With both Nick Brett and Paul Foster MBE at opposite sides of the draw will we see yet another double header this year between these two outstanding players
. Nick Brett, who was dubbed the ‘Ginja Ninja’ by Crown Green bowlers at the 2014 Superbowl, is only ten points ahead in the WBT Ranking list from Paul Foster MBE and will be keen to stay in the lead in the opening Ranking Tournament of the new season
Alex Marshall MBE is only just outside the top 2 by a few points and he will be close on the heels of Foster and Brett in a determined effort to place hmself at the top of the tree and he is one of the most respected and feared opponents on the rink of WBT Ranking events.
In the middle of the Rankings Andy Thomson MBE and David Gourlay lie equal points but Thomson has 8 more WBT World Ranking points and is therefore just ahead at No. 5 of Gourlay at No. 6 going into this coming season.
Darren Burnett, Mervyn King, Stewart Anderson and Greg Harlow are all in the mix in the middle of the Rankings with only 14 points making a difference between No. 10 and No.7 in the rankings. Remember that it is the top 8 in the Rankings that automatically go into the Just Retirement World Mixed Pairs at the Professional World Indoor Championships at Potters Resort in January 2016 so they will be keeping an eye on their individual Ranking points for the 2017 event.
Meanwhile, newcomers Les Gillett and Mark Dawes at 15 and 16 will be looking to consolidate on their entry into the coveted WBT Top 16 and both these players have excellent reputations in the sport so it could be some new names this season who we witness climbing the WBT Rankings ladder. Ousted were Wayne Hogg and Simon Skelton who drop down to 17 and 18, but both these players have been given a lifeline in the season with entry into the World Indoor Singles event and will be keen to maximise on their good fortune.