Quarter-Finals Bowls: Scottish International Open

Hello, a warm welcome to the highlights of the Scottish

International Open. Today for the first time this week, the sun shone

on Perth. Here at the Dewars Centre, the light was created by a galaxy

of stars. The brighter start in the

tournament is Paul Foster and the ease with which the world champion

closed out his second round against Billy Jackson suggests the man is

beginning to hit his straps. It is bad news for his opponent for

Robert Weale. The Welshman will point to his expert for dismantling

of Les Gillett of his own a rich form. It was a case of history

repeating itself as the battle between the last year's Mahmoud El

Ajrami went the way of Mervyn King as he comfortably overcame a

Stewart Anderson. He now faces Ian Bond, the wild card who is

relishing being back on the big stage. World number two Greg Harlow

has been flying under the radar this week. He had wins against

David -- Brett Arkley. In David Gourlay, he is up against one of

the most recognise names in the game. He will feel battle hardened

against defeating Andy Thomson. -- This is the state of play. The

matches today were fantastic. Let us start with that one with Paul

Foster against Robert Weale. The Welshman has been on song this week

so far. It dealt with Les Gillett, his deadly ability to pepper the

jack again and again has been a joy to watch. If he keeps building on

his form, Weale is a definite contender. The world number one for

the second year in a row, world champion for the 4th time, Paul

Foster is on form. Relax on the rink these days, the man from Troon

looks like he means business. If that is the case, opponents better

watch out. Foster started brilliantly, taking the first set

9-3. We will join the match in the by 4-2. He got it level. Now he is

7-4 ahead. What a killer that servant end has proved to be.

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that it is certainly the better hand for the upshot. Here he comes.

squeeze it across to his own. It was a good effort. Robert, you have

score one or three, because if he scores a two, he has to win at the

last end no matter what. He lost that football club. There will be

in the middle and the F C. He does call. -- score. Right into the two

bowls. Reset yourself. That is all you do. Start over again. The joys

of live sport when you have an last time he played heavy... He is

cutting across. Nearly got a good difference. Very close to making it

three. Oh, he has. Shamrock to jack. Beautifully played by Robert Weale.

It makes a massive difference going into the last end, two up, he can

afford to lose by one shot -- one- shot to force a tie-break. He

pushed the ball out very wide and enter the last end. This is the

second set. Twice in the last four years on the world tour. That is a

big three for Robert Weale, number has been more consistent in the

second set. He is taking the challenge. Four in the previous end

would have been a problem. To get three of them that right away, it

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score two shots. It is already a tight looking ahead. -- head. Just

going to slip by. It is a good ball. Not quite making it but it is

still very good. Three red. Interesting choice for Paul Foster

here. Difficult shot to choose for him in some respects. The front

green into the red, he might disturb all three on a full all out

to drive. He has a choice to pull the jack back for two. Margins are

very tight on that shot. Looks like a pace shot into disturb things. He

is in to something. Certainly has trying to find a way to conjure up

a two. Even with that, I can see possibilities. It depends where

Robert places this ball. The back the wide side. He is trying to get

to the green at bowl. Couple of respot at the same time. They looks

like he is there in terms of the respot to the right hand side of

the picture. The other side, there is a strong possibility. That is

the great thing about bowls. Everybody has an opinion. Oh, yes.

I would do this, I would do that. The trail shot is always on for

Paul Foster, too. Bring the jack back four feet. He is close, if you

not? He is holding. Too much pace in the end. Such a hard shot. Is so

difficult. Little bit more weight than perhaps was expected to. But

Weale. Lost to the four to trail 8- You can score a maximum of one shot

only had four. Seems these -- we have had 10 up tie-breaks. They are

always entertaining. Last year some were exceptional. Let us see how

first set. Did pretty well in the second set to, to be fair to him.

If he does not win this, he will be thinking, how did I lose it? He has

played exceptionally well. Robert Weale has played himself into the

game. I give Robert so much credit. Typical of Robert Weale. It is

reminiscent of Les Gillett. Alex is all about getting the shot. He

bowl. Bad result from a good a running bowl. Good thing for Paul

has is not close enough. Cannot blame him, against Paul Foster. He

back and to try and draw this shot. Leaves are Robert with one bowl to

get it back. Struggling for pace. Foster that sort of room to draw

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the short. He has to get one closer. drop back. It is closer. Trying to

get right into the jack with that last bowl. It was the right shot to

had the line. You just don't feel that extra bit of weight on. It was

coming back like a steam train. That extra six inches beyond what

he needed. Only two inches away knows his opponent will have the

for Robert Weale that he has peeled away from her head. At some stage,

he might decide to run the World trouble for Robert is he has been

unsuccessful on the backhand. I would run a knife. -- that now. He

takes the jack into the ditch and with it. Not close enough to be

absolutely secure but, I tell you what, it is not going to be easy.

