skelton has a miraculous escape and gets into the world singles final

26 January, 2019

The second semi final saw former World Indoor Champion, Nick Brett facing ex top 16 player, Simon Skelton who had fought his way through qualifiers at Lincoln to get here. Both players had already had tough rounds to get through at the Championships and this could be a tough match for the both of them.

Nick Brett & Simon Skelton

First set and it was Brett that got away from the blocks almost straight away, taking the first four ends to get a 6,0 lead. Skelton kept coming at him though and took a single in end five, dropped a double in end six and a single in end seven before claiming a solitary single in end eight. It was not enough and Brett took the first set 2,9.

Second set and Skelton was gradually getting the more accurate feel of the rink and Brett was having to raise his game even higher than he already was. By end three it did look as if Brett was so outstanding that Skelton just could not find any replies that stuck on the rink and by end five he was looking down the barrel as Brett was 1,7 in front. Then suddenly, magic happened, Skelton pulled off two singles in ends six and seven, end eight was a count of three as Brett’s bowls just missed and the final end nine saw Skelton taking an incredible magical single to get 8,7 and the tie break.

Brett took the first end in fine style but it was Skelton that dug really deep and managed to get the second end. So after 1.5 hrs the match was back to where we started, all square and one end to go. First two bowls and it was nip and tuck but Skelton was holding. Brett pulled out a drive, it just skimmed Skelton’s shot bowl and rolled it sideways about a foot – it was still shot bowl, Skelton put in a deep cover and Brett, with his last bowl fired again, it literally just missed and suddenly it Skelton that has a place in the final.