Day 6 Bowls World Indoor Championships

Dressed welcome to highlights from the semifinals of the world indoor

bowls open championship. Four of the best playing is popping to steal

some of the coveted places in the final on Sunday.

That is the match we will look back on. The champion from 2006 against

Paul Foster. Mervyn came out of the traps quickly, getting the first

set. Foster struggled to keep tabs on the local lad.

Mervyn, not worried about the front green one. Happy to draw around it.

Look at this. How many players would have played this on the backhand. He

is happy on the forehand side. He has put pool under a lot of

pressure. An eighth of an inch short. It has fallen to the

backhand. Just a draw. He will chance offers own bowl. Very close

to the jack. Not getting back in time.

Don't tell me you have drawn another? Surely not. He has given

Paul a problem. He certainly has. First-hand of the second set. Paul

has decided to push into it. Controlled weight, very close. Good

strike! He did well to get that. Just an inkling he would take his

own bowl out. He has stayed within the confines of the ring. Impossible

to play the backhand side. Not enough space now. A perfect view

from the commentary box. He is six inches off the centre. Outside the

line. This is close. He does not want to drift too much. I think that

is a cave. -- OK. Same sort of shot for Paul Foster.

He cannot afford to lose a bowl. This is why this shot makes it

harder for Paul. Has to be high. Looking good. Second bowl was good

under the circumstances. Probably what he has got, second bowl.

Two boys wasting no time. Getting on the game. Certainly not affecting

their performance? Both quick players. Mervyn, really quick, keeps

draw in a way. Paul, also a quick player.

Good again. Such a solid performance from Mervyn king. Really played well

will stop played well all week. His game against Nicholas Brett was one

of the best games I have seen on the portable rink. Good from Paul.

Trying again. This is perfection. Wants to stay on the high side.

Mervyn, what is going on? If one man is going to stop Mervyn king it is

macro cheap. -- Paul Foster. He has got his own bowl. That was

always the problem here. Always the risk.

Paul will be taking with his third bowl. I would expect this to behind

the jack. Slightly behind. Not very deep. Virtually on the T. Paul

Foster has a choice. Does he draw in for third. Will it hold up? He will

get one away. It has made it more difficult. He has a green bowl in

position. One side of the head. Wants to give them something to work

with. See where Mervyn goes with this. I think this will be another

close bowl. Another one in there. He wants to

get it in front with the jack. There is a deep green bowl. That is what

Paul Foster will be wanting to move the jack to.

There is the green wall I was thinking. Can Paul Foster it the

green bowl onto the jack. He is three down. All matter of getting

back. Very wide looking but it has the edge. And the jack. A good

bonus. I did not think you could get the jack with the edge. It looks

like two to Mervyn. Harder to tell when they are in the ditch. A drop

of five or six inches. Three shots to Mervyn king. Paul Foster thought

it was three shots. Not going to measure in the hope of anyone making

a mistake. He knew there were three shots there.

Almost a repeat of the first set. Mervyn king picked up a three at the

first end. This time it is the second end.

This is looking good. He puts his first one within a couple of inches

of the jack. Mervyn king equally confident on the

back and side. If this runs, he has drawn the shot. Just dropping short.

-- backhand side. Paul will be looking for a backed up

chair. Trying to get in control of this early on.

Once again, Mervyn king starting to the draw. Knows he is drawing well

enough. This is lacking pace. It is struggling. That will be a problem

for his next delivery. Paul Foster, keeps roaring around the blindside.

If he pops another one in has other two, Mervyn cannot see them because

they are protected by the front red ones. Looking good for number three.

Will it dropped? It is close. -- will it dropped? Do not think that

one is counting. Only two. Keeping away from the white one,

Sandy. Not using them at the moment. Most players like to save them up.

Use them at the back end of the set. Mervyn, much be reached Jasmine --

must be reaching this one. The last one was short. This one is short as

well. It is not like him. Paul Foster played this on the backhand.

Any touch on the jack, he could make four. I think we will see him

playing the back and side. Any movement on the jack will be a four.

That is what he is playing. This is all about weight. The line is good

enough to come back. Here it comes. All the way in. He is OK. A really

good three from Foster. Just when we thought Mervyn king was taking

control. Paul Foster schools a three. -- scores.

