:00:28. > :00:32.Hello, a warm welcome to the highlights of the Scottish
:00:32. > :00:38.International Open. Today for the first time this week, the sun shone
:00:38. > :00:43.on Perth. Here at the Dewars Centre, the light was created by a galaxy
:00:43. > :00:48.of stars. The brighter start in the
:00:48. > :00:53.tournament is Paul Foster and the ease with which the world champion
:00:53. > :00:57.closed out his second round against Billy Jackson suggests the man is
:00:57. > :01:02.beginning to hit his straps. It is bad news for his opponent for
:01:02. > :01:08.Robert Weale. The Welshman will point to his expert for dismantling
:01:08. > :01:12.of Les Gillett of his own a rich form. It was a case of history
:01:12. > :01:16.repeating itself as the battle between the last year's Mahmoud El
:01:16. > :01:22.Ajrami went the way of Mervyn King as he comfortably overcame a
:01:22. > :01:28.Stewart Anderson. He now faces Ian Bond, the wild card who is
:01:28. > :01:33.relishing being back on the big stage. World number two Greg Harlow
:01:33. > :01:40.has been flying under the radar this week. He had wins against
:01:40. > :01:44.David -- Brett Arkley. In David Gourlay, he is up against one of
:01:44. > :01:54.the most recognise names in the game. He will feel battle hardened
:01:54. > :02:03.
:02:03. > :02:08.against defeating Andy Thomson. -- This is the state of play. The
:02:08. > :02:13.matches today were fantastic. Let us start with that one with Paul
:02:13. > :02:20.Foster against Robert Weale. The Welshman has been on song this week
:02:20. > :02:25.so far. It dealt with Les Gillett, his deadly ability to pepper the
:02:25. > :02:31.jack again and again has been a joy to watch. If he keeps building on
:02:31. > :02:35.his form, Weale is a definite contender. The world number one for
:02:35. > :02:39.the second year in a row, world champion for the 4th time, Paul
:02:39. > :02:43.Foster is on form. Relax on the rink these days, the man from Troon
:02:43. > :02:50.looks like he means business. If that is the case, opponents better
:02:50. > :03:00.watch out. Foster started brilliantly, taking the first set
:03:00. > :03:13.
:03:13. > :03:17.9-3. We will join the match in the by 4-2. He got it level. Now he is
:03:17. > :03:27.7-4 ahead. What a killer that servant end has proved to be.
:03:27. > :03:28.
:03:28. > :04:43.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 75 seconds
:04:43. > :04:53.that it is certainly the better hand for the upshot. Here he comes.
:04:53. > :05:18.
:05:18. > :05:28.squeeze it across to his own. It was a good effort. Robert, you have
:05:28. > :05:46.
:05:46. > :05:56.score one or three, because if he scores a two, he has to win at the
:05:56. > :06:10.
:06:10. > :06:20.last end no matter what. He lost that football club. There will be
:06:20. > :06:25.
:06:25. > :06:35.in the middle and the F C. He does call. -- score. Right into the two
:06:35. > :06:45.bowls. Reset yourself. That is all you do. Start over again. The joys
:06:45. > :06:53.
:06:53. > :07:03.of live sport when you have an last time he played heavy... He is
:07:03. > :07:40.
:07:40. > :07:50.cutting across. Nearly got a good difference. Very close to making it
:07:50. > :07:55.
:07:55. > :08:00.three. Oh, he has. Shamrock to jack. Beautifully played by Robert Weale.
:08:00. > :08:07.It makes a massive difference going into the last end, two up, he can
:08:07. > :08:17.afford to lose by one shot -- one- shot to force a tie-break. He
:08:17. > :08:22.
:08:22. > :08:32.pushed the ball out very wide and enter the last end. This is the
:08:32. > :08:37.
:08:37. > :08:47.second set. Twice in the last four years on the world tour. That is a
:08:47. > :09:04.
