Highlights - 10/11/15 Bowls: Scottish International Open

Hello and a very warm welcome to the Dewars Centre in Perth, the second

day of our courage of the co-operative funeral care

International open. The quality was simply champion.

Four world champions past and present on display today. Darren

Burnett, champion 201420 total toe with David Holt. David Holt is a

really quality player. And three times world indoor champion Andy

Thomson faced England's David Richardson. He is a good player, and

anybody who can beat a seeded player is a talent. It will be a hard game.

Alex Marshall has no fewer than six world titles to his name, it is that

elusive first Scottish title that he is focused on this week. It would

mean so much to win here in Scotland, and it is a great venue.

It is one that is not on my CV. If that he was going to triumph in

2015, he would need to get past Greg Harlow first in the tie of the

round. And this is the way the draw looked

at the start of play this morning. Jonathan Ross was facing Jamie

Chestney, Darren Burnett against David Holt, Alex Marshall and Greg

Harlow, and David Richardson and Andy Thompson as well. The bottom

half of the draw will be sorted out tomorrow morning. So let's get to

the one we thought would be the pick of the matches, and it didn't

disappoint. Greg Harlow versus Alex Marshall. Quite simply the best

there has ever been, Tattie Marshall. Not even his best friend

Paul Foster comes close to his six world titles. He is such a dominant

force, both inside and out, but as yet, hasn't won here in Perth. And

this is a fellow who likes the carpet at the Dewars Centre, won

this title a few years back, and then came a run of International

open titles, and in 2010, stood on top of the world. While the six time

world champion started like a runaway train, winning the first set

8-3, we join the match in the second set, Marshall is 5-4 ahead. David

Kirkhill and Paul Mitchell have the commentary.

COMMENTATOR: 5-4, three ends to go. A lot to fight for, a tough one.

He is looking to the forehand, he can use the green bowl to rest upon.

Greg will settle for that. He will try and drop another one in, a

little touch judge on the jack would be good, the pressure on Alex to

play the shot here. And that is good.

APPLAUSE UMPIRE: Jack level.

Alex checking that the Jack was level.

Jacques Harvey is the common term. -- jack.

APPLAUSE And that has just gone and insured

-- one inch or two too far. He could have to re-spot position,

and he can't afford to take his own bowl out on the runner, he would

definitely be three down. He might be better to just take someone down.

UMPIRE: Time-out called. Alex has three time-outs remaining.

It is over in this direction. Going off to the right-hand side. The

white mark on the right-hand side of your picture.

Greg apparently does have the bowl to play.

By slitting, just to try to rest up for the green bowl, rest off for the

single. That looks like it is worse. That

was unlucky. He wanted the bowl, not the jack. He has plenty of

time-outs, he doesn't have to worry. He was absolutely perfect, because

he didn't have enough weight to carry the jack through.

Disappointment, that bowl just dropped away. We don't know what the

position is, but it is at least one. At least one, it does look like two.

So Greg Harlow does... I think the reaction from Alex could be an

indication that it is more than one. But Greg trying to play into his own

bowl if he can. Drop inside to the Reds even better. And what a shot

that is! I think he thought, if I get a shot in the jack.

UMPIRE: Two shots, Greg Harlow. He was hoping here just to get the

edge of the red, and drop back on the jack, where he would have made

four. Two it is. STUDIO: Great save, but in the

following end, Alex Marshall squared the match at 6-6 in the second set,

where we pick up the action. COMMENTATOR: The three singles

meetings between these gentlemen since 2006, two out of the three

have gone to tie-break. UMPIRE: 28 metres.

This is where a good first bowl can take the whole end.

APPLAUSE Greg making absolutely sure he was

behind it. In this situation, you are better to

adjust back than just forward. He has adjusted well, and in he

comes, Greg Harlow. It looked good! Alex looking to repeat his last

bowl, drop on the red one, fallback. But he can't do any more than that.

The shot against, you draw the shot, Sea watch or opponent does.

