Quarter-finals - Live

0:00:05 > 0:00:12APPLAUSE

0:00:28 > 0:00:32Hello and a very warm welcome to Perth, the backdrop for the Scottish

0:00:32 > 0:00:35International Open. Where the best of the best are now in the

0:00:35 > 0:00:43quarterfinals. In our first game England's Les Gillett, the slayer of

0:00:43 > 0:00:48six time world champion Alex Marshall, would do battle with

0:00:48 > 0:00:50Scotland's Commonwealth champion Darren Burnett. There's lots of

0:00:50 > 0:00:59familiar faces in the final eight but there's new blood too. Jamie

0:00:59 > 0:01:03Chestney has got the reigning world champion Paul Foster in his wake.

0:01:03 > 0:01:09Others will be looking to capture former glory. Mervyn King knows a

0:01:09 > 0:01:15thing or two about winning. It's been awhile since he picked up any

0:01:15 > 0:01:18titles. Michael Stepney is willing to start his collection for his

0:01:18 > 0:01:23trophy cabinet. It's all to play for as we knocked up a gear in the race

0:01:23 > 0:01:33to become Scottish International Open champion 2017. The crowds here

0:01:33 > 0:01:39at the Dewar's Centre are anticipating a wonderful afternoon

0:01:39 > 0:01:49of bowls. This is the line-up. David Gourlay up against Nick Brett.

0:01:57 > 0:02:02It's going to be wonderful, there's no doubt about it. The best players

0:02:02 > 0:02:06in the world playing the best bowls of their lives. We are looking

0:02:06 > 0:02:09forward to a wonderful afternoon. There was a match on this morning

0:02:09 > 0:02:16and it was Nick Brett who formally won this competition against David

0:02:16 > 0:02:19Gourlay. These two had met each other nine times previously and well

0:02:19 > 0:02:26timed events with Brett edging head-to-head 5-4. Gourlay took a

0:02:26 > 0:02:30tight first set. He grabbed singles in the last two ends for an 8-6

0:02:30 > 0:02:37margin. The bug number two came out firing in the second set -- world

0:02:37 > 0:02:42number two. It gave him an advantage. Brett is a two-time

0:02:42 > 0:02:47winner, first taking the title in 2013 and again the following year.

0:02:47 > 0:02:54Gourlay's best result was back in 2006. Gourlay kept in touch with

0:02:54 > 0:02:58this in the sixth end for the crucial single. Six of the previous

0:02:58 > 0:03:03eight meetings between these two had gone to three sets and by now Brett

0:03:03 > 0:03:07was full of confidence. In the seventh end he took on this straw

0:03:07 > 0:03:12with his final shot. Bagging a full house and taking the match into a

0:03:12 > 0:03:18tie-break. Gourlay took the first end and with his last at the next he

0:03:18 > 0:03:24played this runner, barely skimming the jack but moving it enough to

0:03:24 > 0:03:28have match live. It left Brett needing something special with this

0:03:28 > 0:03:29final bowls.

0:03:29 > 0:03:36needing something special with this final bowls. But it wasn't to be.

0:03:36 > 0:03:40When the jack was re-spotted, Gourlay had the shot and with it a

0:03:40 > 0:03:48place in the semifinal. The furthest he's made it since 2010. A very good

0:03:48 > 0:03:52win of the David Gourlay but we've been watching that and when Gourlay

0:03:52 > 0:03:58through that last bowl and moved the jack millimetres, he thought it

0:03:58 > 0:04:03missed it, I thought it missed it and you did as well.Most

0:04:03 > 0:04:06importantly Nick Brett thought it missed it as well. The

0:04:06 > 0:04:07importantly Nick Brett thought it missed it as well. The jack solid

0:04:07 > 0:04:12would have been perfect. The bowl out would have been dead. It left

0:04:12 > 0:04:17Nick in a lot of trouble.Good win the David Stockdale absolutely.

0:04:17 > 0:04:24David played some big bowls. Nick was lying multiples and would easily

0:04:24 > 0:04:26have cruised through but David came up with the goods and that's what

0:04:26 > 0:04:31makes the big champions. Darren Burnett is a big champion coming up

0:04:31 > 0:04:36as well but he's facing Les Gillett. You could argue ever so slightly

0:04:36 > 0:04:41that Darren was a bit fortunate in the first end of the tie-break in

0:04:41 > 0:04:47the last round.Well, you have to be in the area to give it a chance now.

0:04:47 > 0:04:51He got the bowl, got it half in the inside. He was looking to come off

0:04:51 > 0:04:55it and clean the jack through. If you're not in the area to get that

0:04:55 > 0:05:00result then you're not going to make it. Darren very rarely misses those

0:05:00 > 0:05:05sort of shots. He's always in the area to get a result.It was a good

0:05:05 > 0:05:10shot. Let's talk about Les Gillett. He's up against Darren today in the

0:05:10 > 0:05:13first match, knocking out Alex Marshall was an impressive thing to

0:05:13 > 0:05:18do.Yes, and he played very well. He came out with the big bowls when the

0:05:18 > 0:05:22opportunities were there. Alex met someone who had that ability to

0:05:22 > 0:05:28bring up the big bowl when required. It wasn't his favour on this

0:05:28 > 0:05:32occasion.We're going to be in the commentary box for the next five

0:05:32 > 0:05:35hours. I'm sure you're looking forward to it. In the meantime we

0:05:35 > 0:05:41turn our attention to the first live game. When you knock the six time

0:05:41 > 0:05:44world champion out of the competition you know you're doing

0:05:44 > 0:05:48something right. Les Gillett kept himself in a match against Alex

0:05:48 > 0:05:55Marshall and delivered. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a very warm

0:05:55 > 0:06:01welcome to the current world pairs champion, Les Gillett!

0:06:01 > 0:06:09MUSIC.

0:06:15 > 0:06:19One of the most consistent and successful bowlers in the world

0:06:19 > 0:06:23inside and out, Darren Burnett has been growing in confidence all week.

0:06:23 > 0:06:28Deadly with the draw but equally incisive when weight is required,

0:06:28 > 0:06:31Darren definitely has the game to go all the way. Ladies and gentlemen

0:06:31 > 0:06:37please give a very warm welcome from Arbroath beat Commonwealth singles

0:06:37 > 0:06:45champion, Darren Burnett!

0:06:45 > 0:06:53MUSIC: "We Will Rock You".

0:06:59 > 0:07:04COMMENTATOR: Joining David Corkhill in the commentary box it's Paul

0:07:04 > 0:07:08Mitchell. Good afternoon everyone, a real sense of excitement around the

0:07:08 > 0:07:17Dewar's Centre for these quarterfinal matches. Full house

0:07:17 > 0:07:22here in Perth for the first match of the afternoon. Les Gillett the

0:07:22 > 0:07:37Englishman, Darren Burnett the Scot. Jack length, 26.5 metres.Les

0:07:37 > 0:07:43Gillett has already popped out a couple of popular Scotsman, can he

0:07:43 > 0:07:50add Darren Burnett to that list?

0:08:18 > 0:08:20APPLAUSE

0:08:29 > 0:08:43Les one of the few left-handers in the sport. Going early...Sometimes

0:08:43 > 0:08:51the angles look virtually impossible and that one did.At that sort of

0:08:51 > 0:08:58weight it did. When you're running bowl like that it's very narrow to

0:08:58 > 0:09:03get through. The difficulty he has with this third bowl, he'll have to

0:09:03 > 0:09:12be very committed to go again. He really should be drawing for second

0:09:12 > 0:09:22now.

0:09:27 > 0:09:40Back to the draw. Needs to run a bit, get past the green one... Just

0:09:40 > 0:09:49enough.Two and a half feet.

0:10:15 > 0:10:26Last bowl is ten inches short of jack hi. -- high.

0:10:30 > 0:10:36You miss the dry shot with the second bowl and suddenly you're

0:10:36 > 0:10:42restricted to playing the draws but he's very close with this. The touch

0:10:42 > 0:10:46was enough. As soon as he got the edge it brought him straight onto

0:10:46 > 0:10:54the jack. Even without that it would have been very close to the shot. At

0:10:54 > 0:10:59that angle he was coming into the other green bowl. Very, very good

0:10:59 > 0:11:09delivery.

0:11:10 > 0:11:14Doesn't look too good Darren Burnett.If he can get the outside

0:11:14 > 0:11:23edge of his own bowl it will popped across the jack. Once again, he's in

0:11:23 > 0:11:28the area. What a response. Didn't even need the edge of the bowl.

0:11:28 > 0:11:33Goodness me.APPLAUSE Didn't think there was a gap there

0:11:33 > 0:11:39are big enough!Don't go anywhere, this could be a cracker this

0:11:39 > 0:11:43afternoon, as evidenced by Les Gillett's bowl and the reply by

0:11:43 > 0:11:48Darren Burnett.