:09:04. > :09:11.big three for Robert Weale, number has been more consistent in the
:09:11. > :09:17.second set. He is taking the challenge. Four in the previous end
:09:17. > :09:27.would have been a problem. To get three of them that right away, it
:09:27. > :09:27.
:09:27. > :10:35.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 75 seconds
:10:35. > :10:45.score two shots. It is already a tight looking ahead. -- head. Just
:10:45. > :11:10.
:11:10. > :11:20.going to slip by. It is a good ball. Not quite making it but it is
:11:20. > :11:21.
:11:21. > :11:31.still very good. Three red. Interesting choice for Paul Foster
:11:31. > :11:38.
:11:38. > :11:43.here. Difficult shot to choose for him in some respects. The front
:11:43. > :11:49.green into the red, he might disturb all three on a full all out
:11:49. > :11:59.to drive. He has a choice to pull the jack back for two. Margins are
:11:59. > :12:03.
:12:03. > :12:13.very tight on that shot. Looks like a pace shot into disturb things. He
:12:13. > :12:30.
:12:30. > :12:40.is in to something. Certainly has trying to find a way to conjure up
:12:40. > :12:47.
:12:47. > :12:57.a two. Even with that, I can see possibilities. It depends where
:12:57. > :13:14.
:13:14. > :13:20.Robert places this ball. The back the wide side. He is trying to get
:13:20. > :13:25.to the green at bowl. Couple of respot at the same time. They looks
:13:25. > :13:33.like he is there in terms of the respot to the right hand side of
:13:33. > :13:38.the picture. The other side, there is a strong possibility. That is
:13:38. > :13:44.the great thing about bowls. Everybody has an opinion. Oh, yes.
:13:44. > :13:53.I would do this, I would do that. The trail shot is always on for
:13:53. > :14:03.Paul Foster, too. Bring the jack back four feet. He is close, if you
:14:03. > :14:04.
:14:04. > :14:09.not? He is holding. Too much pace in the end. Such a hard shot. Is so
:14:09. > :14:19.difficult. Little bit more weight than perhaps was expected to. But
:14:19. > :14:47.
:14:47. > :14:57.Weale. Lost to the four to trail 8- You can score a maximum of one shot
:14:57. > :15:08.
:15:08. > :15:14.only had four. Seems these -- we have had 10 up tie-breaks. They are
:15:14. > :15:24.always entertaining. Last year some were exceptional. Let us see how
:15:24. > :15:43.
:15:43. > :15:49.first set. Did pretty well in the second set to, to be fair to him.
:15:49. > :15:55.If he does not win this, he will be thinking, how did I lose it? He has
:15:55. > :16:01.played exceptionally well. Robert Weale has played himself into the
:16:01. > :16:11.game. I give Robert so much credit. Typical of Robert Weale. It is
:16:11. > :16:27.
:16:27. > :16:37.reminiscent of Les Gillett. Alex is all about getting the shot. He
:16:37. > :16:52.
:16:52. > :17:02.bowl. Bad result from a good a running bowl. Good thing for Paul
:17:02. > :17:26.
:17:26. > :17:36.has is not close enough. Cannot blame him, against Paul Foster. He
:17:36. > :17:49.
:17:49. > :17:59.back and to try and draw this shot. Leaves are Robert with one bowl to
:17:59. > :18:12.
:18:12. > :18:22.get it back. Struggling for pace. Foster that sort of room to draw
:18:22. > :18:22.
:18:22. > :19:03.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 75 seconds
:19:03. > :19:08.the short. He has to get one closer. drop back. It is closer. Trying to
:19:08. > :19:18.get right into the jack with that last bowl. It was the right shot to
:19:18. > :19:49.
:19:49. > :19:53.had the line. You just don't feel that extra bit of weight on. It was
:19:54. > :20:03.coming back like a steam train. That extra six inches beyond what
:20:04. > :20:39.
:20:39. > :20:49.he needed. Only two inches away knows his opponent will have the
:20:49. > :21:12.
:21:12. > :21:22.for Robert Weale that he has peeled away from her head. At some stage,
:21:22. > :21:31.