This is better. You might be attempted to run this. The green on

the red has taken the two reds away. He has to be positive with this one.

Mervyn king playing great once all the time. Giving full problems. You

could certainly take that one away. He has got the green bowl here. Very

valuable. If he wants a runner. Spotlight. Key bowl. Sticking to the

draw. Already turned his back on this delivery. Looks like a

backhand. Has been reluctant to play the heavy bowls, Paul Foster. There

is room for it. This looks like number three going

in. Got to be a backhand. Such a good player, the heavyweight.

Surprised he has -- is not hitting this. He is attacking. Has to make

the target will stop. That was a horrible result to go through the

jack --. It touched the jack as well. Still three down.

The crowd cheering his bowl as soon as it left a San. Playing -- his

hand. Will he make it handy? Maybe not. You could put your mortgage on

that one. I know you do not have a mortgage. The rest of us poor souls.

It is very close to the fourth. The way Mervyn king is looking, they

will come and measure this. This is a big measure here. Full heist is

very important. The referee is using a box measure. Very secure. History

of that goes back to the early 1,900 was first developed. A massive cheer

for Mervyn king, the local hero in Norfolk full lock that is not too

far away. Is that the big four? It gets Mervyn king to the final. A bit

early yet. For ends to go. -- road four ends. You hit the target and

hope that luck is on your side. He hit the target and got a bad result.

Disappointment of the four put away. He has seen it all before. He is

certainly capable, Paul Foster of getting his way back into the seat.

Trying hard, needs to run. APPLAUSE. Getting encouragement from

the crowd. Pushing for this to go all the way through. 20 of time.

Plenty of time for Paul Foster. He schools one or two in this end, he

is back in the banks. You feel as though Paul has to score at this

end. Struggling for weight. Might still be two. You think there is one

end Mervyn king might go off a little bit. Nothing within two or

three inches. Paul Foster can lift up a three, he is back in it. This

one needs to run. Not bad. Probably in. That is in. Mervyn king might

decide to play his first weighted shot. Very close. He tends to favour

his back and runner. A good case for one. If he moves on to the forehand,

that is on the. He could draw short on it very easily. Trying to draw

this. If anybody could draw it, he could. So tempting to play the

backhand runner. Forehand is not easy when you move across to it.

Trying very hard. APPLAUSE.. Against normal players, the white

flag would have gone up by now. Look at this. He held onto it a single.

Paul Foster, has a chance. Plant the bowl out, he could score a two or a

three. He is in the area. All about connections. Did not make it. Three

bowls, all around the jack. Paul Foster loses a single.

Unbelievable. It was a wonderful escape from

Mervyn king. How many players would have played that format -- forehand.

A perfect draw. Could be a matchwinner. If he schools here. No

way back. Turns his back on this one. Do not know what you are doing

here, Mervyn. We will give him one bad bowl for the game.

Once again, Foster in on the pro the jack. Poss -- still fighting hard.

He will never give up. Paul Foster. Mervyn, there is the correction.

Just dropped inside. A quick swimming pool. -- bowl.

A slight correction needed by Mervyn king. Does not want to overplay it.

It is close, David. If you slightly overplay it you do not get back to

the centre rank in time. Shouts of come on, pull from the

crowd. That was the Mervyn playing the draw shot now. I do not think

anything will stop him playing the bowl shot. Goodness me. If he has

perfect weight here, if he can draw offers own bowl, does not need it.

It may not be shocked. Second is good. Absolutely nothing against

Mervyn king. Losing this round. One read. He has done it again. This is

brilliant. A hint of a smile from Mervyn king. When he plays against

you like this, you feel like giving the game up. He has been absolutely

brilliant. Paul Foster having a look. Needs to catch 's own short

bowl into the head. Just going to drop away on that one. One more

read. Paul Foster has not been at his best, he has not played badly.

He has played well. But Mervyn king has been superb. Two ends to go.

Paul Foster needs a three at this end. He knows it himself. Played

well in this competition, Paul Foster. Played well to beat Alex

Marshall will stop he is on the wrong end of Mervyn king at his very

best. Difficult for anyone to play against Mervyn king the way he has

been playing today. It is just as drawing. -- as drawing. He is the

best draw bowler in the world. Paul Foster has a good round game. Makes

him world number one. If his draw is on, like it is today, he's almost

unbeatable. Comes in to protect the green bowl.