0:12:13 > 0:12:18Jack Lynx, 28.5 metres.Darren Burnett has travelled back down this

0:12:18 > 0:12:34morning, Arbroath to Perth.Yes, it's very good when you have a hand

0:12:34 > 0:12:37tournament -- home tournament where you can stay with your family, just

0:12:37 > 0:12:46makes it so much more comfortable. If he's late he can always get a bit

0:12:46 > 0:12:54of help, I'm sure.I'm sure he'll get a couple about riders. -- of

0:12:54 > 0:12:59outriders.

0:13:11 > 0:13:16Quite a number of players only play indoors nowadays. But Darren Burnett

0:13:16 > 0:13:26equally proficient on the grass as he is indoors, as is Alex Marshall

0:13:26 > 0:13:34and Paul Foster. Makes it very hard for other people to get into the

0:13:34 > 0:13:43major events.

0:13:45 > 0:13:52Well played. Just drew up... I thought it was going to sneak in

0:13:52 > 0:13:57front of the green one. It drew up very, very quickly. Les Gillett was

0:13:57 > 0:14:02surprised at that as well.

0:14:17 > 0:14:24Hmm.. The first one within a foot or so, the next two short. It is

0:14:24 > 0:14:36unusual.Looking well, the tables are all crowded, on quarter finals

0:14:36 > 0:14:42day, it's always brilliant on quarter day.At the start of the

0:14:42 > 0:14:49match, suggesting they went for a good tussle. As he added the

0:14:49 > 0:14:55weight... It comes. Just!He would have liked to have got to a green

0:14:55 > 0:15:00ball, dropping it out for a double. Only just making that.A little bit

0:15:00 > 0:15:07of sustenance! The last thing you want to be doing is eating your

0:15:07 > 0:15:13lunch before playing a match, so... It's always useful to have something

0:15:13 > 0:15:24there to nibble on.

0:15:31 > 0:15:45Just added a little too much...

0:16:09 > 0:16:14A good chance.Just struggling. Les would have thought he was on the

0:16:14 > 0:16:21jack with that. He made it, but... Two players who are just chatting

0:16:21 > 0:16:39about it!2-1 after two ends.Les Gillett picks up a double.

0:16:48 > 0:17:04Jack Lang, 28.5 metres.-- jack length.

0:17:28 > 0:17:31Did not like it immediately, let's see where it lands because that will

0:17:31 > 0:17:37tell us the problem.Outside of the line. All slightly outside of the

0:17:37 > 0:17:56line. Still a useful ball, a good first ball.

0:18:02 > 0:18:13It's another good ball.

0:18:13 > 0:18:25Your ball? Back bowl? The gap is four inches.

0:18:31 > 0:18:36Loads here, just cutting across.It is a small target, a single ball

0:18:36 > 0:18:46target with about an inch of a jack. A quarter inch gap.Just on the

0:18:46 > 0:18:56monitor there.

0:19:20 > 0:19:29Going again, watching it this time... A similar ball. The green

0:19:29 > 0:19:33ball is there on his third shot, for Les

0:19:33 > 0:19:36ball is there on his third shot, for Les, the two go out, but the jack to

0:19:36 > 0:19:42move and go into a re-spot position. You could pop another ball on the

0:19:42 > 0:19:47re-spot and say, if you hit this, you will still lose two, drop

0:19:47 > 0:19:54another in, and if Darren Mrs, he will lose three. LengthIt is very

0:19:54 > 0:20:08rare that you see Darren Miss three running balls with an end. He has

0:20:08 > 0:20:11got a clever ball.

0:20:27 > 0:20:35Third time lucky... Slightly wider line... Unfortunately, it's the same

0:20:35 > 0:20:38result all on the inside... They were all delivered perfectly, and

0:20:38 > 0:20:54all with good speed.5-1 after three ends.If you had with that one,

0:20:54 > 0:21:05could lose two.

0:21:10 > 0:21:21A good start for Les Gillett. The fifth time he's reached the Scottish

0:21:21 > 0:21:28international quarterfinal stages come he has never progressed. This

0:21:28 > 0:21:31could be a really good start for him, and he will take a lot from it.

0:21:31 > 0:21:43Playing well this week.Ranking points that are vital for players

0:21:43 > 0:21:47like Les Gillett, he has been consistent, managing to break back

0:21:47 > 0:21:56into the top 16. Always looking to add and add, at number 11 at the

0:21:56 > 0:22:01moment. He wants to get into the top eight. That gives you the

0:22:01 > 0:22:13opportunity to have maybe one per year and still survive.

0:22:40 > 0:22:47Happy enough to change over and play a very good bowl... No problem

0:22:47 > 0:23:01whatsoever.Short.

0:23:13 > 0:23:25Weight off the legalese. -- off the backhand he goes.

0:23:28 > 0:23:33A quarter inch, does not matter, the jack touches the green ball. Back to

0:23:33 > 0:23:40the forehand again. If he sticks with this, he's going to have to be

0:23:40 > 0:23:51very, very careful. He really is.

0:24:00 > 0:24:07The crowd may well club it but it actually isn't a very good ball. He

0:24:07 > 0:24:10will never make another shot at that angle but he gave stirring the

0:24:10 > 0:24:14opportunity to use that one, if you want to on the weight shot cum

0:24:14 > 0:24:20inside the front read. Yes, that is what he is going for.

0:24:26 > 0:24:31-- on the shot inside of the front read.Missing it altogether, once he

0:24:31 > 0:24:35put it where he did, that is why he shouldn't be playing beforehand. He

0:24:35 > 0:24:45was clearly missing the short ball. Potential insurance, having seen Les

0:24:45 > 0:24:55play that.Play in Les Gillett's mind for a moment or two, you have

0:24:55 > 0:25:01to be very aware of the danger, it isn't at the shot level but beside

0:25:01 > 0:25:15it. It is all about the weight here. If it's heavy, he's got to get back

0:25:15 > 0:25:26to the jack... Might just have helped... But I'm not sure.It still

0:25:26 > 0:25:36looks like green from here.Still got two, Darren.In the state,

0:25:36 > 0:25:37that's not like Les

0:25:37 > 0:25:41got two, Darren.In the state, that's not like Les, he is a good

0:25:41 > 0:25:47thinker in the game. Three at the last end, Darren Burnett's chance to

0:25:47 > 0:26:03cancel it out. Struggling, very much so. Oh, dear.I think Les would be

0:26:03 > 0:26:20wise to measure. A spare short opportunity.5-3 after four ends.He

0:26:20 > 0:26:26will be happy, in the end it was only two. Darren Burnett were they

0:26:26 > 0:26:32few drives, almost identical in the way that they finished.That is the

0:26:32 > 0:26:37backhand as well, you go early and you missed that. Go again and it

0:26:37 > 0:26:44still looks like he's on the narrow side by a bit of a distance.The

0:26:44 > 0:26:51third one looked like he caught it a little more.He only missed that one

0:26:51 > 0:27:01by a whisker. On the next hand, he goes tighter but Les offered that

0:27:01 > 0:27:13shoulder to come off.Having to avoid running a further three times,

0:27:13 > 0:27:22he will want something in here.

0:28:09 > 0:28:27This is good, this one...18 inch gap... Going at it.Take out shot

0:28:27 > 0:28:38will be available later in the end, if he needs it. Goodness me, he has

0:28:38 > 0:28:47really put this on. A lot of work to do on the backhand. Yes. On the

0:28:47 > 0:28:54forehand, there was a chance of that kicking back.12 inches short of

0:28:54 > 0:29:05jack Hyde. 12 inches.

0:29:05 > 0:29:10A traditional delivery but he always puts his head down, that jerk on his

0:29:10 > 0:29:15hand, you are never quite sure whether he likes it or not.

0:29:15 > 0:29:23Disappointment is hard to gauge. Around he comes... He's got one of

0:29:23 > 0:29:26these deliveries. Almost like a baseball bat where he goes through

0:29:26 > 0:29:34the rituals of the gloves, the bat and everything, you see it a a lot

0:29:34 > 0:29:38in baseball. He has all of that about him, he gets ready and he

0:29:38 > 0:29:42goes...That is what I was talking about, he went right through the

0:29:42 > 0:29:48gap! Clearing everything else. Now he has got himself in a pretty good

0:29:48 > 0:29:54position, as it turns out. Goodness me, going through that gap. Anything

0:29:54 > 0:30:02could have happened.That would have moved across to the red, but he

0:30:02 > 0:30:17would be happy that he's got a ball at the back of the rink as well.

0:30:20 > 0:30:23Wants to throw a second shot here but not to leave both bowls together

0:30:23 > 0:30:30so they can be taken out.

0:30:35 > 0:30:39Might be tempted to go again with just the one in it because even if

0:30:39 > 0:30:45he hits the front green he's got a deep back red bowl right on the edge

0:30:45 > 0:30:49of the ridge. That might come into play. Very unlucky to take his own

0:30:49 > 0:31:06bowl out.Going back to the draw, the harder the two shots.Give it a

0:31:06 > 0:31:15chance... Might just get held up by his own.I thought he might have

0:31:15 > 0:31:27another pop at that. He was very close with the first one.

0:31:27 > 0:31:325-4, 6-3, I know which one I would have wanted. The percentages were in

0:31:32 > 0:31:40his favour.The way up the danger and you see what the options are on

0:31:40 > 0:31:55that occasion. He decided the draw shot was the better option.