Alex must like this, because he is right up beside it trying to

encourage it forward. It's just didn't have the weight. Another foot

also needed. He must have liked that, because he was right behind

it. S however, Greg Harlow is lying the one, and he will try the

backhand again to try to get a closer one.

The time-out called, and I think that is his final time-out. If it

goes to tie-break, he gets an extra one anyway, so it would be good for

him. He might as well use them. This is an important bowl, if he plays

this absolutely right, it will be very hard for Alex Marshall to do

anything about it, just the way the bowls are sitting.

It is not there. I tell you what, I reckon he thought that was closer,

as well. He knows he has given Alex Marshall

a chance here. Alex will use his time-out as well.

Drop on the back red bowl, fall back. Shot, set, match. He is

looking at the front bowl as well to try to take the green one out. I

think the difficulty was that he probably thought his last bowl was

right on it, and it's dropped short, and that is what is making him quite

hesitant. If he knew he was half a yard short, he would just go

straight in there and draw it, but because of that, he is thinking to

himself, if I play this on the forehand, I can get bowl on bowl,

and it doesn't matter. A big decision for Alex Marshall.

He is going for the runner, bowl onto bowl. He is in the area, if he

is watching it. He has got contact on the red, but he doesn't take the

green at! I get believe it. Goodness me, that looked so good.

UMPIRE: Match tie-break. Split away from the green bowl.

Couldn't get any closer. UMPIRE: First aid tie-break, Alex

won the toss. Alex Marshall felt he had it there,

but it wasn't to be, and for the third time in four meetings between

these two great players, it is a tie-break. It has been good stuff.

Alex won the toss, but gave the match to Greg Harlow. He is still

shaking his head about that bowl. I was watching him, not the bowl,

because the body language is usually telling you when he is right there,

with any of these top players, in fact.

Good all, it is good stuff. We have seen very few tie-breaks so far,

certainly compared to last year. They seemed to be every other game.

So many good players left in the event.

We are going to see a lot of tie-breaks. Maximum of three ends,

of course. If you are not familiar with the format, three ends maximum,

single-shot counts at each. That is interesting, not hanging around. And

he has opened it up. If you do get it clean and you run

with it to the ditch, you are quids in. Absolutely. And if not, just

open it up. It can be a valid tactic when you are this good. It is not

when you are not that good! It's all right if you are Alex Marshall or

Paul Foster or Greg Harlow or somebody, but it is a hard shot to

play. Just replacing it with another, but Alex will be drawing

this time, there is surely enough space.

Now, can he get his weight right after playing the runner? It looks

quick. And it is quick. It went very quick out of the hand, didn't it? We

didn't expect it to be that far away, and I don't think he did,

either. The thing with that was, he realised that Greg hadn't played a

particularly good second bowl, and it was available to him. And Greg

can now make the alteration is required.

APPLAUSE So much better with this one. And

that changes things, and I tell you what... Know, the angle is not

right. I was just thinking, where is the jack going to go here, probably

off the ring if he goes for it. He can't draw it, he might as well try

to hit it. The jack will go on a wee spot if he does. He has missed it.

Oh, no, not the back one. That was actually a valuable bowl for him,

and it might just stay on. It is right on the edge of the rink.

They have a look, and they are happy that it is in. Greg Harlow will

leave it alone. He will just go to the re-spot, that is all he can do.

He has played a really good end here. Alex missed the chance on the

first draw, and Greg closed it down. It doesn't really matter if he gets

very close to the re-spot, he just had to be closer than the red Hall.

And it is two or three yards away, so here we go. That doesn't matter.

More than good enough. Alex might have to play this on the forehand

and just try to chop the bowl off and stay. That is a horrible shot,

to be honest with you, in terms of difficulty it is almost full scale.

There is no hit on now. UMPIRE: Time-out called.

This is a tough one. Yes, on the forehand, just over the weight.

It is hard to judge the line, never mind the weight of it. Just under.

Didn't play through it. Couldn't afford to be too heavy.

