NEW CHAMPION COMPLETES PERFECT SEASON

26th January (Day 17 / World Indoor Open Singles FINAL

Jason Banks rocked the bowling world at Potters Resorts with a stunning procession of precision bowling throughout the best of two sets of eleven ends in the Ambassador Cruise Line World Indoor Bowls Open Singles final, against 2020 champion Rob Paxton to lift the prestigious Langham Glass Trophy.

The 28 year old Design Engineer from Garioch in the North of Scotland, also wrote himself into the record books, with that victory giving him the distinction of becoming the first player ever, to hold all of the World Bowls Tour titles in the same season - the Scottish International Open he won at West Lothian in December and after seventeen days of action at these World Indoor Bowls Championships he added the Open Pairs title with Michael Stepney and then the Mixed Pairs with 21-year-old law student Beth Riva.

He was in full flow in the opening set of the final, strengthening his grip as the ends were ticked off and winning the set 10-4.

The match was a tale of two jack lengths. Paxton took the mat up to the pin and played a 23-metre jack, while Banks opted for a longer length with the mat in the 'T' position.

Banks maintained his accurate draw game going into the second set, scoring a double followed by a treble to take a 5-0 lead.

Paxton countered with consecutive singles, but once again Banks added to his score with back-to-back double to widen the gap to 9-2.

He may have been down but Paxton certainly was not out. Counting a double and a full house of four shots over two of the next three ends, he cut that score line to sit just two shots off the pace at 8-10 with two ends remaining to keep alive the possibility of taking the match to a tie break decider.

However, Banks took a single on the penultimate end which left Paxton requiring another full house if he was to realise that sudden death decider. But that outcome never materialised as he only scored a single and it was game, set and match to Banks 10-4, 11-9.

The quietly spoken Scot was lost for words but said later. "I was disappointed when I lost in this final to Jamie Walker two years ago, so I'm just happy to get through this one".

Paxton was fulsome in his praise about his opponent, saying "It didn't matter what I did in that match, Jason was just outstanding from start to finish. He never let me in".

RESULT

DAY 17

Ambassador Cruise Line World Indoor Bowls Open Singles Championship Final

Jason Banks (Scot/7) beat Rob Paxton (Eng/5) 2-0 (10-4, 11-9).