:21:31. > :21:41.he might decide to run the World trouble for Robert is he has been
:21:41. > :21:41.
:21:41. > :21:51.unsuccessful on the backhand. I would run a knife. -- that now. He
:21:51. > :22:15.
:22:15. > :22:21.takes the jack into the ditch and with it. Not close enough to be
:22:21. > :22:28.absolutely secure but, I tell you what, it is not going to be easy.
:22:28. > :22:37.Paul Foster has to somehow beat that. Robert Weale was going to
:22:37. > :22:42.have a go here. See the market, the yellow disc showing where the jack
:22:42. > :22:52.years. That she wrote -- the forehand is vital Commission. He
:22:52. > :23:02.has to play on the tennis back. -- backhand. He asked to be between
:23:02. > :23:04.
:23:04. > :23:14.the green and the red. Robert's bowl is a narrower line up bowl. He
:23:14. > :23:33.
:23:33. > :23:38.does not look right. It really does not look right at all. I cannot
:23:38. > :23:46.believe he was that far away. Unless it was a deliberate attempt
:23:46. > :23:56.to block something but, goodness me, I cannot imagine it. I am sure he
:23:56. > :24:00.
:24:00. > :24:05.has just misplayed it. Paul Foster has one bowl to stay. The former
:24:05. > :24:10.champion needs this. There is no better man for it. He has to get
:24:10. > :24:18.past his own green one. 1 C his pass that, he had a chance. He is
:24:18. > :24:28.in the gap, has he got it? -- once he is past that. We cannot tell but
:24:28. > :24:32.
:24:32. > :24:42.it looks close. Robert Weale standing on the pitch. It was a
:24:42. > :24:45.
:24:46. > :24:54.great shot. That was a strong call left. -- call there. He had to make
:24:54. > :25:04.the gap, missing his own. threaded it through. Had to run the
:25:04. > :25:05.
:25:05. > :25:11.bowl off there. What can we see? Can he clean it off the that
:25:11. > :25:21.forehand? If he removes that bowl, it is a clean bowl. It is not easy.
:25:21. > :25:25.
:25:25. > :25:31.A red outside. He as a shot at the game here. He has got it. What a
:25:31. > :25:35.bowl. What a comeback by Robert Weale. Absolutely terrific. He
:25:35. > :25:40.struggled so much in the first set, took the second and knocked out the
:25:40. > :25:50.former champion and he reaches the semi-final of the Scottish
:25:50. > :25:54.
:25:54. > :25:59.International Open for a third time. What a win for you. Paul was
:25:59. > :26:03.brilliant. It was the second and the third and I had to stick in. I
:26:03. > :26:08.have been around long enough to know the game can change and that
:26:08. > :26:16.was it. I tried to find some form. Paul, you started the match
:26:16. > :26:23.incredibly well. You were peppering that jack Mack -- jack. I didn't do
:26:23. > :26:29.anything wrong. Robert came into a great game. At the end of the day,
:26:29. > :26:34.I do not think I did anything wrong. All credit to Robert. Robert, you
:26:34. > :26:36.say about yourself, you thought it was about digging in. I spoke to
:26:36. > :26:40.was about digging in. I spoke to David Gourlay any stage you are the
:26:40. > :26:46.kind of man that will stick around and try and find your game. You did
:26:46. > :26:51.that. That is correct. It is about trying to find the game. The first
:26:51. > :26:55.game was one of the shortest bowls I have ever played. You know you
:26:55. > :26:58.can play better than that and you have to try and find some form
:26:58. > :27:02.under pressure. The world number one out of the competition. There
:27:02. > :27:08.is only one Scot less standard. David Gourlay faced the world
:27:08. > :27:12.number two, Greg Harlow. He likes coming up to Perth. He appeared
:27:12. > :27:22.here in 2008. He was a semi- finalist last year. He is a tough
:27:22. > :27:25.