That was a difficult one. Greg Harlow takes the opening to this

tie-break, and we will have last bowl, as well.

It has been a fantastic game. Alex had the edge in the first set. Very

little between them in the second. Greg just edging that one. And now

the crowd are hoping to a -- for a third end to the tie-break.

APPLAUSE UMPIRE: 12 inch gap.

That is terrific. APPLAUSE

He just needs to get down, that's all. The weight looks very close to

me. That is an absolutely bowl.

UMPIRE: One He has played its slightly onto the

line, just didn't have enough weight to hold it. You can see the shot on

the forehand, Alex has played a great bowl here, but the problem is

he now can't really afford to go near it. That is the difficulty, and

if he does go near it, it is just going to make it easier or possibly

even give it away, and that would be giving the match away with one bowl

to go. giving the match away with one bowl

difficulty is that that plant is looking like it is taking the

closest red bowl out, but he still has the front red one. He is looking

at it, and I think he is going to have to play the run straight

through onto the green bowl. It will take out, and this is where the

problem is, it will take out this bowl, probably, I would imagine that

will happen. But he still has the front one.

Both players with one bowl to play. That complicates things as well. It

does, it does. Because the difficulty is, he has to go pretty

hard at it if it is on the forehand to make sure all of the bowls go.

Talk about margins. In bowls at this level, and Greg Harlow snaps a

three-game losing streak against Alex Marshall. What a game. We

expected an epic match, and that is precisely what we got. Alex Marshall

took the first set, Greg Harlow took the second, and he has the advantage

in the quarterfinal. Greg, I spoke to you before the

match, and we were expecting this to be an epic tussle. I wasn't too sure

at half way that it was, but I'm glad it turned into that. And Alex,

you got off to a great start, your line and length was very good, and

it was looking promising. I was very happy, but I always know that Greg

is going to come back at me. I dominated the first set really well

and I was happy with the way things were going, but I expected him to

come back strong, and he did. Yes, congratulations to Greg Harlow,

some great bowls to knock out the six time world champion.

Congratulations to him. Now let's focus on our second match, David

Holt against big Darren Burnett. 2014 World Cup EF Darren. In the

early months, he won the world singles title at Potters, and

followed that with gold for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in

Glasgow. Winning the Scottish International open title here in

Perth would be a great way to finish up this year. The reborn Australian

David Holt knocked out the world champion and now Scottish

international coach John Price with a lovely display of precision bowls

in the first round. Born in Eccles, he moved to Australia 12 years ago,

but has won Commonwealth gold England. And it was the Scotsman who

started the better of the two, Darren Burnett with his nose just in

front at 6-5, and we will join the match.

COMMENTATOR: Final end of the opening set, Darren Burnett leading

by won. -- one. That is a good thing to do with your

first one. UMPIRE: Seven inches.

And Darren Burnett has to draw with this, because at worst, he doesn't

want to lose a set. He has to go for a really good

second, if not the shot. Try to get something out of the set when your

opposition tries to put the first bowl down like that. He will be

trying to sneak around the front one.

Now, has he remembered the weight? No damage done. It wasn't far away,

it needed another foot or so, but it gives Darren a close second. He will

be just trying to put a foot on. Struggling. Oh, Darren... It was the

one to get right into it. David Holt, two to play, Darren Burnett,

just the one now. The third ball is so critical, really is. To save the

set. It wide, David, keep it wide... Don't get caught on the short stuff.

That was just in size it would those balls, big bias. A perfect weight.

Just felt he was a quarter bowl inside the line. Darren cannot

afford to play too much at this. That will take the time out to weigh

up the situation. He is bothered with this, he really is. If he goes

attacking you can see the red bowl going out of the head, he has to be

very careful there. There is a very good shot available for him into the

split. Now that forces the green bowl...

He has gone to the open hand for the draw. His own red one will concern

him, can he find a way past it? He has come inside. How is that.