0:32:52 > 0:32:59This time Darren just walking off to the rink after the delivery. Needs a

0:32:59 > 0:33:07clear road. APPLAUSE

0:33:11 > 0:33:15You don't follow it up the green unless you're sure you're good. He

0:33:15 > 0:33:23knew that was good.

0:33:31 > 0:33:43Look at this.What a reply that was! This is great stuff.This is a hard

0:33:43 > 0:33:49one. What a shot, just come in...I think he just got a touch of the

0:33:49 > 0:33:53green bowl before he got the jack. If it got the jack clean he'd be the

0:33:53 > 0:34:00shot.Darren Burnett walks up to have a look saying he'd use the

0:34:00 > 0:34:10first of five time-outs that he's allowed. It's a tricky one. He can

0:34:10 > 0:34:15come inside to his own again, if he decides to do that. It's up to him

0:34:15 > 0:34:20really. He can come into that bowl, try and secure it through the red

0:34:20 > 0:34:26one. But if he's not terribly comfortable with it he can just pop

0:34:26 > 0:34:30it round to here and see what Les does. To me that would be the better

0:34:30 > 0:34:37shot.

0:34:46 > 0:34:56He's down a narrow line into his own bowl.Actually...That's pretty

0:34:56 > 0:35:03good!He wasn't playing that. He wouldn't have been looking to

0:35:03 > 0:35:09deliberately push that particular bowl. I think he'd have wanted a

0:35:09 > 0:35:23short bowl, coming round it. It's in... It's very handy. A tricky shot

0:35:23 > 0:35:27the Les. He has to get back down into the head, carrying that little

0:35:27 > 0:35:34bit of weight. That's a hard shot. But he's gone deep enough to give

0:35:34 > 0:35:44himself a chance with the next one.

0:36:16 > 0:36:20You want to see what your opponent is going to do because you don't

0:36:20 > 0:36:26want to do it for him.Just kept that out.If he is one shot on this,

0:36:26 > 0:36:30Les, just play a careful draw. If he get this wrong he could lose

0:36:30 > 0:36:37three... If he can get to the back green bowl, if you can get to that

0:36:37 > 0:36:47he can drop back on the jack. Struggling for weight with this.

0:36:47 > 0:36:53Short.

0:37:07 > 0:37:22Had another look at it too.Two shots, Darren Burnett.APPLAUSE

0:37:25 > 0:37:39A change in the set score.Three to play, one between them. Darren

0:37:39 > 0:37:55Burnett watching the jack going up, mid-length.Jack length 26.5 metres.

0:38:12 > 0:38:18We are getting to the business end now and Darren has dropped that one

0:38:18 > 0:38:21short. An opportunity for Les to put a bit of pressure on against the

0:38:21 > 0:38:38lead bowl. Doesn't look right either.

0:38:45 > 0:38:52Second chance the Darren Burnett here. He watches this one up... It

0:38:52 > 0:38:57looks better.APPLAUSE

0:39:19 > 0:39:31APPLAUSE Short drawn.

0:39:40 > 0:39:48Well, this one is looking dangerous. APPLAUSE

0:39:48 > 0:40:03Nicely in behind it.Shot bowl gap, three inches. Six inches.

0:40:21 > 0:40:28This is great... Really is great stuff. Les just waiting for the bowl

0:40:28 > 0:40:39to drop away but standing up at the moment.Front toucher.If Darren

0:40:39 > 0:40:47Burnett doesn't hit this... Les will not play his last bowl.

0:40:56 > 0:41:01Well, he's playing a very delicate shot. Obviously felt there was no

0:41:01 > 0:41:07benefit coming in in the forehand. That was always going to be hard.

0:41:07 > 0:41:14Too much traffic, needed to come round the other side.The other side

0:41:14 > 0:41:23offered a slight touch for the jack. But I think Les will walk away.

0:41:23 > 0:41:321-shot, Les Gillett.He lost three straight ends, just wanted to get

0:41:32 > 0:41:39back on the card.

0:42:01 > 0:42:05Two ends to play, nothing to choose between the players. Potential of

0:42:05 > 0:42:13course for a typeset. Les Gillett has been involved in two of them --

0:42:13 > 0:42:31potential for a tied set. First set finished 7-7.

0:43:10 > 0:43:16APPLAUSE Neither player will be wanting to

0:43:16 > 0:43:22take too many risks in this end. Having said that, a jack high bowl,

0:43:22 > 0:43:36it's tempting to Ron the bowl or run the jack. He's watching it, he must

0:43:36 > 0:43:47be close. Very nearly the maximum. Toucher in the ditch, that will be

0:43:47 > 0:44:01marked. That will stay live. Jack will go on the re-spot.Two red,

0:44:01 > 0:44:11that's fairly inconsequential.

0:44:14 > 0:44:19Interesting choice Darren to come across it.A lot of players have

0:44:19 > 0:44:25played the opposite side.I do think Les will because he's playing his

0:44:25 > 0:44:30backhand. It's a slightly longer length but he can play across his

0:44:30 > 0:44:34body slightly, and hold the bowl up for a long time before the bias

0:44:34 > 0:44:44takes effect.

0:44:45 > 0:44:52Watching this before he starts to break. It's only breaking now.

0:44:52 > 0:44:58Secured the shot.

0:45:11 > 0:45:18Looks a lot wider. I think it is there to say that one came out the

0:45:18 > 0:45:25wrong way... Didn't like it from the second matter left his hand... He

0:45:25 > 0:45:35does have the advantage of still having a bow to play.

0:45:35 > 0:45:48-- the second that it left his hand. A simple draw, for two. Even wider

0:45:48 > 0:45:53this time. Now it is going to break. Good weight in behind the jack, a

0:45:53 > 0:46:02perfect ball. That's really good. He has a chance with two balls going

0:46:02 > 0:46:17out. And a gap as well. He's got a double shot available here but what

0:46:17 > 0:46:23he is ready looking for, yeah, just as he was putting his foot down,

0:46:23 > 0:46:27he's obviously thinking, and that is always a good sign! It comes onto

0:46:27 > 0:46:34the ball. Taking it out and you end up in a situation where this ball

0:46:34 > 0:46:39here will come into play and also won the other side as well. Over

0:46:39 > 0:46:48here, that will come into play. He's got a chance of getting two shots

0:46:48 > 0:47:00out of it.The angle is good, though.

0:47:00 > 0:47:09It's very much a Darren Burnett kind of shot. He watches it all the way

0:47:09 > 0:47:15and wants to get the ball on to that... What a result!He was on the

0:47:15 > 0:47:31wrong side of the bowl. Oh dear!The crowd might be clapping, but...

0:47:33 > 0:47:38From his opponent's point of view, just one shot you go with in the

0:47:38 > 0:47:47end.Yes, but the thing is, when you are lying two and you've got those,

0:47:47 > 0:47:54you have a cushioning going into the last end and now there is no cushion

0:47:54 > 0:47:58and you've got to win. But Darren Burnett will realise my goodness me,

0:47:58 > 0:48:07that there was more than a bit of luck there which got the result.

0:48:07 > 0:48:21It's all to play for in this part of the quarterfinal. As always, the

0:48:21 > 0:48:30opening bowls set the tone and dictate the tactics.Darren Burnett

0:48:30 > 0:48:37is looking heavenward, he doesn't think that ball is heavenly.I think

0:48:37 > 0:48:46he got a bit of that last time. You cannot go there all the time.The

0:48:46 > 0:48:54angel on the shoulder, took a break for a moment! Les Gillett doesn't

0:48:54 > 0:49:11like this one, either.A little over, still. But better there.

0:49:14 > 0:49:17These players have such high expectations of themselves, they

0:49:17 > 0:49:28know what they are capable of.

0:49:37 > 0:49:47Correction made...Almost two feet past jack high.It looks like he has

0:49:47 > 0:49:58half covered the jack.

0:50:04 > 0:50:12Playing so well, nothing will faze him. And why should it?A super

0:50:12 > 0:50:18shot, no doubt of that. Sitting on the edge in terms of the backhand,

0:50:18 > 0:50:26Darren can get to it. Just need to solve it on the drop so that Darren

0:50:26 > 0:50:36will be aiming for that.

0:50:41 > 0:50:54He is watching this. He knows he is close. It touched...You almost feel

0:50:54 > 0:51:00that it would not be a bad result to draw in this set, they both really

0:51:00 > 0:51:06contributed to a super game and played great stuff. It would be

0:51:06 > 0:51:18unfortunate if one of them lost it, after all of their efforts.Four

0:51:18 > 0:51:31time-outs remaining.Well, it still looks difficult. Les would be doing

0:51:31 > 0:51:44well to get back to jack high, maybe two feet away. The time-out taken.

0:51:44 > 0:51:54Weighing up his options. Going wide. Rightly so... Still has a ball to

0:51:54 > 0:52:00come.It's always useful to have one there. I cannot imagine Darren going

0:52:00 > 0:52:05heavy at this. I think he will try and draw it. He might try and slide

0:52:05 > 0:52:14the ball across the rink, about one inch or so. Maybe enough.I do not

0:52:14 > 0:52:24know about the heroics involved, he could get that set away. On the

0:52:24 > 0:52:36forehand, it didn't really matter which side. Which shot to play.