Paul Foster has to somehow beat that. Robert Weale was going to

have a go here. See the market, the yellow disc showing where the jack

years. That she wrote -- the forehand is vital Commission. He

has to play on the tennis back. -- backhand. He asked to be between

the green and the red. Robert's bowl is a narrower line up bowl. He

does not look right. It really does not look right at all. I cannot

believe he was that far away. Unless it was a deliberate attempt

to block something but, goodness me, I cannot imagine it. I am sure he

has just misplayed it. Paul Foster has one bowl to stay. The former

champion needs this. There is no better man for it. He has to get

past his own green one. 1 C his pass that, he had a chance. He is

in the gap, has he got it? -- once he is past that. We cannot tell but

it looks close. Robert Weale standing on the pitch. It was a

great shot. That was a strong call left. -- call there. He had to make

the gap, missing his own. threaded it through. Had to run the

bowl off there. What can we see? Can he clean it off the that

forehand? If he removes that bowl, it is a clean bowl. It is not easy.

A red outside. He as a shot at the game here. He has got it. What a

bowl. What a comeback by Robert Weale. Absolutely terrific. He

struggled so much in the first set, took the second and knocked out the

former champion and he reaches the semi-final of the Scottish

International Open for a third time. What a win for you. Paul was

brilliant. It was the second and the third and I had to stick in. I

have been around long enough to know the game can change and that

was it. I tried to find some form. Paul, you started the match

incredibly well. You were peppering that jack Mack -- jack. I didn't do

anything wrong. Robert came into a great game. At the end of the day,

I do not think I did anything wrong. All credit to Robert. Robert, you

say about yourself, you thought it was about digging in. I spoke to

was about digging in. I spoke to David Gourlay any stage you are the

kind of man that will stick around and try and find your game. You did

that. That is correct. It is about trying to find the game. The first

game was one of the shortest bowls I have ever played. You know you

can play better than that and you have to try and find some form

under pressure. The world number one out of the competition. There

is only one Scot less standard. David Gourlay faced the world

number two, Greg Harlow. He likes coming up to Perth. He appeared

here in 2008. He was a semi- finalist last year. He is a tough

Recently appointed national coach for Scotland, David Gourlay said he

did not have pined to prepare properly for this tournament. He

beat Andy Thomson and the last round. He dominated the first set,

Greg Harlow won the toss. It is advantage to great already. --

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about if they think it is going to be hard. A little touch on the red

ball would have moved the jack. -- to match that. This is going to get

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Very unlucky. David Gori is unfortunate. -- David Gourlay. It

would have been better in the ditch. The last time with the jack on the

journey before it started to bend. That is good. David may be tempted

thought it was closer than that, and so did Greg Harlow. Greg Harlow

applauded as it came in. Did he applauded prematurely? -- applaud.

That looked like the perfect bowl. Beautifully outside the rink and

came back in. It seemed to run on an extra six inches for some reason.

I do not know why. It did not drop back. I do not think the players

know who's line the shot. That walking up to the word much -- mat.

Greg Harlow thinks this is his. It looks like he has got the advantage.

I have to say it would be very unlucky for David Gourlay if he

loses the shot here, simply because the ball looked perfect and kept

running and running. I do not understand it. We had the perfect

view. Greg Harlow was clearly clapping the ball. It will be Greg

Harlow. MARKER: First end to Greg Harlow. He goes all the way out to

the advertising boards. He is using the front edge of the streaming to

hold the ball as long as possible. -- mat. It picked up 5 or 6 inches

of pace. Very strange. And very to give David Grey a chance. --

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David Gourlay. There was a popping too many tie-breaks so far. The

seeded player has won more often than not. The crowd enjoying the

action. They are on David Gourlay's side but appreciating the play-off

Greg Harlow. -- Greg Harlow's play. Greg Harlow knows if he falls off

the green ball, it will be very hard for David to beat it. It

He knew that if he dropped in behind the jack, David Gourlay

would be in a lot of trouble. As it worked out that a great will try to

play into this. -- Greg Harlow. He and see this. He will certainly

draw round it. That is not the ball. That is the shot I thought

David Gourlay would have played. is the shot David Gourlay is now

going to have to play, or he will be making an exit. A great ball

times, David Gourlay. This is -- Greg Harlow. A measure of

revenge. Greg Harlow was on the wrong end of the tie-break last

year. Greg Harlow is in the semi- final of the Scottish International

final of the Scottish International Open. Congratulations. It was a

gargantuan Cossall? It certainly was. I think my opponent outplayed

me. But I found a lot of good bowls at crucial times to hang in there.

