There will be no clean sweep of world titles for Darren Burnett at the Just Retirement event at Potters Resort, after he lost his second round singles encounter by one and a half sets to a half against 2010 champion Greg Harlow from the City of Ely club in Cambridge.
Harlow, who won the Scottish International Open, the first ranking event of the season in November, at Perth, made the early running in the opening set winning 9-4 and explained later “the last twice I’ve played Darren I’ve beaten him on long length jacks. However I’ve watched the two pairs events he’s won and he was brilliant at that length so my game plan changed and shortened it to around 25 metres to try to disrupt his flow”.
The Englishman continued the shortened jack length in the second, scoring singles on the first four ends however Burnett conjured up a treble, but once again Harlow replied with back to back singles to lead 6-3 with two ends to play.
A double gave Burnett a lifeline and on the last he held the vital two shots he needed that would have taken the match to a tie break. However, with his third bowl, Harlow nestled beside the jack forcing Burnett to play into the head to force the green bowl out, but when the dust settled he only managed to score a single that left him tying the set at 6-6 which wasn’t good enough.
Later Burnett said “Unfortunately I didn’t turn up today. I was scratching about and wasn’t comfortable with the pace. I struggled for weight too. It was just that type of game.
“Greg played short jacks and was playing more consistently that I was. I just couldn’t put everything together, if I played the right weight then I wouldn’t have the line and vice versa.
“I’m just disappointed with my performance. I’ve played eight games at a very high standard since I came here so by the law of averages you’re bound to play and average game sometime, and I’m just frustrated that it had to be today.
“You’ve never happy if you come off the green knowing that you havn’t played your best”.
Three Scots though still remain in contention going into today’s quarter finals and Scotland will have a representative in tomorrow’s semi-finals with defending champion Alex Marshall going head to head with number 9 seed Stewart Anderson. David Gourlay is in the other half of the draw and meets qualifier Matt Orrey who took the scalp of four time winner Paul Foster in the opening round.
Earlier in the day, 36 year old Ellen Falkner from Isleham in Cambridgeshire, bridged a ten year gap to regain the Just Retirement Ladies World Matchplay Singles crown beating 2013 holder Rebecca Field from Norwich.
Taking the title for the third time after back to back wins in 2005 and 06, Glasgow Commonwealth Games triples gold medallist Falkner played the big conversion shots to perfection which was the main difference in a hard fought exchange, winning in straight sets 10-9, 8-7.
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