0:52:36 > 0:52:45Going to fall short.An intriguing situation for Les, it's very

0:52:45 > 0:52:53dangerous, if he wants to add another. Convincing the pair not to

0:52:53 > 0:53:03go for it, that's how dangerous it was.Three singles, to finish. Tying

0:53:03 > 0:53:07Darren Burnett, the opening set is shared between these two fine

0:53:07 > 0:53:13players. The next set to come.I'm in the player's balcony with David

0:53:13 > 0:53:16Goodwillie, he will play the winner of the match and it could not be

0:53:16 > 0:53:22tighter.It's a fair reflection, there is nothing separating these

0:53:22 > 0:53:28guys. They would both be happy that it is a tight set.Amazing bowls and

0:53:28 > 0:53:36great conversion shots.These two players are some of the best in the

0:53:36 > 0:53:41world. I think that Les has a game plan and he will attack everything.

0:53:41 > 0:53:47He's playing Darren at his own game. He beat Alex Marshall yesterday, he

0:53:47 > 0:53:55played a fantastic game to beat Alex, he's obviously very confident.

0:53:55 > 0:53:58If his confidence is high, he's really difficult to beat. We've got

0:53:58 > 0:54:05to get a good start against him.Who is going to win it?I would go for

0:54:05 > 0:54:09Darren. Not the tie-break, but Darren.Who do you fancy playing

0:54:09 > 0:54:17tomorrow, Darren or Les?They are equally as good. It will be tough.

0:54:17 > 0:54:23Thank you.Headlines if the Scottish coach had not picked a Scotsman, to

0:54:23 > 0:54:30be perfectly honest!Yes, ask him who is going to win! He is in

0:54:30 > 0:54:34Scotland, a Scottish coach has just picked Darren Burnett for the

0:54:34 > 0:54:38Commonwealth Games, he's a gold medal winner and you'd think yes,

0:54:38 > 0:54:49go, go for Les!It's not going to happen...! Les Gillett involved in

0:54:49 > 0:54:53the third tight set that he has played in in this competition. They

0:54:53 > 0:55:04are read that he is collecting them at the moment.Interesting to see

0:55:04 > 0:55:07that David Gourlay agreed with what we were talking about, that there's

0:55:07 > 0:55:11nothing between these players and their tight set. He would try and

0:55:11 > 0:55:14get another shot, had there been more ring but he thought it was too

0:55:14 > 0:55:27dangerous to go for it! -- more room.

0:55:38 > 0:55:48Almost three feet...

0:56:00 > 0:56:08Left hand, backhand, see what lying he can get in here.Clapping that

0:56:08 > 0:56:21from two or three yards away, they have picked up the pace.

0:56:34 > 0:56:42The last bowl, the gap is ten inches.That is one, certainly...

0:56:42 > 0:56:52Possibly just one now...How far is that short?15 inches from jack

0:56:52 > 0:56:57high.On the forehand, he's got to push over his own ball, they are

0:56:57 > 0:57:04running out of time. Four seconds. I'm a little surprised he is playing

0:57:04 > 0:57:10it here. The other side was absolutely safe. He has to be

0:57:10 > 0:57:20careful of the green ball.He has given Darren and shoulder to come

0:57:20 > 0:57:25off, all it is doing is widening the target. Darren will have looked at

0:57:25 > 0:57:29the other side to see if the plant takes three Red balls out of the

0:57:29 > 0:57:35head but I do not think it is. Hard to tell from this position but we

0:57:35 > 0:57:42will see what he plays. Going for the forehand, slightly inside of the

0:57:42 > 0:57:53line. A chance to use Les's ball. The jack inside would be good.

0:57:53 > 0:58:04Better paced... There is the borrower. Twice left to shoulder

0:58:04 > 0:58:09that forehand and twice that Darren has used it. If we watch it, he was

0:58:09 > 0:58:19missing that green ball.

0:58:21 > 0:58:25Such fine margins, you don't go to leap shoulders and things. But they

0:58:25 > 0:58:29are being exploited at the moment by Darren Burnett. The margin of error

0:58:29 > 0:58:36is a little bit greater. You just do not do it. That's all there is to

0:58:36 > 0:58:45it. Les will come back, he does think about these games. The

0:58:45 > 0:58:50backhand, for Les, and his forehand, planting the turnover to make a

0:58:50 > 0:58:55double. There was no danger there, whatsoever. He will be kicking

0:58:55 > 0:59:06himself for that one.

1:00:25 > 1:00:27APPLAUSE

1:00:32 > 1:00:48Just enough pace, it ran on. A couple of feet short.I think he's

1:00:48 > 1:00:59drawn this.It needs to fall back... Well, didn't make it but very close.

1:00:59 > 1:01:11Gap on yours two inches, Gap and Darren's three inches.

1:01:21 > 1:01:26Once again, has to be careful. Doesn't want to get his own bowl.

1:01:26 > 1:01:35But if he can split the two of them, it would be perfect. Goodness me.I

1:01:35 > 1:01:39think he was a bit concerned there that that bowl would have dropped

1:01:39 > 1:01:51out. Darren Burnett might be tempted with a runner here.

1:02:00 > 1:02:11If he's trying to draw, might just be the single. Obviously didn't see

1:02:11 > 1:02:26the benefit of running at it.Happy enough just to concede one.Once

1:02:26 > 1:02:31again, Les Gillett for the second time in three ends hasn't played his

1:02:31 > 1:02:41last bowl.

1:02:41 > 1:02:46I think it was a good call.

1:03:01 > 1:03:05Jack length 28 metres.

1:03:21 > 1:03:24APPLAUSE

1:03:50 > 1:03:55In little puzzle as to why it didn't bend back in. Played it outside the

1:03:55 > 1:04:00line.Just a half bowl probably. Players generally know when they are

1:04:00 > 1:04:09on the right line. He felt that was better.

1:05:05 > 1:05:13Mmm, struggling.Dropped the wait. He made a mistake with that one. I

1:05:13 > 1:05:24guess there's too many chances the Darren Burnett.

1:05:26 > 1:05:29Can he find the line here, just thread inside where he's previously

1:05:29 > 1:05:39been? Certainly looks better. APPLAUSE

1:05:39 > 1:05:47Might drop away, but the moment... Just too many chances. The third

1:05:47 > 1:05:53bowl is the key one there, just to close the head one down. And fourth

1:05:53 > 1:06:03Darren to try and play something. By missing it they left him just draw

1:06:03 > 1:06:12ring. The fourth bowl becomes the rescue bowl. -- drawing.Wants to

1:06:12 > 1:06:22come inside the green bowl.I think he's inside it OK... That was the

1:06:22 > 1:06:32problem. He was probably pretty good or solid. He got a half of both.

1:06:32 > 1:06:36Darren has got to decide here if it's worth playing his final bowl.

1:06:36 > 1:06:43He was a bit unlucky there, to be fair.He might have to take time out

1:06:43 > 1:06:52of he's going to play it. He's watching. Now, is it worth coming

1:06:52 > 1:06:58in? That's what he's looking at. This wouldn't be unusual to Darren

1:06:58 > 1:07:03Burnett to play this sort of shot. He's an attacking player, and he'll

1:07:03 > 1:07:07look at the options and see what the dangerous. But they get into there

1:07:07 > 1:07:12and move the jack... If he's able to move the jack back to this position,

1:07:12 > 1:07:16his own bowl will follow through. He's got a chance of picking up

1:07:16 > 1:07:22three. But he has to be absolutely sure he's lying the shot. If he's

1:07:22 > 1:07:26absolutely sure he's lying the shot, he might decide I'm not going to be

1:07:26 > 1:07:38too anxious about it. He's obviously not that keen on it so he's just

1:07:38 > 1:07:44going to try a delicate draw and keeping it out on the white side.

1:07:44 > 1:07:53It's all a matter of getting back now. -- wide side. A good effort. I

1:07:53 > 1:07:59think later in the set if he was in a position of needing shots he would

1:07:59 > 1:08:11have played that, otherwise take the one.

1:08:12 > 1:08:17Darren Burnett who won in 2001 and was the runner-up the following

1:08:17 > 1:08:22year. He's been in the quarterfinals in the following years.2001, my

1:08:22 > 1:08:29goodness. Kelvin Hall, where this event was held. Darren beat me in

1:08:29 > 1:08:42the second round. Nasty man!16 years ago, but you've moved on!Yes!

1:08:42 > 1:08:49LAUGHTERThere's always a list of the ones that got away.It didn't

1:08:49 > 1:09:00hurt that much at the time, I have to say. APPLAUSE

1:09:04 > 1:09:11I always remember the once you lose, never remember the ones you won --

1:09:11 > 1:09:15you always remember the ones you lose, you never remember the ones

1:09:15 > 1:09:21you won.Good opening bowl from Darren Burnett. I've not seen too

1:09:21 > 1:09:31many of his openers ride on the jack.This is close as well.

