Ambassador Cruise Line World Indoor Bowls Championships
Potters Resorts (10th/26th January 2025)
22nd January (Day 13 / Women's World Matchplay Singles SF1
After a majestic semi-final performance from both Julie Forrest from Scotland and England's Nicole Rogers, it was the Scottish Borders-based star from Hawick who breathed a lengthy sigh of relief as she won a photo-finish 3-8, 7-5, 2-1 to rubber stamp her spot in the final of the @Ambassador Cruise Line Ladies Matchplay Singles tomorrow (Thursday 23rd January) at 1pm.
After knocking out six-time title holder Katherine Rednall from Norwich, in the quarter-finals, Forrest once again had to call on every ounce of her experience, gleaned from over forty years on her international journey, this time against the 25 year old Actuary Consultant from Exeter.
Rogers, who was making her fourth appearance at this event, having previously lost in three semi-finals, pushed Forrest, back-to-back winner in 2019 and again in 2020, all the way, displaying great game management, to take the first 8-3.
Forrest though, is a renowned, 'comeback' opponent, who can never be counted out until that final bowl has been delivered, and that's exactly the determination she displayed in both matches to date.
Forrest admitted giving herself a "good talking to", and that helped her cope with the pressures that Rogers continually put her under, so much so that throughout a set of cut-and-thrust crucial bowls, she led all the way to win 7-5 and force a best of three end match decider.
It was a nail-biting tie break, with accurate draw shots, thundering driving shots, and delicate manoeuvring shots that kept the audience on a knife-edge, enthralled by the amazing quality and accuracy of both players.
Playing the winner-take-all last end, with the score line standing at 1-1, Forrest held a match-winning shot, but in a last attempt to sway the result, Rogers played a running bowl into the head and unbelievably it missed connecting by the merest of margins, leaving the 56 year old Early Years Practitioner with the opportunity of regaining the title in tomorrow's final.
Forrest now waits for the winner of the second semi final between England's Chelsea Spencer and Scotland's Beth Riva tonight. (22nd January at 7.30pm).
RESULT
LADIES WORLD MATCHPLAY SINGLES SF1
Julie Forrest (Scot) bt Nicole Rogers (Eng) 1.5-0.5 (3-8, 7-5, 2-1)
Comments