seats with a great show of top quality bowls.
In the first set it was 4,1 to Anderson at the close of end four, Paxton then managing to just get the better of Anderson over the next three ends with three solitary singles to square the set at 4 all going into end eight. The next two ends were full of drama and pivotal shots as they both traded excellent shots trying to get the upper hand but in the end it was Anderson that came through to take the first set 7,4.
The second set started in much the same way, neither player giving in and Anderson was slightly edging a way forward as he went 3,2 up by the close of the fourth end. Suddenly though it seemed as if Paxton had gained the slightest of edges and he just outgunned Anderson with great draw bowls, some superb firing bowls and millimetre precision draws to to go on to take four ends on the trot with two shots on each end. Superb bowls and it was Paxton that took the second set 3,10.
Tie break and it had the crowd on the edge of their seats, it was a complete mixture of millimetre precision bowls to the jack and high powered drive shots but it was Paxton that triumphed over the defending champion to go forward and take the first two ends and a place in tomorrow’s semi finals where he will meet with the winner from Les Gillet and David Gourlay MBE.