1:09:37 > 1:09:41In many ways, though, it just proves the longevity of some of these

1:09:41 > 1:09:48players. Darren winning back in two dozen and one, he'd already been

1:09:48 > 1:09:54around a long time. -- winning back in 2001. To have the ability to win

1:09:54 > 1:09:59back there. Les Gillett won the International Open in 1997, 20 years

1:09:59 > 1:10:06ago. And he's still about.Is still playing top-class bowls. He fell out

1:10:06 > 1:10:14of the top 16, found his way back in. What amazes me sometimes is the

1:10:14 > 1:10:20hunger of these players, keeping it up over such a long period of time.

1:10:20 > 1:10:29Absolutely. Right on a fine line to hold that... Should go underneath.

1:10:29 > 1:10:39There it is now... Not much, just a hairs breadth on the inside. Nice

1:10:39 > 1:10:46weight to tap the red one, the green would disappear.

1:11:18 > 1:11:25Les, is that jack moving? If it does and you've got a slight problem, if

1:11:25 > 1:11:37it's a clean bowl past the jack then it's just sitting perfect. Have you

1:11:37 > 1:11:40got the weight this time, because you're going to start to dive pretty

1:11:40 > 1:11:54quickly. Lack of weight. I think the line was better.

1:12:18 > 1:12:24Kept it on a wide line.A game, Darren what doesn't want to hit his

1:12:24 > 1:12:29own bowl too hard. The jack will come out into the open.He's

1:12:29 > 1:12:33probably made one more shot but if he's going to hit that he wanted to

1:12:33 > 1:12:38hit it just a little bit further. He's offered up a target now and Les

1:12:38 > 1:12:44will come right at it.Yeah, he wanted a bit firmer to tap it right

1:12:44 > 1:12:52across to leave the behind the two green bowls. -- leave the jack

1:12:52 > 1:12:57behind the two green bowls. That just wasn't hard enough, and Les

1:12:57 > 1:13:03will definitely come into this. He really just can't... I do think he

1:13:03 > 1:13:08can take his own bowl out without taking others. Pick your hand, pick

1:13:08 > 1:13:14your weight.

1:13:23 > 1:13:38The odds are on the backhand. Goodness me, that went fast! Wow!

1:13:38 > 1:13:43Hard to believe he missed the target.If it caught the edge it

1:13:43 > 1:13:47could have been an awful lot worse. He was definitely done the wrong

1:13:47 > 1:13:53side there. He wanted to be on the high side. Look at the benefits on

1:13:53 > 1:13:58the other side there, Paul. You had that shot coming across to move the

1:13:58 > 1:14:09jack on the plant.That would have been really beneficial. All one from

1:14:09 > 1:14:16Les with that one. Every player in the world, no matter what sport it

1:14:16 > 1:14:22is, will miss a shot occasionally. He's frustrated by that but he'll

1:14:22 > 1:14:35let it go. It's been a good start to the second set for the Scotsman. A

1:14:35 > 1:14:40couple of quarterfinals last season in the world and the International

1:14:40 > 1:14:49Open. Negotiating his way past the quarterfinal here. Starting to build

1:14:49 > 1:15:00a tidy lead. APPLAUSE

1:15:13 > 1:15:32Once again, another handy reply. Within a foot.

1:15:39 > 1:15:58Frothing short. -- dropping short. Your bowl? 16 inches from jack high.

1:16:10 > 1:16:21Just needed to run...

1:16:22 > 1:16:26It's one green. Darren Burnett's backhands are out of action now,

1:16:26 > 1:16:31having to change the forehand. At least if he comes the Red Bull

1:16:31 > 1:16:48beforehand, it will hit the green ball. -- Red ball.

1:16:48 > 1:16:55ball. -- Red ball. No danger there. Les has to play inside of the line

1:16:55 > 1:17:05to pluck out the green ball, and if he can, get it off his own ball yes.

1:17:05 > 1:17:13Inside the line. Now, he has to use his own ball, will he get it back in

1:17:13 > 1:17:21time? I doubt it. A hard shot to play, even for the top players.

1:17:21 > 1:17:28Really difficult. The right shot to play but it is just difficult.No

1:17:28 > 1:17:35change for Darren Burnett, coming off beforehand. -- the forehand.

1:17:55 > 1:18:07A chance with this... Going down... It looks like it. He's going to play

1:18:07 > 1:18:18the same thing, again. And hopes that he will get that connection.

1:18:18 > 1:18:23Coming into the perfect place, well hidden on the blindside.The

1:18:23 > 1:18:36time-out is called.Still down as a forehand but a bit stronger this

1:18:36 > 1:18:51time. Can ill afford to be 7-1 down. He definitely needs the help of the

1:18:51 > 1:19:02outside ball, going stronger... Inside of the line, not much, a

1:19:02 > 1:19:15ball. That was all. The last two ends have been...Darren Burnett

1:19:15 > 1:19:23hardly needed to get past the green on that one come onto his own.

1:19:23 > 1:19:37Starting to get very difficult for the Englishman. Semifinals of the

1:19:37 > 1:19:43world back in January, he has appeared at many of those events.

1:19:43 > 1:19:55Jack length, 29.5 metres.Les will not let it go, he is a dogged

1:19:55 > 1:20:02competitor. Dix really deep, he's one of the best at that, around the

1:20:02 > 1:20:13circuit. -- digging really deep.

1:20:16 > 1:20:29Against Alex Marshall, he came back. Tying the opening set.

1:20:32 > 1:20:507-2 behind, looking to level it.2.5 feet, past jack high.That

1:20:50 > 1:20:53information gives what Darren what he needs to know. He can come around

1:20:53 > 1:21:03the short ball.

1:21:06 > 1:21:12Just Quartet. When you need to be up here, you get hold of this jack. It

1:21:12 > 1:21:27must win this end. I do not think he will get back at all.

1:21:33 > 1:21:43Better there.

1:21:52 > 1:22:05A snap of the fingers from Darren Burnett. Not closing it down, that

1:22:05 > 1:22:16will concern him.

1:22:18 > 1:22:23Just needing to slip onto the green one. He's got a chance with the

1:22:23 > 1:22:46shot. Dropped, it will be close. Fairly close for these shots.They

1:22:46 > 1:22:59are very close as well. The clock is round and there, that was good from

1:22:59 > 1:23:07Darren Burnett. Able to concede his ball.He has used his time which

1:23:07 > 1:23:17quite a lot. Sitting close for the shot, trying to draw it in and close

1:23:17 > 1:23:27the head down.

1:23:37 > 1:23:45If he's got the running, he has got good line. Looked short, didn't he?

1:23:45 > 1:23:56He made centreline, that is where the problem was. Protecting Les's

1:23:56 > 1:24:05front ball. Cannot really hit that in so easily... Les playing the safe

1:24:05 > 1:24:12way round, on his forehand, that will dip hard.Fighting its way

1:24:12 > 1:24:18around. That is the shot drawn. Exactly what he needed to do when,

1:24:18 > 1:24:30in the end, it was one or two.One out. Should ask for the umpire.

1:24:30 > 1:24:48Darren MacManus will come on... Yes, we have the Dan team today!Dan

1:24:48 > 1:24:52McManus was undergoing training last night for the final parts of his

1:24:52 > 1:25:02exams. Under the watchful eyes of the officials...The international

1:25:02 > 1:25:16technical officers. Shouldn't really be a problem going to the world

1:25:16 > 1:25:32level. They are very proficient.A single shot.

1:25:43 > 1:25:56Darren Burnett in the driving seat. But nothing is safe just yet.

1:26:27 > 1:26:35He turned his back very early. A glimmer of light for Les Gillett

1:26:35 > 1:26:55here.We are looking at two shots here at this stage. One will keep

1:26:55 > 1:27:13him in the hunt. Two would really put him in with a chance.

1:27:14 > 1:27:20Off the backhand, has he given it enough? Ooh... Maybe just? My

1:27:20 > 1:27:34goodness me! A little touch, Les has to come to his own ball, the jack.

1:27:34 > 1:27:38He comes across to the other side of the match, almost to guarantee the

1:27:38 > 1:27:43bend back in with the left-hand. He will normally haul out just a little

1:27:43 > 1:27:49bit. He didn't push through it, that's the problem. He got the line

1:27:49 > 1:27:59right.The gap is ten inches.He needed that want to be right up to

1:27:59 > 1:28:04his own ball. And now he is in trouble. Desperately seeking these

1:28:04 > 1:28:24shots. Past jack height. It is a good ball.

1:28:24 > 1:28:29It is, no doubt about that, it gives less the opportunity to reach in

1:28:29 > 1:28:38this time. -- it gets Les the opportunity. Doesn't have to go too

1:28:38 > 1:28:48heavy, at least make sure you are up to the jack.Now, will he get back

1:28:48 > 1:28:55with the extra weight? Just over the line. This is going to be very

1:28:55 > 1:29:05costly indeed.If he draws in here, Les Gillett, nobody is going to take

1:29:05 > 1:29:13back to back fours off Darren Burnett.The set has gone. 9-2, two

1:29:13 > 1:29:21ends to go. Four and a three, Darren doesn't lose those kinds of shots.