:27:25. > :27:31.Recently appointed national coach for Scotland, David Gourlay said he
:27:31. > :27:38.did not have pined to prepare properly for this tournament. He
:27:38. > :27:48.beat Andy Thomson and the last round. He dominated the first set,
:27:48. > :28:20.
:28:21. > :28:30.Greg Harlow won the toss. It is advantage to great already. --
:28:31. > :28:31.
:28:31. > :29:15.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 75 seconds
:29:15. > :29:25.about if they think it is going to be hard. A little touch on the red
:29:25. > :29:36.
:29:36. > :29:46.ball would have moved the jack. -- to match that. This is going to get
:29:46. > :29:46.
:29:46. > :30:45.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 75 seconds
:30:45. > :30:55.Very unlucky. David Gori is unfortunate. -- David Gourlay. It
:30:55. > :30:57.
:30:57. > :31:07.would have been better in the ditch. The last time with the jack on the
:31:07. > :31:34.
:31:34. > :31:44.journey before it started to bend. That is good. David may be tempted
:31:44. > :32:14.
:32:14. > :32:24.thought it was closer than that, and so did Greg Harlow. Greg Harlow
:32:24. > :32:26.
:32:26. > :32:34.applauded as it came in. Did he applauded prematurely? -- applaud.
:32:34. > :32:44.That looked like the perfect bowl. Beautifully outside the rink and
:32:44. > :32:47.
:32:47. > :32:54.came back in. It seemed to run on an extra six inches for some reason.
:32:54. > :33:04.I do not know why. It did not drop back. I do not think the players
:33:04. > :33:23.
:33:23. > :33:32.know who's line the shot. That walking up to the word much -- mat.
:33:33. > :33:37.Greg Harlow thinks this is his. It looks like he has got the advantage.
:33:37. > :33:42.I have to say it would be very unlucky for David Gourlay if he
:33:42. > :33:47.loses the shot here, simply because the ball looked perfect and kept
:33:47. > :33:57.running and running. I do not understand it. We had the perfect
:33:57. > :33:58.
:33:58. > :34:08.view. Greg Harlow was clearly clapping the ball. It will be Greg
:34:08. > :34:17.
:34:17. > :34:22.Harlow. MARKER: First end to Greg Harlow. He goes all the way out to
:34:22. > :34:32.the advertising boards. He is using the front edge of the streaming to
:34:32. > :34:33.
:34:33. > :34:43.hold the ball as long as possible. -- mat. It picked up 5 or 6 inches
:34:43. > :35:00.
:35:00. > :35:10.of pace. Very strange. And very to give David Grey a chance. --
:35:10. > :35:10.
:35:10. > :36:57.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 75 seconds
:36:57. > :37:07.David Gourlay. There was a popping too many tie-breaks so far. The
:37:07. > :37:09.
:37:09. > :37:18.seeded player has won more often than not. The crowd enjoying the
:37:18. > :37:28.action. They are on David Gourlay's side but appreciating the play-off
:37:28. > :37:31.
:37:32. > :37:39.Greg Harlow. -- Greg Harlow's play. Greg Harlow knows if he falls off
:37:39. > :37:49.the green ball, it will be very hard for David to beat it. It
:37:49. > :38:13.
:38:13. > :38:23.He knew that if he dropped in behind the jack, David Gourlay
:38:23. > :38:49.
:38:49. > :38:59.would be in a lot of trouble. As it worked out that a great will try to
:38:59. > :39:28.
:39:28. > :39:38.play into this. -- Greg Harlow. He and see this. He will certainly
:39:38. > :40:01.
:40:01. > :40:08.draw round it. That is not the ball. That is the shot I thought
:40:08. > :40:18.David Gourlay would have played. is the shot David Gourlay is now
:40:18. > :40:18.
:40:18. > :40:28.going to have to play, or he will be making an exit. A great ball
:40:28. > :40:57.