APPLAUSE. A brilliant ball. He didn't fancy the risk of the

forehand in case you got the green ball onto the jack, so played the

safe option but the more difficult option in many ways. You need so

much faith in yourself as a player. And he did. David taps the leg

there. A professional response to a brilliant ball.

Now he is back to trying to lift one of his two green balls onto the

jack. What can he mix-up? I think he has

slightly after it is me, has he flipped it? He has indeed, it is a

tight set. He would have looked at that and certainly would have

thought the angle wasn't quite right. Thin edge, and he was in the

area, he knew it was possible. STUDIO: A wonderful save by David

Holt there, into the second set, the 2014 world champion again put the

pressure on and we rejoin the match with Bernat 4-2 in front. -- Darren

Burnett in front. COMMENTATOR: He has made the

correction but it is still a distance away.

Both players making questions of their deliveries, might force David

Holt onto, see if he stays with it or not. -- force David Holt onto the

backhand. That looks narrow, even at the short

Jack Lang you still have to push the bowl out -- jack length. Especially

with the swinging tiger bowl he is using. Shake of the head he knew it,

the second it left his hand he could see it. You cannot go hunting out

the short jack length and think it is shorter, I will go narrower. It

will not happen on this rig. Finding a good line again. The cat

is still there but it is keeping the pressure on David Holt with almost

every last ball. He has to have faith, pushed the

ball out. He's going for the runner. And narrow line, extra weight to try

and make sure. He is in the area. Oh, yes. Did well. APPLAUSE. Really

good ball. Beautifully judged, didn't overplay

the wait. Perfect for the job. With the back position against him he

didn't fancy the draw. He is very calm! LAUGHTER. All animation, isn't

he? The little twitches and the jerks

and everything else going on just to make sure the bowl gets there, as

Darren Burnett lines up his little controlled runner. He looks in the

area as well, bowl on the jack for the back position. Well played.

APPLAUSE. Played it well, two really good

bowls in the end. STUDIO: Well, that set the tone for

the rest of the match, and Darren Burnett won it by one 1/2-2 and a

half. Great game but that second set you played someone Dezful bowls.

There were flashes through the game of what we can do, I was a bit too

consistent at times but the first set was really tight, I dug deep and

thought I just came on better in the second set. So the Commonwealth gold

medallist Darren Burnett in the quarterfinals, doing very well

indeed. Andy Thomson is a big favourite, he has wonderful world

title three times. This afternoon he David Richardson.

Thomson the Anglo Scot took the initiative in the first set and

established a four shot lead at the conclusion. Mark Richards and hit

back with a successful drive at end seven.

And it is with some relief that Thomson close down the set 9-5.

Thomson reached the world singles final at the age of 59 earlier this

year, and his power showed no signs of waning. An effective strike early

in the second set. There were sparkling bowls in end three, first

the man from Sussex looked to have won the end with this final shot,

but the response from Thomson was immaculate.

Now this year's world singles finalist was really hitting his

stride and he marched further ahead in end six. By the end it was a

formality. A memorable shot but Richardson bowing out as the

Scottish open champion went through 9-5.

STUDIO: Andy Thomson who reached the final of the world singles this year

now into the quarterfinals in Perth, congratulations to him. That's

focused on our final match, Jamie chesty against Johnny Ross. The

bowler from Northern Ireland to resides in Paisley and plays under

the Scottish flag has never reached beyond the second round of the

Scottish International open. He showed class in the opening round

destroying Gary Pickering. He went into this in top form. It wasn't

going to be plain sailing because Jamie Chesney was also in the mood

on the opening day, the former world champion and local favourite David

Goodwillie was the victim as Chesney found some fine form and ruthless

accuracy to progress to round two. Jamie took the first set comfortably

8-3, with a much tenths fare in the second set. We will join the action

with the match ate a much tenths fare in the second set. We will join

the action with the match eight apiece.