This will be a mix-and-match job. Paul really needs to score seven

shots over the next two ends. Anything short will really cancel

out that opportunity. And there it is. There was the short bowl.

Should be academic now. Paul realises that this is not going to

be his day. Well, for wife Pamela at home, and

the kids, he's had a good championship, Paul, but it's just

sliding away a little bit. Just gonna slide off the front one.

Well, the thing with Paul is he's very professional. He knows when

things just haven't been going his way. Well, I would say you could

almost shake Mervyn King's hand now. I don't think there's a three. I

think Paul will just shake his hand here. He will walk up and have a

look and see what it's like, see what the options are. There are no

options. Exactly. Brilliant. He's got the bowl in his hands, which

gives me the impression he's gonna shake his hand. He is. Very

professional, with his good friend, Mervyn King, as well. Knew he

couldn't make the three. Accepts the fact he's lost a double. My goodness

me, what a performance by Mervyn King. They're on their feet. Family

King and friends, all on their feet. Standing ovation for the man.

So, Mervyn King, champion here in 2006, back in the final for the

first time in seven years after a sensational performance against the

man of Paul Foster's class. So, who will Mervyn play in the final? Will

it be Darren Burnett much Scotland or Robert Paxton of England? We're

joining it in the third set. Paxton is 4-1 ahead.

Commentary from John Price alongside Corky.

Asking the question of Robert now. He loves hisbounder.

-- his backhander. First loose end of the match for Robert Paxton.

Yeah. So, it's been a little bit typical of Robert. He's played

really well against Andy Thomson. If we remember, he had two or three

loose ends but gotta himself out of trouble in the last bowl. Great at

recovering position. That's why he hasn't dropped anything, really. A

little bit of pressure now. He's lining up on the forehand side.

If he's pushed it out, he will stay wide.

Just cannot push it out there, John. It will hold all day. Yeah. And

Darren's gonna do some damage to that scoreboard. Pops this one in

for a full count. Just pulled up short. Well, a good

end for Darren Burnett, but he would be annoyed at himself for not making

the last shot. Levels the scores. This is a relatively loose end for

these two players. They started so well in this game.

The wheels have come off a little bit with Robert here. Yes. He's

suddenly starting to drop short. It can be very difficult to correct

on occasions. If you overcorrect, normally.

That's a lot better. Robert has gotta focus, get his

concentration back and play a good bowl here.

Second shot, it's not the worst. He's locked the red in as well, so

that's good for Darren. But Robert will be quite happy to get the

second there. Good line. Jufrt needs to drop back

-- just needs to drop back. He's got a good bias on it. Here it

comes. He's just overplayed it. Both these players are sensibly using a

strong bias bowl, which is what you need out there.

When you see the debris right at the front, you can understand why.

These bowls, given the opportunity to draw around the short stuff.

APPLAUSE Stays up. It's good.

Got the watch on it. There's a 30-second rule. Forward motion.

If it drops away within 30 seconds...

UMPIRE: One shot to Darren Burnett. And it dropped out, it did.

Unlucky was Robert Paxton. He played it well.

Always useful for the players to know the rules.

I feel that people can get away with not knowing. But the umpires are

always there to help out. Having said that. If the player had

declared it, John, that was it. Yes. I mean, it looked like it was on the

fall. Most players these days will give that 30 seconds.

That's another good start for Darren. He's just picking his game

up slowly here now. APPLAUSE

It's very warm out there. He's carrying a cloth as well.

It's new bowls, I think. It would be the same type and the same profile

they normally use, but new bowls are very slippery.

Well, in the first couple of ends, everything was falling into the

jack. It's just started to fall out the other way, Dave. Small margins

in the semifinals. This is good. This is very good.

Sits back a little bit, away from the green bowl.

I have known a few characters to take very mild sand paper to the

bowls, just to rough them up a bit. Totally illegal, of course, because

it ruins the consistent bias of the bowls.

Yeah, they don't have much bowl tampering - is that what you call

it, Dave? I don't think it makes much difference. The top guys

wouldn't dream of doing things like that!

This is good again from Darren. Filled the gap.

Well, I don't think there's any choice here for Robert Paxton. He

has to come into this. He could draw it, but it's a very difficult shot.

