FORREST AND BRETT WIN THE WORLD BOWLS MIXED PAIRS TITLE
Scotland’s Julie Forrest and England’s Nicky Brett (pictured) celebrated the Imagine Cruising World Indoor Bowls Mixed Pairs at Potters – edging a tie break win 12-2, 8-9, 2-0 against Ceri Ann Glen from Wales and Scotland’s Stewart Anderson to lift the title (writes Anne Dunwoodie, World Bowls Tour).
The Scotland/England combo set a blistering pace in the first set. They went 6-1 ahead after five ends, and that score line could have been a lot more if it hadn’t been for Anderson cutting the count on several occasions.
However the Wales/Scotland pairing knew they were up against it with Forrest in particular giving a masterclass of pinpoint accuracy throughout the match, continually peppering the jack and Brett ably backing up when needed and they eased to the opening eleven end set 12-2 with two ends to spare.
Glen and Anderson got off to a better start in the second, taking a 4-1 lead at three ends, but a treble and a single for Forrest and Brett then a single for the holders saw the match tied at 5-5.
Trailing 5-8, the match suddenly came alive with some big, bold shots played non more so than on the ninth end.
Two shots down on the head, Anderson ditched the jack with his first bowl, Brett drew to the lip of the rink and with his second bowl Anderson played a runner and smacked Brett’s bowl into the ditch and out of the count and Glen and Anderson counted a double to pinch the set 9-8 and force a tie break.
But Forrest and Brett safely negotiated the tie break to take the title 2-0.
It was the second time that Forrest had won this title, with her first victory coming in 2021 with Stewart Anderson and it was the third time for Brett. He won the title for the first time with Scotland’s Claire Johnston in 2017 and regained it in 2020 with Marion Purcell from Wales.
RESULT: Julie Forrest (Scot) & Nicky Brett (Eng) bt *Holders Ceri Ann Glen (Wales) & Stewart Anderson (Scot) 12-2. 8-9, 2-0.
QUALIFIER GOODWIN REACHES LAST EIGHT
Twenty-year-old Harry Goodwin claimed the scalp of number seven seed David Gourlay MBE in the first of the second round matches in the Imagine Cruising World Indoor Singles Championship at Potters Resorts, Hopton-On-Sea.
A plasterer from Sittingbourne in Kent, Goodwin, who claimed the IIBC Under 25 Singles title in Belfast, got off to a great start, going 4-0 up after just two ends, but by the sixth end it was all square at 5-5.
Gourlay then went 7-6 ahead on the penultimate end but Goodwin, a member of the Swale Indoor Club, checked out with a set winning double 8-7.
Goodwin got off to a good start again in the second set, opening up a 3-1 lead after three ends, but Gourlay scored on five of the remaining six ends to take the set 7-4.
A fortunate break of the jack on the first tie break end gave Goodwin the upper hand and he scored again on the second end to book his passage into the quarter finals 2-0.
He now waits for the winner of the match between defending champion Jamie Walker and Inverurie’s Jason Banks – in what will be a replay of last year’s final.
RESULT: Harry Goodwin (Eng) bt David Gourlay (Scot/7) 8-7, 4-7, 2-0.
FORMER CHAMPION ROB PAXTON TAKES OUT A QUARTER FINAL SPOT
2020 World Indoor Singles champion Rob Paxton earned himself a quarter-final spot in this yearโs Imagine Cruising event, after beating 24-year-old Darren Weir from the Ardrossan Indoor Club 10-3, 8-11, 2-0 in their second round match.
Paxton took the opening set, getting into a consistent rhythm from the off with a treble on the first end whist Weir never quite settled and the Englishman notched up the set 10-3 with an end in hand.
But what a difference in the second set. This time it was Weir to started like a man on a mission, scoring a full house followed by a single, scoring on six of the nine end set to win 11-8.
Paxton took the first end and after four bowls of the second set he held the match winner just five inches from the jack. But Weir rolled in an inch perfect reply to hold the shot.
Paxton played a runner with his third bowl and missed the head but then delivered an absolutely stunning delivery with his last bowl – halving Weir’s bowl out of the head without moving the jack to sign off as the match winner 2-0.
RESULT: Rob Paxton (Eng/4) bt Darren Weir (Scot/Q) 10-3, 8-11, 2-0.
STEWART ANDERSON BECOMES THE THIRD PLAYER TO BOOK A QUARTER-FINAL BERTH IN THE WORLD INDOOR BOWLS SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP
Twice former champion Stewart Anderson wound up Day 12 of the Imagine Cruising World Indoor Bowls Championships at Potters on a high note, booking a place in the quarter finals of the World Singles on Friday 19th January at 1pm against 2020 champion Rob Paxton.
Earlier in the day, Anderson and Ceri Ann Glen were disappointed to lose their World Mixed Pairs title to Julie Forrest and Nicky Brett on a tie break decider but just a few hours later Anderson was back in harness, this time continuing his World Singles campaign against qualifier Jon Wilson.
Wilson shot out of the blocks, scoring singles on each of the four opening ends, but the patient, mild mannered Anderson waited his time and rolled in counts over the remaining five ends to take the first set 10-4.
In the second though, it was virtually one way traffic with Anderson going 5-0 ahead, Wilson hitting back with two singles to trail 5-2, but then Anderson put his foot on the accelerator and stitched up the set with a 3, 1 and 3 finish to win 12-2.
He meets Rob Paxton in the quarter-finals on Friday 19th January at 1pm.
RESULT: Stewart Anderson (Scot/3) bt Jon Wilson (Eng/Qual) 10-4, 12-2.
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