WBT Scottish International Open @ West Lothian IBC
Session 6
Nick Brett and Darren Burnett shared the TV rink in the last session of the round of 16 matches. Brett wasted no time in being accustomed to touchers in the match, drawing his first two bowls perfectly. Likewise, Burnett wasted no time in dispatching his trademark runner. Brett took strong control of set 1 with a scoring run of 2,1,2 for a 5-0 lead. Burnett began to find rhythm of his own and started to establish himself as the more consistent player passing Brett 7-5. Brett returned to his early set form and claimed the first set with a 1,2,1 finish. He looked to continue his streak into set 2 and forced Burnett into another early runner. The Arbroath man was unlucky to turn his own bowl twice to hand Brett an opening end full house count and leave himself with an uphill battle for a match tie-break. The two were soon level in the set before 5 shots without reply had Brett on the brink of the quarter finals. Indeed 3 ends later Brett wrapped up the second set with an end to spare. Nick Brett beats Darren Burnett 2-0 (9-7, 12-5)
Mervyn King had David Gourlay MBE in all kinds of trouble early in their encounter. A run of 8 shots saw King ask Gourlay to look for a runner in nearly all of the opening 6 ends. Gourlay claimed the last 3 ends of the set only to miss out on a half set by a single shot. There was little to separate the two in set 2 as they tied the game at 6-6. A treble for Gourlay on end 8 and a double at the was more than enough to cast the match into a tie-break. King took the first end and looked to be claiming the second end before a Gourlay last bowl clinched the end and forced the third end. King held his nerve at the last to progress to the quarter final. Mervyn King beats David Gourlay MBE 2-1 (8-7, 6-12, 2-1)
International teammates Jason Banks and Darren Weir contested one of the lowest scoring sets of the tournament as the two shared just 10 shots in 9 ends in a high-quality match. A double for Weir at end 2 proving pivotal in him clinching the opening set. He then hit the front 3-0 in set two before a surge of scoring from Banks (1,2,2,1,3,1) was sufficient to throw the match into the 3rd Tie-break of the session. Banks claimed the first end as a Weir runner narrowly failed. Banks forced a match lie moments later when he drew within inches of an off-centre jack to leave Weir with work to do. The Ardrossan player ended rather unfortunate to stand the winner up onto the jack to make his job even harder. After consideration Banks opted to leave the winner and run for cover. Weir nudged the bowl and jack with his last effort only to see the jack move too little to impact the result. Jason Banks beat Darren Weir 2-1 (4-6, 10-3, 2-0)
Paul Foster MBE proved too hot to handle in his last 16 opening set against Mark Dawes and five back-to-back doubles had him 10-0 in front with Dawes wondering how to get going. He did record 5 shots in the set but conceded an end early. The Cliché of the set format came to fruition as Dawes managed to impose his own renowned drawing style in set 2. The players were tied at 4-4 before a three-end burst from Dawes cast up yet another match tie-break. Dawes clinched the first end of the tie-break in somewhat fortunate circumstances, forced to attack the head Dawes saw the jack enter the corner of the rink and his runner follow through to make the draw to the ditch all but impossible. The five times World Champion showed all his experience to clinch the second end and take the game the maximum distance. The Ardrossan favourite clinched the match with a predictable perfect draw with Dawes unable to respond with his last. Paul Foster MBE beats Mark Dawes 2-1 (12-5, 4-9, 2-1)
(Matt Osborne)
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