Looking good, too. He will take that. Back to the longer jack length

and both players reverted to their favourite backhand. That is a great

ball to put in with your first delivery, isn't it? Jonathan Ross

plays a brilliant ball. Now he has to decide, does he really

want to get that close to... It is a good effort. Of the other hand.

Going deep if he is going the other hand, doesn't want to be anywhere

near the red one so he has to go deep. Needs to hurry a little bit.

Yes, he didn't push through it. It's not a useless bowl by any means,

there is value in it but it is four feet away from where he wanted it.

Stubbed it slightly. I had a chat with -- chat with Jamie this morning

before the match. He was relaxing and taking it easy and felt good. He

said he was looking forward to it. He is in good form. He has played

well in this match, I have to say. Forcing Jonathan into going looking

now. Tap the ball down, that might just be enough. This is hard now for

Jamie because if he puts another bowl in, he just could make it easy

for Jonathan, or easier for Jonathan. If he stays away from it,

Jonathan could flick the bowl out. So... I think he will probably just

take a risk here and stay away from it, because it is not an easy shot

for Jonathan. Having said that, if he wants to tap his own red bowl

down it is good enough. There is the recent bot cover. Trying for the

previous ball, little white spot. So, choices. A draw, tap the ball

down, or four on the green one and tap the jack back. -- fall on the

green one. If he is coming into that angle, Brett on Queen bowl,

full-back with the jack to the red bowl -- get on the green bowl. The

thing is, he has played twice to draw to that green bowl and been a

bit short. Getting the right shot is to draw to be honest because that

little tap on the bowl might be enough. It is a hard shot to play

wait, I think that is probably sensible. Playing the drawer shot so

well in this backhand. It is coming back, it is coming back. APPLAUSE.

To be fair, Jamie could have done that as well if he had tried to draw

so that is where the danger was for him, but it looked the right shot

for me, the way he is playing. He has been struggling to hit a barn

door with the weight shots so play to your strength and the strength

has been drawing. Brilliant bowl. Jamie knew he had the last ball. He

will come into this hippie can. Way high. Never get back, not a hope. It

will go into a tie-break. All credit to Jonathan Ross, led

7-0, then trailed 8-7, two singles in the last two ends. What an

excellent end. To bring it through. Did what he had to do, you will take

three at the end, how many didn't matter, they just needed to score.

Indeed. It is always questionable what you try and do there, what has

become more popular in recent years I have noticed if people playing

very short on the line of the drawer just to make it a little more

difficult, because he really had the re-spot covered with his third ball

only four feet away. So there was a block on that and forced Jonathan to

play the weight shot, which is the one he has been struggling with all

match. Fize shots tend to haunt you, you think, what I have -- if I had

done this or that but he threw the gauntlet down. And he did, that is

what Jonathan has been doing on that backhand and a longer length. He has

managed to play very well in the second set after going walkabout in

the middle of it and losing 2-1, 3-2, and he has come back in the

last two ends. You know, it's what... It's what Jonathan does. He

fights his way through to the quarterfinals, tournament after

tournament, winning one match two matches, rarely goes beyond that.

Yes. He has had a poor record here in recent times. Just manages to

stay in the top spot between ten and 16 most of his career. So the

tie-break, maximum of three ends, one shot can be scored.

Jonathan going along and Jimmy bringing the matter up. -- Jamie

bringing the matter up. target, not much that time, only

half a bowl, but about as close as he has been with the runners, and he

has given himself a chance by pushing that off and running

through. Bowl into the head now will take the two green away. Played it

with a little less weight that time, looking for more accuracy,

that was sensible. other shot available. Had after

playing a short blocker. Giving it a go, though. He's got a chance!

Interesting. Jonathan is very interested! I think you need the

mark there because Jonathan cannot see measures to save his life.