1:29:21 > 1:29:33Not at this level.Drawing for a three. They begin to applaud... He

1:29:33 > 1:29:46knew that it was there.APPLAUSE He was in the driving seat before.

1:29:46 > 1:29:53That effectively throws Les out of the vehicle.Technically, they have

1:29:53 > 1:29:59to keep going well there is still a chance of Les gaining a draw in the

1:29:59 > 1:30:12set. But the match should be over at this end.

1:30:12 > 1:30:17Need to have a final total at the end, just to see what the shots are,

1:30:17 > 1:30:23important for other reasons. But the outcome of the match is pretty much

1:30:23 > 1:30:33secured.

1:30:40 > 1:30:46So this could really be classed as academic. APPLAUSE

1:30:46 > 1:30:56Les Gillett does the right thing. Pops one in the ditch. APPLAUSE

1:30:56 > 1:31:02All credit to Leslie doing that. He knew there was no chance of getting

1:31:02 > 1:31:0824s. He also knew he had to finish the end. All credit to him to doing

1:31:08 > 1:31:12that. Very sportsmanlike.A good wins the Darren, he played very

1:31:12 > 1:31:17well. Darren Burnett finds himself in the semifinal, having defeated a

1:31:17 > 1:31:22very difficult opponent in Les Gillett. Very tight first set but

1:31:22 > 1:31:31Darren Burnett got away in the second and he wins by 1.5- 0.5. The

1:31:31 > 1:31:34expectations were high in this game, as they are for all the

1:31:34 > 1:31:39quarterfinals today. My goodness me, they did not disappoint. Fantastic

1:31:39 > 1:31:44bowls. Les had drawn the shot with a previous bowl and Darren took it

1:31:44 > 1:31:50away from him. Big crowd in here at the Dewar's Centre and they were

1:31:50 > 1:31:53seeing everything, including Darren Burnett just missing the third time

1:31:53 > 1:31:58in that end on the drive shots. But this time he gets the target and he

1:31:58 > 1:32:06gets a very good result. Les wasn't to be outdone. He just kept plugging

1:32:06 > 1:32:13away, keeping the pressure on. But ultimately, it came down to the fact

1:32:13 > 1:32:19of the first set which was always going to be very, very tight. It was

1:32:19 > 1:32:23a 7-7 draw. Darren Burnett just pushed the jack out into the open.

1:32:23 > 1:32:32Les missed it and lost a double. That was followed up in the last

1:32:32 > 1:32:37end. Les played his last bowl, came over, well done Darren Burnett.

1:32:37 > 1:32:46Played really well.Such a tight first set. But really 18 shots to

1:32:46 > 1:32:50nine because of that second set. Darren Burnett really taking it in

1:32:50 > 1:32:56the end. They both played a similar jack length but Darren Burnett is

1:32:56 > 1:33:00the semifinalist in the Scottish International Open.Darren Burnett

1:33:00 > 1:33:05is the root of the last four of the Scottish International Open.

1:33:05 > 1:33:09Congratulations, some great plague. The first set was a bit scratchy

1:33:09 > 1:33:09Congratulations, some great plague. The first set was a bit scratchy

1:33:09 > 1:33:15iPod. A draw was probably a fair result. Kept us both in the match.

1:33:15 > 1:33:20Just did enough in the second set I think.It was quite a game because

1:33:20 > 1:33:23in that first set in particular you were both playing some great shots

1:33:23 > 1:33:27and then both you and the macro losing your way a bit but it was

1:33:27 > 1:33:33exciting to watch.Definitely. It could have gone either way. He made

1:33:33 > 1:33:38it pretty impossible for me so I run away and got a tie. In hindsight

1:33:38 > 1:33:43should I have gone for a two? Maybe, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

1:33:43 > 1:33:48Darren put me under a lot of pressure. I tended to use the green

1:33:48 > 1:33:51about a yard short every end, I don't know why but Darren punished

1:33:51 > 1:33:56me. All credit to him, the best man won on the day.When you get into

1:33:56 > 1:34:00the second set, if you've got the first bowl, if you stick it on the

1:34:00 > 1:34:04jack, your opponent is always going to be in trouble.That's what

1:34:04 > 1:34:08disappointed me in the first set. Staked it up in the second and

1:34:08 > 1:34:12that's probably the only pleasing thing I can take out of the game.

1:34:12 > 1:34:17Into the second set you through your final bowl into the ditch, it was

1:34:17 > 1:34:23very sporting as we expect from a fellow like yourself.I'd only

1:34:23 > 1:34:28scored two shots all games so I wasn't going to score eight in two

1:34:28 > 1:34:32ends! It's wasting Darren's time, wasting the crowd's time. I was

1:34:32 > 1:34:40never going to score two fours. Like I said, Darren was really good and I

1:34:40 > 1:34:45wish all the best.Excellent staff, semifinal for you. You must be

1:34:45 > 1:34:51fancying your chances because you've been getting better better.Yes,

1:34:51 > 1:34:55swapping colours today makes it difficult. I might go read now, I'm

1:34:55 > 1:34:59not sure. It's always going to be tough, semifinal is going to be

1:34:59 > 1:35:02really hard. Everyone is probably playing at their best now so just

1:35:02 > 1:35:07got to hope tomorrow is my day. You're playing David Gallie, the

1:35:07 > 1:35:11Scotland international coach. You'll be coaching you at the Commonwealth

1:35:11 > 1:35:16Games. What if he beats you tomorrow, how is the coach player

1:35:16 > 1:35:20relationship going to work?I'm glad he selected his five before we play.

1:35:20 > 1:35:27He's a class act.It's going to be a fantastic match. Thank you so much

1:35:27 > 1:35:30once again for your performances this week and your great

1:35:30 > 1:35:37sportsmanship. Darren Burnett is through to the semifinal. APPLAUSE

1:35:37 > 1:35:43Let's have a look and see what the semifinals look like. David Gourlay

1:35:43 > 1:35:46got through against Nick Brett this morning so he will face Darren

1:35:46 > 1:35:53Burnett. And all Scotland affair in the semifinal tomorrow.

1:35:59 > 1:36:03Now it's time for a very tenuous link. If you follow your football,

1:36:03 > 1:36:07you may know that the local club here in Perth is called St

1:36:07 > 1:36:10Johnstone. You may or may not know that they be any club in the

1:36:10 > 1:36:14Scottish or the English Football League with the J in the name. Still

1:36:14 > 1:36:19got that? One of the boffins at the Scottish International Open realised

1:36:19 > 1:36:24unnoticed that Jamie Chestney is the only player left with a J in his

1:36:24 > 1:36:32name. We took him a across to where St Johnstone play their football.

1:36:32 > 1:36:42Enjoy! MUSIC Playing up here in Perth, to be

1:36:42 > 1:36:49honest the crowds are really fair. So when you're actually on the rink

1:36:49 > 1:36:53playing it doesn't feel like an England Scotland battle. We have

1:36:53 > 1:36:57matches all the time against each other. Perhaps when we play the

1:36:57 > 1:37:00national series you find it a bit more one-sided or the other but to

1:37:00 > 1:37:05be fed the crowd are always really fair. It's nice to be able to play

1:37:05 > 1:37:09in front of a good crowd. I've only got in the top 16 a couple of years

1:37:09 > 1:37:12ago so the last couple of years I've only made the second round. This is

1:37:12 > 1:37:17the furthest I've been in the Scottish Open so far. Playing

1:37:17 > 1:37:21against Paul Foster, both beat each other in the past. I know it's

1:37:21 > 1:37:27something that I can do, obviously. I don't need to tell everyone how

1:37:27 > 1:37:31good a player Paul is, everyone knows that already. I'm just going

1:37:31 > 1:37:36to have to be at the top of my form. If I do that... I'm expecting Paul

1:37:36 > 1:37:42will put close bowls so I'll have to play a lot of converting shots

1:37:42 > 1:37:48myself. Hopefully on the day. It's a really nice venue to be at, to be

1:37:48 > 1:37:48myself. Hopefully on the day. It's a really nice venue to be at, to be

1:37:48 > 1:37:52honest. We can stand up on the balcony and watch the other games

1:37:52 > 1:37:56and go through and watch the curling next door, then think that looks

1:37:56 > 1:38:00easy and in reality I can't imagine I'd even be able to stand up on

1:38:00 > 1:38:05there. It's a nice arena to be around, always what's happening. The

1:38:05 > 1:38:10longer you can stay there the better.

1:38:12 > 1:38:19Jamie Chesney is now a St Johnstone fan. I'm dying to get the players

1:38:19 > 1:38:23onto the rink here so let's do it, it's Paul Foster against Jamie

1:38:23 > 1:38:26Chestney. From the outside looking in Jamie Chestney winning the

1:38:26 > 1:38:30International Open with something of a surprise. For those in the know it

1:38:30 > 1:38:35was anything but. He's been a hugely successful player on the

1:38:35 > 1:38:38international circuit and his inclusion in the pro tour is richly

1:38:38 > 1:38:43deserved. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a very warm welcome to

1:38:43 > 1:38:57the International Open champion, Jamie Chestney! MUSIC

1:39:00 > 1:39:04While picking up trophies is something Paul Foster does with

1:39:04 > 1:39:09alarming regularity. 16 times he's won on the world Bowls tour. When

1:39:09 > 1:39:14you at the outdoor success including multiple Commonwealth goals you have

1:39:14 > 1:39:20the complete package. Please give a very warm welcome to reigning

1:39:20 > 1:39:31five-time world champion, Paul Foster!

