What an exhibition of precision bowls from both sets of players that the capacity crown at Potters were treated to in the second match of the Imagine Cruising World Indoor Bowls Mixed Pairs Championship before defending champions Ceri Ann Glen and Stewart Anderson cemented their place in tomorrow's semi-finals.
The action was red hot throughout against the new pairing of Lincolnshire's Annalise Dunholm and David Gourlay MBE who led the early exchanges at 5-2 after five ends of the first set.
Glen and Anderson made their move on the back half of the match, creating a full count of four shots on the sixth end, and then checking out with singles on each of the remaining three ends to win 9-5.
In the second set the match saw more unbelievably awesome, pin point accuracy from all of the players - and it was praise indeed with Streaming Commentators Alex Marshall MBE and Paul Foster MBE admitting that it was one of the highest quality matches they had ever witnessed at Potters over their 26 years at this venue.
Both teams scored on three ends each of the second set, and stood level at 4-4 but with more phenomenal play over the closing stages, Glen and Anderson counted doubles on the seventh and eighth ends for the loss of a single to take the match result 8-5 and keep their hope alive to retain the title.
Statistics tell us that between the four players on the rink they have won this title eight times between them - Ceri and David Gourlay MBE won back to back titles as a unit in 2008 and '09, David won the title in 2012 with Debbie Stavrou, Stewart partnered Julie Forrest in 2021 and in 2023 he won with Ceri against former champions Alison Merrien and Paul Foster.
They will line up in tomorrow's semi-final (13th January at 2pm) against Guilia Gallo from Longbeach in California and Mark Dawes who are another new pairing.
RESULT - WORLD MIXED PAIRS
*Holders Ceri Ann Glen (Wales) & Stewart Anderson (Scot) bt Annalisa Dunham (Eng) & David Gourlay MBE 9-5, 8-5.
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