In the second match of the Sunday afternoon here at the Dewars Centre, Perth, Scotland it may have been damp and dismal outside but it was electric in the arena with Scotland’s Graeme MacDougall, who had been given the wildcard entry, facing up against No 12 seed. England’s Les Gillett.
It was Macdougall that got off the starting block first in set one taking the first three ends away from Gillett with three singles but Gillett responded sharply with a three on end 4 to level the score. MacDougall took a double on end five to go ahead again but it was as if Gillett had decided that was all he was going to get and calmly set about with some great bowls and took three doubles and a single to collect the first set 10-5.
Into the second set and Gillett was all business and was producing superb quality inch perfect bowls and by end four he was 5-1 up. No matter what MacDougall produced it was Gillett that went one better and by end seven Gillett was 8-2 ahead leaving MacDougall with a mountain to climb if he was going to win this set and force a much needed tie break. MacDougall was playing well but it was Gillett that was playing better and he shut the head down leaving MacDougall with nowhere to go and it was Gillett that took the second set and match. 10,5 – 8,3 to go into round two.