LAUGHTER. Not all players are the best at judging, he could have done

with that turning over once more, it has held on the bias. Nearly dropped

away. Jonathan can't tell without his glasses! Really a problem for

Sandra, she cannot get very close to it because the green bowl will drop

away. Red is favoured, I think, from the rings. A fairly safe shop for

Jonathan on the backhand because bowl on the jack, if he turns it

over once it is good. That is what he had been doing with his running

bowls. He played one really good one this end and it might be enough to

give him the shot. Just favouring red. Just supporting the bowl so

when the measure comes... I have seen Jonathan measure things

two inches away, he is not a judge, but this is close.

It is worth pointing out that no shot can be given. If the umpire

thinks they are equities to and. The red bowl is definitely sitting down

as well. -- thinks they are equities to and. It is there. No problem with

that, plenty in it. Jonathan Ross will take the opening end. APPLAUSE

. He played one good bowl there in that end that got away with it. That

is the nature of tie-breaks. Now he will go to his favourite long jack

length. This match is running on this now

towards the hour, just over an hour and 20 minutes. Normally we would

say an hour half for a full tie-break, so it is bang on time.

Hour and a half. A little noise in the crowd, they

will reset. Jonathan Ross. Both players have played well this match,

Jonathan has probably been a little more inconsistent than Janey, and

Jamie has been the better player overall -- inconsistent than Janey.

But sets are funny. APPLAUSE. I am not sure if Jamie is pensive

but he is watching this. Reckoned he wasn't just reaching in, he was

right, would like to have made it with the second bowl.

Jonathan still has a couple of tie-breaks.

He does like this backhand, just a little bit heavy this time. Rest the

red ball, full-back, is what he is aiming for.

We have had very few tie-breaks in the Scottish International open

2015. Always exciting, always worth watching. APPLAUSE. Dropped away.

Still one red, the ball just needed to stand up on that occasion and the

red bowl is well in as you can see from our rings. I think he still

going to draw into this. He could do what Jamie did last time, stay away

from it and end up paying the penalty, so... Probably still

reckons he needs a closer ball. The danger is if he drops on the jack he

can give the shot away. Yes. Can't really blame him for

this. He has been very tentative, taken away the heavy running ball to

drive the red one out but still leaving the draw. Cannot blame him

for that, there is pressure out there. Big bowl to stay in the

competition. Jamie Chesney has three but they are not good enough, is

this good enough, Jamie Chesney, to stay in the match, comes in, needs

to put the brakes on, and he hasn't. APPLAUSE It has just gone across and

Jamie's valiant effort at the Scottish International open comes to

a close as the experience Jonathan Ross takes his place in the

quarterfinals of the competition. APPLAUSE. A terrific match. Jamie

taking the first set, Jonathan taking the second after squandering

a big lead, but he did it all in the tie-break to win 2-0.

STUDIO: Wonderful play from all the bowlers on display here at the

Dewars Centre but what was the shot of the day? I have no idea but Corky

does. My shot of the day comes from a

match with Darren Burnett and David Holt from Australia, seventh end,

David Holt in a lot of trouble, 52 down with two shots against him that

more or less would secure the set for Darren Burnett, but he plays the

most exquisite ball on the backhand, beautiful weight, and

takes two bowls out. It was a dream shop. Here we see it, controlled

weight, very difficult to play on the portable rink, hits the jack,

two bowls disappear, all the power transferred through the jack to the

two Red Bulls, there they go, and it leaves him with three shots. That

levelled the score and put him in a situation where it was 5-5 with two

ends to go. The set was drawn but it was a fantastic bowl and that is why

it was my shot of the day. A wonderful shot from David Holt

there but alas not good enough to be Darren Burnett. So now we know four

of the quarter finalists. Tomorrow we will find out who the others are.

Some great matches coming up tomorrow.

Nicky Brett and Stewart Anderson should be a cracker. Mark Royal and

Paul Foster should also be tested tasty as will Les Gillett and Robert

Paxton. Join us for that tomorrow on. The action gets under way live

at 1pm. It should be great, I wouldn't miss it, if today is

anything to go by it will be absolutely glorious. And that's it

for today's coverage, thank you thank you for you company, from all

of us here at the Dewars Centre, sleep well, goodbye.