Round 2 Bowls: Scottish International Open

This fellow, and a very warm welcome to the Dewars Centre in

Perth. We have reached the second round of the International Open.

Four matches of sensational quality. At the start of play, there were

some big names with big reputations on the line.

He may have fallen down the rankings, but Ian Bond still has

plenty to offer. The crowd pleaser from Devon is a wild card and

proved his credentials in the first-round over Mark Royal.

Halpin to turn back the tide of time, two legends of their date --

regain go ahead. A winner of this event, Andy

Thomson back in 2007. Finally, it is the turn of world No. 3 to keep

the Saltire flying high. Yes, the Cat In the Hat, Robert

Paxton. This is the way the draw looked

first thing this morning, Mervyn King against Stewart Anderson, Lee

We will start with a match between two players who know each other

extremely well and never failed to entertain when they go onto the

rink. David Gourlay against Andy Thomson. The Anglo-Scot has had a

long and illustrious career. He followed in his father's footsteps

by representing Scotland than England. He has been resident down

south for many years and his England's record cap holder. Anti-

nausea than for a great match against David Gourlay.

Mr consistent, as he is known, is one of the most technically gifted

players on the tour. Spending many years on the tournament circuit

thanks to his dogged determination. He remains a very difficult man to

beat. Gourlay found his drop early and put pressure on Thomson, taking

the first set 10-6. We join the match at the end of the second set

with coolly ahead. -- with Gourlay the fifth end by picking up a

single. Not much in it. That big ugly four on the fourth end, that

is the key so far this said. -- this set.

If David Gourlay can score two of those, it should be enough to get

him over the line. That is what goes through your mind

as a player. You have played five ends, you are three up, you think I

should be well it -- winning this set. Andy, on the other hand, will

be thinking, if I can nibble one shot on the end that will be enough

and a very unlucky result with a particularly bad end, David put

posterity, because David Gourlay does not miss too many forehand

going back to the draw. Just over one thing for -- bowl

matched, it is so often the player prepared to take a risk that will

win the match. This is getting himself on the forehand drive, but

he could have used that. All Andy can do is draw for four. I could

even manage that, there is nothing else on the green, nothing else out

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again. What else has this game to break on. -- ends to go.

A four for Thomson brings him right brought the mat right up.

We have not seen the mat brought up the SFA -- the SFA. -- this far,

another 1.5 metres, so it is not at earlier on today, and at this

length he nailed it. I think Andy is a bit better with

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this one. Not far away. Getting four?

That is just going to be a draw tempted to take the run-down with

the jack and the two greens. It is damage limitation.

That is probably the percentage shot, David. If he misses the jack,

he takes the two greens away. He looks like he is going to be

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tight game. 7-94 David Gourlay, threes and fours have been bouncing

around a bit. 7-9, for David Gourlay. They are swapping big

counts in the last three or four ends. Had there been a four, Andy

Thomson would have been too far, but he is only two behind. Still a

chance. Definitely, a four would have

probably closed the game out for David Gourlay. As it is, two shorts,

and he will be looking to score on the eighth or ninth end. Needs a

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It is just what he wanted. A great One inch.

He has two bowls disordered the situation, I am not surprised he is

coming to have a look. That last bowl from David is in a

perfect spot to be fair. It cuts down the options for Andy. He may

be forced to to run at this again. -- he may be forced to to run at

Andy. The jack is in the ditch, that stays alive and is marked with

a little yellow disc. Great strike from Andy. Does what

he needed to, get it out in the open. Just a one bowl shoot-out to

win this end. It will be difficult to get to this, he may have to

plate across it on the forehand. My goodness, that will be close to the

looked to be in the way. -- the certainly the chance to get the

single he needs. Andy decided to go for the strike, he had to play it,

a good forehand strike, buying on target, they jack stayed in the

which may have saved the second. He had a good waiter for the sort. --

he had a good weight for the shot. I could understand why he played it,

I'm really good, but I think he may have been trying to get outside it,

to be honest. He is just trying to play their

correct weight, looking to get past the short bowls. Unfortunate it

sticks to that green. Did save the David Gourlay. He needs a four, but

you never get and when you really need them.

