Last match of the day and also of the first round it was newcomer to the WBT Rankings, Scotland’s Michael Stepney up against Australia’s qualifier, Dean McWhinney. McWhinney notched the first on the scorecard with a single on the first end and he looked comfortable on the portable rink. Stepney had to play well to take a double on the next end and McWhinney responded likewise on the next end. With Stepney taking a single on the next it was 3 all going into end five. End six and Stepney had to work hard to take a single but it was the Australian that made a great double on end seven to go 4,8 in the lead. McWhinney played a great bowl in end eight to only allow Stepney a single and it looked as if the first set was going to go to McWhinney. Stepney had other ideas though and facing shot down on end nine he played two great stunning bowls and made a three to ties the first set at 8 all.
Going into set two it looked as if the tall Australian was going to be leading Stepney but suddenly it was Stepney that started to play really high calibre bowls and McWhinney was fishing to find the right line and weight to hold off a charge from Stepney. By end four Stepney was 13,0 in front and despite a late charge from McWhinney in ends five and six with two singles it was all over as Stepney finished him off with a single in end seven to take the match and go into the second round where he faces another tough challenge in the name of Paul Foster MBE.