1:39:34 > 1:39:42MUSIC: "Eye of the Tiger".

1:39:46 > 1:39:54COMMENTATOR: So Jamie Chestney, walking and, facing a Scottish crowd

1:39:54 > 1:40:00and a Scottish legend in Paul Foster. As you rightly said, he has

1:40:00 > 1:40:05beaten him before, so he can go for this. He is facing Paul Foster who

1:40:05 > 1:40:08has arguably over rounds one and two being the best player in the

1:40:08 > 1:40:18tournament.

1:40:22 > 1:40:28He is a quietly determined type of player. Jamie Chestney has made his

1:40:28 > 1:40:33way up the rankings. He's a big improvements in the outdoor game as

1:40:33 > 1:40:42well. He's got a super career there too. All-round player, indoor and

1:40:42 > 1:40:51outdoor. The early stages of his world career, and a lot of people

1:40:51 > 1:41:05think he's going to be about for a long time,...Come through break

1:41:05 > 1:41:11these matches without dropping a set so far. -- has come through both of

1:41:11 > 1:41:18these matches without dropping a set so far.That mark on the bowl

1:41:18 > 1:41:26indicates it's a toucher. If the bowl goes in the ditch it stays

1:41:26 > 1:41:31alive. Whereas if it goes in the ditch without touching the jack it's

1:41:31 > 1:41:41taken away. It has no further part in the end.

1:42:05 > 1:42:10Early attacking shot by Paul. Now he's certainly got something. One

1:42:10 > 1:42:23out. Damage limitation.Always good to get something with your first

1:42:23 > 1:42:31heavier shots.The thing about something like that is it says to

1:42:31 > 1:42:35your opponent, you put another one in and leave the target, I'm going

1:42:35 > 1:42:40to go again. If you don't go deep, I'll go again. So that's where the

1:42:40 > 1:42:47risk is. Well, he's left a big gap. That's a good bowl, that's a clever

1:42:47 > 1:42:53bowl. It counts but it's not going to be lifted out. Here comes Paul

1:42:53 > 1:42:58Foster, he's missed it, he thinks, and he's absolutely right. We knew

1:42:58 > 1:43:09that was through the gap.Three shots, Jamie Chestney.You don't get

1:43:09 > 1:43:20too many better start than that against Paul Foster. Folks returning

1:43:20 > 1:43:24to their seats after the last match. They do so very quickly, which is

1:43:24 > 1:43:34great.Jack length 27 metres.You don't want to miss too much of this

1:43:34 > 1:43:38one.

1:44:08 > 1:44:11APPLAUSE

1:44:21 > 1:44:32These are two players who don't hang around on the mat. Yes, shot clock's

1:44:32 > 1:44:44not going to be too much trouble to these two.

1:44:48 > 1:44:51APPLAUSE

1:44:58 > 1:45:02Big backswing, very rarely you see that in the indoor rinks, on the

1:45:02 > 1:45:12fast indoor carpets.

1:45:13 > 1:45:24Good line, just dropping in behind.

1:45:27 > 1:45:38Hardly any backward movement of the arm...

1:45:40 > 1:45:59In a good place...Jamie, your front ball has now fallen over.

1:46:01 > 1:46:08Watching this one come down... Wondering if he overcooked it

1:46:08 > 1:46:25slightly... He has.Paul's chance to get a three back...

1:46:44 > 1:46:51Very slow on the way back, isn't it? It didn't come... It might have

1:46:51 > 1:46:57fallen down... It has.He has made it. He made the double, he wanted to

1:46:57 > 1:47:04get to the jack and make three with a little touch. Settling for two.

1:47:04 > 1:47:143-2 after two ends.

1:47:23 > 1:47:29Plenty of singles picked up so far today. A three and a two all ready

1:47:29 > 1:47:40to open this game.

1:48:38 > 1:48:47Well, a protector in there. It will not make Jamie's life any easier. He

1:48:47 > 1:48:53is going to play through this now. An interesting one from the point of

1:48:53 > 1:48:58view of moving the front ball and getting the jack through.Happy with

1:48:58 > 1:49:06that... Initially felt Paul Foster's ball, and the way he was lying, that

1:49:06 > 1:49:13was the answer. But he does disrupt. Taking the jack for on. Nestling in

1:49:13 > 1:49:29beside him. He got the split. Rolling into the ditch, effectively.

1:49:29 > 1:49:34An interesting choice to go that side, peeling away from the jack on

1:49:34 > 1:49:41the backhand, coming in towards the jack on the other side. You can see

1:49:41 > 1:49:51from the last shot how far away the ball in the ditch is.Just needs to

1:49:51 > 1:49:58sneak past the green.It looked like it was struggling but it's got

1:49:58 > 1:50:05there. Both players with one to play.Two shots at the moment, if it

1:50:05 > 1:50:13is, Chestney may be going looking for Paul Foster's ball, if he draws

1:50:13 > 1:50:21it. He is in with this one... Is it hidden?I think you can see it on

1:50:21 > 1:50:28the forehand.It certainly looks like it can be picked out. Just a

1:50:28 > 1:50:39question. Might just be one second shot before it is going to be the

1:50:39 > 1:50:49draw.Too frisky.There is something not right about this one. -- too

1:50:49 > 1:50:53risky. I thought there was something not right because he was so narrow

1:50:53 > 1:50:58but he has actually drawn the short, it is unbelievable.It looks like it

1:50:58 > 1:51:05might get killed on the front one. That looked so narrow in comparison

1:51:05 > 1:51:12to his previous delivery.It will be the strings that come out, they go

1:51:12 > 1:51:17up and down so easily.I couldn't see the ball getting past the front

1:51:17 > 1:51:27two but it sneaked in. This has to be very accurate, looking at a

1:51:27 > 1:51:34straight line to the ball. Draw the string in. Get a firm contact on

1:51:34 > 1:51:44hold.

1:51:49 > 1:51:55It's going to be red. That measure is used, so it is up and over the

1:51:55 > 1:52:09edge of the rink. The shot was dropped.One short, Jamie Chestney.

1:52:09 > 1:52:13At a real push you could use a box measure. It's better to play the

1:52:13 > 1:52:23line-out.

1:52:31 > 1:52:37These players have met several times on the single since 2010. Jamie

1:52:37 > 1:52:49Chestney leading 2-1. Paul Foster was the winner of the most recent

1:52:49 > 1:53:01meeting, back on the Worlds in 2017.

1:53:04 > 1:53:06Paul Foster was always hard to beat at the world singles, he loves the

1:53:06 > 1:53:16venue.

1:53:37 > 1:53:49Well played again. Paul Foster will run this, he does not like it, he

1:53:49 > 1:53:56turned his back on it. Takes one outcome he knew he was missing what

1:53:56 > 1:54:12he wanted. -- takes one out. Such high standards that both of these

1:54:12 > 1:54:30players have. In case that one was going to be hit, back it comes.

1:54:35 > 1:54:45Back to the draw.

1:54:57 > 1:55:01Almost nonchalant, how he walks up and down, Jamie Chestney, it gives

1:55:01 > 1:55:09you the impression of not a care in the world. He's very serious about

1:55:09 > 1:55:15the sport, kicked it up and down if you time is. He was not happy with

1:55:15 > 1:55:27the ball -- a few times. Paul Foster, touching the ball away.He

1:55:27 > 1:55:36has got the deepest ball, cannot imagine playing that. Too much

1:55:36 > 1:55:41danger. He is playing that. Trying to use the ball on the jack, using

1:55:41 > 1:55:51the green one to come into play. Jamie Chestney, an indication of how

1:55:51 > 1:55:58hard the forehand is to play.A good start for the Englishman. 30 years

1:55:58 > 1:56:07old and from Exeter. Part of the club there.

1:56:12 > 1:56:22Jamie Chestney's family are appeal. His mum, Tracy, and his stepfather.

1:56:22 > 1:56:28He is married to Natalie no more, as she was, and the winner of a

1:56:28 > 1:56:40Commonwealth Games gold medal. See what the team is going to be for the

1:56:40 > 1:56:52Gold Coast. Monday is due, but Natalie, it's hard to go past her.

1:56:52 > 1:57:05Such a talent, others are there in the hunt. For places.A medallist in

1:57:05 > 1:57:15Glasgow.