Obviously the last one was a complete reversal to last year.

David, you started very strongly indeed? Yes. Obviously I was happy

with how I started. But I was fully expecting great it took come back.

I always imagined it would go to a tie-break. It was a tough one, the

last bowl such a beautiful want to play under pressure? I was going to

try to run the ball. David played a perfect bloc. That forced me into

playing the hard shot. It only left me that shot. Where it finished

give David very little chance. Scot left. The next quarter final

was a Simon Skeldon against Robert First set up to the qualifier.

Paxton's conversion shots were super three-word the encounter. --

superbly throughout the encounter. Robert Paxton went on the rampage.

At three in the 5th provided another a few feathers in Paxton's

Kapo. Simon Skeldon did not nowhere to look. -- Simon Skelton. The

world No. 6 did pick up a few singles. But Paxton's lead was

unassailable. It finished early in the 8th. Paxton through to the

semi-finals of the Scottish Three of the semi-final places have

been taken. The last was filled by the winner of Ian Bond against

Mervyn King. The estate manager from Norfolk won this title last

year. He is looking hot again. Yesterday his opponent, Stuart

Anderson, said he played well and still got hammered. -- Stuart

Ian Bond is not happy man right now. He has dropped out of the world top

16 and is fighting to get back. He is a showman with a bag full of

tricks. Let's join the match at the start, with Robert Weale and David

this one goes. I hope it is something like your game. Everybody

he walks and stalks the rink. -- angular. Against super-smooth

Mervyn King. Mervyn has a tendency to be able to use his bowls to

swerve around other bowls. It is what we call a timing shot. Mervyn

is a great exponent of that but it has served Ian Bond very

well over the years. Yes, you usually find if you do the same

thing time after time, the same delivery, the player knows where it

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Nicely back of the green. -- off It is just too heavy. This could be

a very costly start to the match for Ian Bond. Yes, there is

certainly room for Mervyn to had the third. I did find the backhand

staying out quite a little bit in my game. Not quite as bigger swing

as there was area and the week. noticed that. I made the mistake

earlier on of trying to play the hand too tight. No mistake from her

then. MARKER: Three shots to Mervyn King. Merv and will not place too

many opportunities like that. -- Robert. Paul Foster was perspiring

a fair bit. Yes. I did find it was hotter today than it has been the

rest of the week. More body and -- more bodies in the stadium today.

That does make a difference. With the extra heat I did not feel the

green played any quicker. Yes, it did not seem to make it any quicker.

It makes the right weight with those shots even more important.

There is no margin for error. is right. I think it makes it more

difficult to pick up the weight and be more consistent. It did not seem

to affect Paul for a lot of the game. It was a case for myself to

work myself into it. Ian Bond will have to get to the jack first to

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put the defending champion under Terrific Jackie Highe Wake. --

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place. I wonder if there is a clear opportunity of a planned shot for

Ian Bond. He is looking at it. -- plant shot. The possibility of

getting off the ball. But it is very tight. It may be worth trying.

Yes, it could be worth the effort. A couple of chances off the

backhand. Looks like he is settling the shot to Mervyn King. You just

felt at this stage that a percentage shot was maybe better.

Mervyn King takes the single and he is 4-0 ahead. Mervyn continued to

nail of those draws and comparably took the first set. Ian Bond hung

on in the second set a little more. We joined up with King leading by

manages a smile. I am not sure about Mervyn. A little bit more of

a grimness. -- grimness. Yes, Ian Bond trying to turn of the jack

back to his green. How about that? There is always a lot of

competition for the shot of the day. I do not think that will make the

shortlist. I shall be disappointed if you nominate that one. I think

Ian Bond was saying, it was bound to happen. Not a particularly easy

one fervour than to get out of. -- Ian Bond. There is a very natural

split available. He must give this a shot. He will play this off the

backhand. A little pace under the green. -- onto the green. Possible

to count her three. If it goes Pyrford, he may get a four. --

do not believe it! He was so close to picking up 3 or four shot. It

looks like the match is over. MARKER: Second set and the match to

Ian -- Mervyn King. Unbelievably lucky with that last ball. He has

given the match away with the last delivery. Mervyn King, the

defending champion, moves into the So many wonderful matches, so many

brilliant shot. Which was the best? My shot of the day is taken from

the match between Paul Foster and The match has gone to a tie-break.

Robert Weale has one of the first ball out to take out the world No.

1. -- have to take. Not an easy shot. This is a shot most players

would never practise. He has to negotiate the front green, takes

the second, takes the match. My Absolutely sensational shot from