:40:57. > :41:05.times, David Gourlay. This is -- Greg Harlow. A measure of
:41:05. > :41:09.revenge. Greg Harlow was on the wrong end of the tie-break last
:41:09. > :41:17.year. Greg Harlow is in the semi- final of the Scottish International
:41:17. > :41:23.final of the Scottish International Open. Congratulations. It was a
:41:23. > :41:31.gargantuan Cossall? It certainly was. I think my opponent outplayed
:41:31. > :41:38.me. But I found a lot of good bowls at crucial times to hang in there.
:41:38. > :41:45.Obviously the last one was a complete reversal to last year.
:41:45. > :41:50.David, you started very strongly indeed? Yes. Obviously I was happy
:41:50. > :41:58.with how I started. But I was fully expecting great it took come back.
:41:58. > :42:06.I always imagined it would go to a tie-break. It was a tough one, the
:42:06. > :42:11.last bowl such a beautiful want to play under pressure? I was going to
:42:11. > :42:19.try to run the ball. David played a perfect bloc. That forced me into
:42:19. > :42:26.playing the hard shot. It only left me that shot. Where it finished
:42:26. > :42:36.give David very little chance. Scot left. The next quarter final
:42:36. > :42:49.
:42:49. > :42:57.was a Simon Skeldon against Robert First set up to the qualifier.
:42:57. > :43:06.Paxton's conversion shots were super three-word the encounter. --
:43:06. > :43:10.superbly throughout the encounter. Robert Paxton went on the rampage.
:43:10. > :43:20.At three in the 5th provided another a few feathers in Paxton's
:43:20. > :43:21.
:43:21. > :43:27.Kapo. Simon Skeldon did not nowhere to look. -- Simon Skelton. The
:43:27. > :43:37.world No. 6 did pick up a few singles. But Paxton's lead was
:43:37. > :43:38.
:43:38. > :43:48.unassailable. It finished early in the 8th. Paxton through to the
:43:48. > :43:49.
:43:49. > :43:53.semi-finals of the Scottish Three of the semi-final places have
:43:53. > :43:58.been taken. The last was filled by the winner of Ian Bond against
:43:58. > :44:04.Mervyn King. The estate manager from Norfolk won this title last
:44:04. > :44:08.year. He is looking hot again. Yesterday his opponent, Stuart
:44:08. > :44:18.Anderson, said he played well and still got hammered. -- Stuart
:44:18. > :44:19.
:44:19. > :44:23.Ian Bond is not happy man right now. He has dropped out of the world top
:44:23. > :44:32.16 and is fighting to get back. He is a showman with a bag full of
:44:32. > :44:42.tricks. Let's join the match at the start, with Robert Weale and David
:44:42. > :44:56.
:44:56. > :45:06.this one goes. I hope it is something like your game. Everybody
:45:06. > :45:33.
:45:33. > :45:43.he walks and stalks the rink. -- angular. Against super-smooth
:45:43. > :45:45.
:45:45. > :45:55.Mervyn King. Mervyn has a tendency to be able to use his bowls to
:45:55. > :45:55.
:45:55. > :46:05.swerve around other bowls. It is what we call a timing shot. Mervyn
:46:05. > :46:18.
:46:18. > :46:26.is a great exponent of that but it has served Ian Bond very
:46:26. > :46:34.well over the years. Yes, you usually find if you do the same
:46:34. > :46:44.thing time after time, the same delivery, the player knows where it
:46:44. > :46:44.
:46:44. > :47:26.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 75 seconds
:47:26. > :47:35.Nicely back of the green. -- off It is just too heavy. This could be
:47:35. > :47:43.a very costly start to the match for Ian Bond. Yes, there is
:47:43. > :47:48.certainly room for Mervyn to had the third. I did find the backhand
:47:48. > :47:58.staying out quite a little bit in my game. Not quite as bigger swing
:47:58. > :48:04.as there was area and the week. noticed that. I made the mistake
:48:04. > :48:12.earlier on of trying to play the hand too tight. No mistake from her
:48:12. > :48:22.then. MARKER: Three shots to Mervyn King. Merv and will not place too
:48:22. > :48:43.
