The first match here today in the Co-op Funeralcare International Open was between the World Number 2, Nick Brett, and the king of the draw shot, Mervyn King. True to his form this year King went out and demonstrated the art of the opening draw bowls. Though King took the first two ends in set one going 0-5 up Brett responded immediately closing out King in the next two ends to immediately take back three of those but then King simply closed out Brett in the next three ends to take the first set 3-12.
Into the second set and by the fourth end it was 4-5 to King. King was nailing the jack most ends with his first bowl and Brett was not able to dislodge him, it was not that Brett was playing badly, more that King was displaying top bowls and forcing Brett to play the harder shots all the time. Brett managed to close the set to 9 all by end 7 but then King played a superb last bowl on end eight to take out Brett’s bowl from the head to leave a count of four - game over for Brett. Match score to King 3,12 - 9,13