Trying to make sure you're arriving, and you just go past.

Yeah, I think he will attack this. Oh! It was bad enough getting the

short bowl. But to come off it and take his own away!

How's your choices here? I mean, he could go in, try and put a fourth

bowl in there t alter the position slightly, or he could cover the

back, the green bowl at the back. I'm not sure I would worry too much.

He's got the spots covered, just pop another one in.

The same forehand, Richard, he's going to go past the jack. A nice

wide line, but his weight looks like it's closer to the jack.

Now, he wants to be tight in beside it. Oh, no. Oh, dear. Well, you can

see his reaction there. He's not happy, jack happy, Darren, with that

one. Yes. I think he was just short of weight, to be truthful, John.

He's left it as a wing bowl. He's now almost doubled the size of the

target. It's just a little gap there, I feel. You know, I expect

Robert to be closer than this. Down the line, he hasn't got the...

He has. He used that wing bowl. The one that Darren Burnett left there

and he's come out of it pretty well, by the looks of it.

Two shots. All because Darren Burnett made a

mistake with the last bowl. He will be kicking himself.

Fine margins, indeed. Could easily have been an 8-4

position, and now it's 6-5. Yeah. Massive turnover. It's also

shrolingcal. I thought Robert was just starting -- psychological. I

thought Robert was just starting to struggle a bit. He says, "Why did I

play that" Short of weight, that was all. A slight mistake.

But pu can't afford slight mistakes at this level.

They will be punished. A big change of ends by Robert here.

Not a good opener. He was sparkling, wasn't he, Robert,

the first three ends. But he's sort of blown himself out a little bit.

And Darren is certainly coming strongly with the first opening

deliveries. Once again he's right in there with his first bowl.

APPLAUSE It's just drifting past again.

I don't think Robert will like this drive in the forehand. No back

position. Try and draw it, keep it tight. Seventh end. He's one in

front. Doesn't want to lose a big count.

He's laid into this as well, I think, running through. Heavier than

his last bowl. That yuans certainly not what he was

playing. A chance here for Darren. It has to go down as a big spare

shot opportunity. He's probably got a food all-rounder

jack, so he's got a target of two feet to draw in to.

No mistake with the last bowl. APPLAUSE

Well, he's fallen back against the jack. It's still two. Two to Darren

Burnett. Great last bowl, this. Nestles in against the jack. Good

double. Robert started very well. Darren had

the better of the second half. It's still anybody's game here, anybody's

set. Well, as soon as Darren played that

ball, he turned his back on it and walked away. I can understand why.

Robert Paxton all the way for the first three ends. Darren Burnett was

hanging in. Now it's changed, the last three or four rounds, towards

Darren Burnett. APPLAUSE

And it's been Robert hanging in. So, a topsy Turvey first set.

Well, they played quite a short jack the last end. And then Darren's gone

longer this end and he's not really adapted to it.

Always a risk when you change at this stage in the set, David, alter

the length. Just picked up a double. Two good first bowls. A little bit

of a shoulder for Darren to reach to.

Now, the big question here is just to push the bowl an extra metre or

so, doesn't want to overcorrect. It will slide under. He doesn't want

the jack. Just a slight touch. No damage done

there. Was gonna push it between the green bowls. His own bowl has

managed to stay up. Relieved to get that bowl in,

Darren. Still a big chance for Robert, though. Time out.

It's a critical part of the set. An important bowl.

It's the sort of bowl you don't want to hurry.

The right idea was to wait. I think Darren is gonna play the

same bowl. He's gotta take that risk on the back position. He's gotta try

and draw another one in the end. He could sit off one of those greens.

Just noticed Brian going in and marking the bowl. He didn't want to

go in before that, just in case anyone's watching. He would have

declared that bowl a toucher when it was at the angle, and didn't want to

go near it. Sometimes when you step close to a

bowl it can just drop away. A good line in by Darren. Needs to

run. Wants to get past the jack, doesn't

want to touch it on that side. Again, it was will you please...oh,

he got the double touch. Pushed it onto the green bowl and back to his

own. Just got away with it. Could have easily have won, if not

two, down then. Just stuck there. Hasn't fallen back, has it, Dave?