It is the most difficult thing in the game, when you do need a four,

to actually score there four -- to short of the tea. -- of the T. The

minimum distance is 23 metres, and if it is not 23 metres or more or

the jack will go back. It is OK, a metal tape. It will give you a

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aggressive here. Take the two of them off and just shake hands.

would be attacking. I think we will see something more conservative,

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runner this time, anyway. Just a draw to the red balls, -- the red

clean. The trouble is, how does he keep his own bowl in the head?

I think he has two problems minus one will be keeping the red bowl in

the head, and the other problem is, does their near Mr Greener passed

the jack without any contact? -- does the nearest green pass the

Two shots, the match to David Gourlay.

10-6 in the first set, very little in it, but the scores don't really

reflect, certainly in the second set, the first set it was David

Gourlay all the way. David Gourlay on sparkling form, he

will be the one to look out for for the rest of the week, but the first

match this morning was between match this morning was between

Simon Skelton and John Price fills Bob Simon Skelton started like a

man on a mission which meant John Price had to be inch-perfect to

score anything. The experienced Welshman continued

to pick up points and edged ahead slightly halfway through. But

Skelton has a drop that his poetry in motion. He continued to find the

jack with the ease. But, the never- say-die attitude of John Price

produced the right bowls at the right time to have the first set.

It truly was a order for battle, with both players delivering

astonishing shots again and again. But, Skelton showed that, although

his draw is decisive, his drive can be pretty destructive. Despite a

spirited defence from John Price, the Englishman did enough to keep

his nose in front. And a final end sure John Price needing a three to

force a tie-break. One shot, John Price, at second set,

match decides John Skelton. So, a seasoned job -- campaigner

John Price out of the competition, but Simon Skelton through to the

quarter-final, which he would meet the winner of the match between

the winner of the match between Darren Burnett and Robert Paxton.

Previously, the Englishman reached the last four or at -- in 2006.

Robert Paxton is still a very impressive player.

The 2008 International Open champion, Burnett, has been a

picture of tins distant -- consistency in recent years,

reflected in his world ranking of three. It as comfortable outdoors

as in so it -- indoors, he is difficult to overcome.

In the first set, Robert Paxton seem to have found the formula,

taking it with dredged to spare, 10-4.

We join it in the second set, Robert Paxton has a 6-4 advantage

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afternoon. He is not playing well. He does not want to give this a

It is going to fall short. A little bit under. We are going to get into

the last end of the set. No early shocked the way today. He does not

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want to do anything similar here. - there. He is in with a good chance

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hold the line. Just wanted a nudge in for another shot, although he

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could probably do with it. Making at that. The line and looked

terrific -- looked terrific. Sometimes you are almost better

knowing that it is only one, so you can play a good positive shot to it.

that. He would much rather know whether or not it is two. He has to

That is the match gone. Burnett has given the shot away in the match

and does it again at their end. We have seen some exciting matches

so far and I'm not saying we are keeping the best will last, but

this is good. Lee Schraner is a new,. It has been successful for

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We join the match at the top of the -- delightful. Both players coming

to have a look. I am not surprised. They will be looking at Angles and

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D jack will move. -- the jack will but it has come into a very good

place. It can be adjusted. Bond will have to cover it and split the

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got it. He played that so well! The his opponent is playing. He could

not have been any heavier because it would have come to the Queen

bowl. Such a hard shot to play. for a moment, there was a delayed

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players on a fine form. -- fine He has given it a good look. That

is a good position. Bond will have to cover that and take a chance. He

has to cover the back position because he has a dangerous

another metre or so on that. It would have been easier if he had

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this one. He is going for the win. Here it comes. Well played. That is

two, he will be three in front in the last end. Lee Schraner needs to

win the set, he will need to win four. He decided not to cover the

match over. That could be the most horrible results for Lee Schraner.

On the inside it is a definite to. I have a feeling it is going to be

three shots. You can almost tell with Ian Bond's face. He has

stepped away from the rink. Ian Bond comes out on top, but what a

great effort from Lee Schraner. Ian Bond is it quarter-finalist.

wonderful match with some wonderful shots, including the shock of the

day. Ian Bond is lying three shots. Burnett has just missed a jack. No

margin for error. He draws on the forehand and it is a perfect bowl.

One of the best draw shot I have seen in a long time. Beautiful

smooth action. So impressed by the way he has adapted to the portable

rink, which also affected right decision on this. Coming in wide.

He keeps himself in the second set with that and that is why it is my

shot of the day. A wonderful shot from Lee Schraner, but to no avail.

He is out of the competition. Ian Bond is through to the quarter-