Three further Scots booked second round berths in the Just Retirement World Indoor Championships yesterday to bring their tally to five with four first round matches remaining.
First to note their intent was former Irish international Jonathan Ross, who now resides in Paisley and is seeded number 11. He had to fend off a very professional and consistent challenge from 25 year old Scottish qualifier Ryan Clark from Fraserburgh, who was making his debut in a World Bowls Tour event
The underdog took the first set 8-3, but Ross changed the shape of the match in the second, easing home 10-3 and then win an exciting shoot out with a last bowl measure to a respotted jack on the second end giving him the heads up 2-0.
David Gourlay, who last won the title in 1996, also had to dig deep in the opening sets against Newcastle’s Gary R Smith, opening up a 7-0 four end lead, but Smith rallied and turned the tables to hold a set lie before Gourlay drew the third shot with his last delivery which saw him nose the set 7-6.
Smith continued to set the pace in the second but this time it was Gourlay who raised the bar, scoring nine shots over the closing five ends to run out a straight sets winner 10-6 and seal his second round berth against fellow Scot Ross.
In the second all Scottish affair of the day, Commonwealth singles gold medallist Darren Burnett met fellow elite squad member Colin Walker from Midlothian, whom he will play in the World Pairs final on Monday.
Their match followed a similar path as the previous two matches with Burnett 7-2 in the first set and then chalking up a 2, 3 and 1 to nick the set 8-7, and in the second he stood firm to his cause, dropping just two singles and posting a 7-2 win with an end to spare.
Burnett admitted “The turning point came when I counted a treble on the penultimate end in the first set. That boosted my confidence because my first two bowls had been letting be down.”
A disappointed Walker admitted “I came into this match quite confident because I had been rolling up very well in practice, but it just never happened for me out there. I couldn’t feel anything and even when I did manage to get the shot I just never knew how it got there”
Walker’s pairs partner Ronnie Duncan was also disappointingly counted out in the concluding game last night, coming unstuck against 2010 holder Greg Harlow, who works on site at the Potters Resort as their Bowls Ambassador.
The event continues with the Mixed Pairs and Ladies Matchplay singles for the next three days.
DAY 8
RESULTS & SCHEDULES
JUST RETIREMENT WORLD INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
SINGLES RD 1 Cont’d
S11 [11] J Ross (Scot) bt [Q] R Clark (Scot) 3-8, 10-3, 2-0,
S12 [6] D Gourlay (Scot) bt [Tourcard] G R Smith (Eng) 7-6, 10-6,
S13 [7] D Burnett (Scot) bt [Q] C Walker (Scot) 8-7, 7-2;
S14 [10] G Harlow (Eng) bt [Q] R Duncan (Scot) 9-4, 7-7:
DRAWS & SCHEDULE OF PLAY FOR 15th & 16th January (DAY 9 and 10)
MIXED PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP
*Holders M Purcell (Wales) & R Paxton (Eng) v A Merrien (Guer) & M King (Eng),
J Forrest & A Marshall MBE (Scot) v C Eadie (Ire) & A Thomson (Eng),
K Rednall (Eng) & D Burnett (Scot) v J Gower (Eng) & D Gourlay (Scot),
R Field (Eng) & P Foster MBE (Scot) v L Daniels (Wales) & N Brett (Eng):
*FINAL Tuesday 19th January
LADIES SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP
*Holder L Daniels (Wales) v J Gower (Eng),
J Forrest (Scot) v E Falkner (Eng),
A Merrien (Guernsey) v R Field (Eng),
K Rednall (Eng) v C Eadie (Ire):
*FINAL Thursday 21st January
SCHEDULE of PLAY
Friday 15th January (DAY 9)
MIXED PAIRS
10am
QF1 *Holders M Purcell (Wales) & R Paxton (Eng) v A Merrien (Guer) & M King (Eng)
2pm
QF2 J Forrest & A Marshall MBE (Scot) v C Eadie (Ire) & A Thomson (Eng);
QF3 K Rednall (Eng) & D Burnett (Scot) v J Gower (Eng) & D Gourlay (Scot);
7.30pm
QF4 R Field (Eng) & P Foster MBE (Scot) v L Daniels (Wales) & N Brett (Eng):
Saturday 16th January (DAY 10)
LADIES MATCHPLAY SINGLES
10am
LSQF1 *Holder L Daniels (Wales) v J Gower (Eng);
2pm
LSQF2 J Forrest (Scot) v E Falkner (Eng);
LSQF3 A Merrien MBE (Guer) v R Field (Eng);
7.30pm
LSQF4 K Rednall (Eng) v C Eadie (Ire):
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