So, that's a bonus. There's a smile from Darren Burnett. But he realised

just how close that was. Had to play it, though. Even though it was

dangerous, he had to play it, Dave. It's improved for him. It's a better

end now than it was. It's a bit more difficult for Robert

Paxton. He has to drop the weight he had with the third bowl and just try

and drop in off his own. He's just over it. That was the

problem. Perfect line. Well, Darren Burnett... ..for the first time,

he's got a nice little gap of two shots into the last end.

It will be interesting to see how they play this last end. Darren

Burnett will be consolidating. He will try and close it out.

A big, big crowd here at Potters Leisure Resort. They love the

semifinals. Well, having said that, John, on

Friday, quarterfinal day, it's always the one we enjoy the most, in

many ways. But having... You know, when you look at the whole

programme, 2.5 weeks, this place has been jammed. Yeah. They know they're

getting value for money. A lot of very, very good matches during the

whole period, even during the earl yerp rounds we had some crackers --

earlier rounds we had some crackers. So, it's a great championship. These

two players have never won this. They would certainly love to get it

on their CV. It's the biggest tournament of the year.

Robert needs this good opener. He's delivered.

APPLAUSE Some courage in this bowl. But it

looks good. APPLAUSE

No sign of nerves yet. He's a calm guy. No stress on a

Saturday night, playing a semifinal here. This is easy for him. Well,

he's gone chasing Robert with that bowl. You can see, once you miss

your line - it stayed on the green, though. By staying on, it's actually

quite useful. Oh, he's very wide. He's going for

recovery. I'm a little bit surprised at this. It looks to me like that

red bowl can be pushed out. He must think that Robert's gonna

play with a bit more weight and dispush it on to the spot, where

he's -- disturb it on to the spot, where he's very good. I think Robert

will go with it. If he gets the red clean, solid, hopefully he will

stay. The other option is to get the jack right through to the back of

the rink. Controlled weight. He's certainly close with this. A

lot better. It's all on the angles. If he gets off the red bowl, he's

good. Yep. That brought him back into the jack again. A little bit

lucky. APPLAUSE

I don't know about that. I think that was always there. A little shot

back off with that controlled weight. I think he played it well.

You can see it coming down. He knew he went under, he always had the

chance of that, David, and set up a good position. Darren's got a few

problems here now. It's a percentage shot, John, I think it's fair to

say. But a very good result in the end, because he was looking for the

bowl clean. But wisely didn't go too wide out

and played with good weight. He's in a bit of bother here, Darren. Looks

like drawing a forehand, to me, on to the green bowl to the left side.

Well, I'm not sure again. He likes this backhand in this direction. I

would be tempted to try and draw a very good second on the backhand.

The backhand, if he touches his own bowl...

If he's on the backhand, he has to be very careful with this.

It's a good line. Just about the weight now. He's in the area.

This is a good bowl. This is a very good bowl. Oh, that's well played.

That's really well played. Yep. Got the touch on the bowl and stayed

there. As you say, John, it's all down to personal choice in the end.

That does make it difficult for Robert, because he's gotta play this

with a very controlled weight. Can't afford to move the jack too far.

Yes. But it is on. Look - he's got to back-bowl very deep. He has to

judge the bowl on the jack to run all the way through. But if he just

touches it - the other option - he brings this bowl into play. If he

can move the jack down to this sort of position. Not easy, I have to

say. He's got different options available. But to be truthful with

you, John, actually, the deep option looks good to me. Of the problem is,

he's gotta gamble. If he hit the green solid into the jack, push it

all the way through, he's gotta hope his bowl will run the way through

it. The other shot is such a delicate shot to control, he's gotta

strike on the forehand. He could get the two reds as well with this

strike. Yes. He's looking at the two reds. In the area. He's close,

David. Very close. Well, it's gonna go through. There's the deep green

bowl, but will this one stay on? No. Unlucky. That was the other option -

go deep. He's gonna get a single on this.

Darren Burnett gets a single. And Darren Burnett never let go of

his grip of the match and took the second set comfortably to seal his

spot in the final for the first time.

So, here's the line-up of the 2014 World inn doors Bowls Open

Championship - Darren Burnett against a man who produced a

stunning performance in the semifinal today, Mervyn King.

Tomorrow, BBC 2 at 2-thirty. We're nearly there. Just one more match

before we find out who will be crowned king of the blue rink in

2014. From all of us here at Potters, bye-bye.