:48:43. > :48:50.many opportunities like that. -- Robert. Paul Foster was perspiring
:48:50. > :48:56.a fair bit. Yes. I did find it was hotter today than it has been the
:48:56. > :49:03.rest of the week. More body and -- more bodies in the stadium today.
:49:04. > :49:13.That does make a difference. With the extra heat I did not feel the
:49:14. > :49:17.
:49:17. > :49:21.green played any quicker. Yes, it did not seem to make it any quicker.
:49:21. > :49:28.It makes the right weight with those shots even more important.
:49:28. > :49:32.There is no margin for error. is right. I think it makes it more
:49:32. > :49:38.difficult to pick up the weight and be more consistent. It did not seem
:49:38. > :49:47.to affect Paul for a lot of the game. It was a case for myself to
:49:47. > :49:57.work myself into it. Ian Bond will have to get to the jack first to
:49:57. > :49:57.
:49:57. > :52:00.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 75 seconds
:52:00. > :52:10.put the defending champion under Terrific Jackie Highe Wake. --
:52:10. > :52:10.
:52:10. > :52:52.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 75 seconds
:52:52. > :53:00.place. I wonder if there is a clear opportunity of a planned shot for
:53:00. > :53:09.Ian Bond. He is looking at it. -- plant shot. The possibility of
:53:09. > :53:14.getting off the ball. But it is very tight. It may be worth trying.
:53:14. > :53:24.Yes, it could be worth the effort. A couple of chances off the
:53:24. > :53:43.
:53:43. > :53:47.backhand. Looks like he is settling the shot to Mervyn King. You just
:53:47. > :53:55.felt at this stage that a percentage shot was maybe better.
:53:55. > :54:01.Mervyn King takes the single and he is 4-0 ahead. Mervyn continued to
:54:01. > :54:07.nail of those draws and comparably took the first set. Ian Bond hung
:54:07. > :54:17.on in the second set a little more. We joined up with King leading by
:54:17. > :54:34.
:54:34. > :54:44.manages a smile. I am not sure about Mervyn. A little bit more of
:54:44. > :54:47.
:54:47. > :54:55.a grimness. -- grimness. Yes, Ian Bond trying to turn of the jack
:54:55. > :54:59.back to his green. How about that? There is always a lot of
:54:59. > :55:09.competition for the shot of the day. I do not think that will make the
:55:09. > :55:11.
:55:11. > :55:21.shortlist. I shall be disappointed if you nominate that one. I think
:55:21. > :55:23.
:55:23. > :55:33.Ian Bond was saying, it was bound to happen. Not a particularly easy
:55:33. > :55:52.
:55:52. > :56:02.one fervour than to get out of. -- Ian Bond. There is a very natural
:56:02. > :56:06.
:56:06. > :56:16.split available. He must give this a shot. He will play this off the
:56:16. > :56:17.
:56:17. > :56:24.backhand. A little pace under the green. -- onto the green. Possible
:56:24. > :56:34.to count her three. If it goes Pyrford, he may get a four. --
:56:34. > :56:44.
:56:44. > :56:51.do not believe it! He was so close to picking up 3 or four shot. It
:56:51. > :56:57.looks like the match is over. MARKER: Second set and the match to
:56:57. > :57:02.Ian -- Mervyn King. Unbelievably lucky with that last ball. He has
:57:03. > :57:12.given the match away with the last delivery. Mervyn King, the
:57:12. > :57:18.defending champion, moves into the So many wonderful matches, so many
:57:18. > :57:27.brilliant shot. Which was the best? My shot of the day is taken from
:57:27. > :57:37.the match between Paul Foster and The match has gone to a tie-break.
:57:37. > :57:49.
:57:49. > :57:58.Robert Weale has one of the first ball out to take out the world No.
:57:58. > :58:05.1. -- have to take. Not an easy shot. This is a shot most players
:58:05. > :58:15.would never practise. He has to negotiate the front green, takes
:58:15. > :58:18.
:58:18. > :58:28.the second, takes the match. My Absolutely sensational shot from
:58:28. > :58:36.