1:57:26 > 1:57:30Sometimes all are seen within an hour of each other. A wonderful

1:57:30 > 1:57:40venue. Of course, great memories from Glasgow as well.Tempted to run

1:57:40 > 1:57:47these balls. Deciding to draw, one ball in the head, didn't want to

1:57:47 > 1:57:56take it out. Got a chance with this, surpassing its own, that little

1:57:56 > 1:58:08touch. He may have managed to get to the red ball... Jamie Chestney

1:58:08 > 1:58:11started to go up the rink and decided to look at the television, a

1:58:11 > 1:58:24couple that are available. Just to see how it is. Without the touch,

1:58:24 > 1:58:45that shop ball would have been very close. -- shot ball. A wise move. A

1:58:45 > 1:58:48little tap on your own ball or a runner on the forehand, to disturb

1:58:48 > 1:59:04things. A little tap...

1:59:05 > 1:59:09Watching the nudge on... And he has got it! The edge of the jack. As he

1:59:09 > 1:59:23made the shot. I think it is one down. He made it.I don't think

1:59:23 > 1:59:27Jamie was expecting that is the ball was tapped down. Jamie was running

1:59:27 > 1:59:38away, down the rink.

1:59:39 > 1:59:48It will be very difficult to tell. But we cannot tell from that.

1:59:48 > 1:59:52Beautifully scented, interestingly said, that was hard. I would be

1:59:52 > 1:59:57inclined to go with the player here. They are just so good. They really

1:59:57 > 2:00:08are. In looking at things...He will see the funny side of it later. It

2:00:08 > 2:00:13was so funny to see him stop in his tracks and turn back because they

2:00:13 > 2:00:18definitely thought that he was lying.Now they don't want either

2:00:18 > 2:00:28player to touch it. We want to know! We want the measure! LAUGHTER

2:00:28 > 2:00:33Just hear what Jamie is saying there.I'm not saying you're wrong,

2:00:33 > 2:00:42but I think I'm right...!LAUGHTER It's just like their married!

2:00:46 > 2:00:50We don't want any movement because we want to see how this is going to

2:00:50 > 2:00:54go.Both players give their bowl a chance. Maybe Paul isn't sure

2:00:54 > 2:01:00either. He is very good, very good at looking at measures.Well, he

2:01:00 > 2:01:14wandered away, Jamie Chestney.Well, he was right, measure her shot.

2:01:14 > 2:01:24There are enough, it is a measure. Didn't commit either way.All we can

2:01:24 > 2:01:32do is sit back and watch...Big difference, 6-2. That's big.Can

2:01:32 > 2:01:40also be declared a no shot as well if the bowls are Ecuador distant. --

2:01:40 > 2:01:50equidistant.It's always the one that is a favourite bowl.Give

2:01:50 > 2:01:57credit to ban McManus, he called it. Darren is walking down with a stride

2:01:57 > 2:02:11and a bounce. He got that one right. But he was absolutely right, it was

2:02:11 > 2:02:22a measure. Although Balk -- Paul's last bowl was reaching a head.Such

2:02:22 > 2:02:31a difference. 6-2 it could have been, 5-3 it is.

2:03:19 > 2:03:29Another one in. That's the pressure going on...Jamie might have a

2:03:29 > 2:03:41little pop at this. The two bowls will go. Wait shots.Now that's

2:03:41 > 2:03:51going to make it interesting.That opens things up, doesn't it? Both

2:03:51 > 2:03:58players will see a mark as to where the jack is and that's where you

2:03:58 > 2:04:12have to then go. Nice wide line. Coming back, needs to stay on... A

2:04:12 > 2:04:20perfect bowl.What a shot from Paul Foster! APPLAUSE

2:04:20 > 2:04:24Jamie Chestney has got no choice but to try and draw with this one. Can't

2:04:24 > 2:04:29afford to try and rest that one. There is another green bowl down the

2:04:29 > 2:04:36rink. You can see it now. That's two shots, that's been disposed of.He's

2:04:36 > 2:04:39not making it. Just a couple of yards from where he wants to be.

2:04:39 > 2:04:47It's such a hard shot, playing right to the edge of the ditch.He's also

2:04:47 > 2:04:52marginally protected the green bowl. This one really does look like it's

2:04:52 > 2:05:06there.Paul Foster needs to tap the break...And he has. Oh! Wow!He

2:05:06 > 2:05:11permits himself a little smile. That is so difficult to do but that's a

2:05:11 > 2:05:24man at the top of his form. He's going to play them off, if he can.

2:05:24 > 2:05:28It's a hard shot. Doesn't want a lift his own out.That's always the

2:05:28 > 2:05:33problem, he's going to give Paul Foster another shot.It's going to

2:05:33 > 2:05:36be a third shot because the green bowl you see in your picture there

2:05:36 > 2:05:49will count. Paul Foster hits three shots and gets the lead in the set.

2:05:49 > 2:05:53Credit to Jamie Chestney for striking, putting the jack in the

2:05:53 > 2:05:59ditch. Paul Foster, wonderful.I was tempted to say Paul Foster is one of

2:05:59 > 2:06:02the best that drawing to the edge of the jack but you really don't want

2:06:02 > 2:06:10to say that!Until he does it.But he is very good at it.The first one

2:06:10 > 2:06:15was impressive but the second one... He was showing off here.The second

2:06:15 > 2:06:22one was important because he was saying to Jamie, you can take my two

2:06:22 > 2:06:27off and you'll score a single. But hit your own bowl, I'm getting

2:06:27 > 2:06:31three. He leapfrogs in front. That's why it was so important to put

2:06:31 > 2:06:47another one in.Short length jack. Really enjoyable game. Quality

2:06:47 > 2:06:49all-rounder, as we expected.

2:07:15 > 2:07:18Always a great feeling around the Dewar's Centre and quarterfinal day.

2:07:18 > 2:07:29The standard usually exceptional. No different today.Again, Jamie

2:07:29 > 2:07:39tempted by this. He's going for it. Coming across... Well played.Played

2:07:39 > 2:07:46it really well.

2:08:06 > 2:08:18Well, he knows before anyone else, Paul Foster.Most of the time.

2:08:18 > 2:08:26Usually he does know and that one wasn't going to be any good to him.

2:08:26 > 2:08:41Jamie, what do you have coming round?Just the one... The thing

2:08:41 > 2:08:46with this football is, and what is tempting him, is the fact that two

2:08:46 > 2:08:49bowls out is whether the count but there's still another bowl to come.

2:08:49 > 2:08:58So I almost think he should draw it in on the backhand. He's got his own

2:08:58 > 2:09:02bowl to come. You can use the edge of that, ten that side of it, turn

2:09:02 > 2:09:08onto the jack. There a variety of percentages available. He's got to

2:09:08 > 2:09:16get awfully close to his own bowl. That could be highly dangerous.If

2:09:16 > 2:09:20the jack squirts out to the side there's a red bowl waiting to

2:09:20 > 2:09:24receive it.So many things that could go wrong. He's actually

2:09:24 > 2:09:29drawing on the forehand but it doesn't really matter which side.

2:09:29 > 2:09:34He's trying to get a close bowl and position here because he doesn't

2:09:34 > 2:09:38want Jamie to take the jack through. A clever bowl by Paul because there

2:09:38 > 2:09:42was a chance of Jamie running the jack through the four on that side

2:09:42 > 2:09:47of the rink. He's taken that away. So he's more or less said I'm happy

2:09:47 > 2:09:56to lose a single.I'm not sure I would trust the fact Jamie won't add

2:09:56 > 2:10:08at least one more. Fighting to get back, just drifting through it to

2:10:08 > 2:10:14come on the other side of the green bowl. APPLAUSE

2:10:14 > 2:10:21Players really dislike having to leave the opposition with a shot,

2:10:21 > 2:10:28but didn't really have a lot of choice there.

2:10:42 > 2:10:56Two ends to play. It's hard to pick a winner of this set given the way

2:10:56 > 2:11:07they are both playing.APPLAUSE

2:11:09 > 2:11:14I'm just thinking back to the last end web Paul put a position bowl in,

2:11:14 > 2:11:19he knows exactly the way Jamie plays. He knew he would go for that,

2:11:19 > 2:11:23even though it was dangerous, he would still go for that. Trail shot

2:11:23 > 2:11:27through the three or four. So he covered it and was prepared to lose

2:11:27 > 2:11:38one, maybe even two.

2:11:51 > 2:11:55It's excellent again. Just widens the target which might make Paul

2:11:55 > 2:12:06Foster have a go.Well, it's two bowls wide but it's a distance away.

2:12:06 > 2:12:10Two bowls will go, jack will go anywhere. It's worth moving into it

2:12:10 > 2:12:21now. A lot of drives have been missed, though.Paul Foster knew

2:12:21 > 2:12:32when that was halfway down that that wasn't going to do what he wanted.A

2:12:32 > 2:12:37lot of drives missed and a lot of controlled weights missed, more than

2:12:37 > 2:12:44I'd ever seen before. Some have been off target and managed to get

2:12:44 > 2:12:55results but... It's hard enough to play that shot. Always committing

2:12:55 > 2:13:05himself.Trusting himself.He's going under again.

2:13:10 > 2:13:15Well, Jamie is weighing this up. But the logical shot would suggest he

2:13:15 > 2:13:21comes and covers the green bowls just in case.I think you're going

2:13:21 > 2:13:24re-spot, I really do. He can cover green and the re-spot at the same

2:13:24 > 2:13:33time. It's just whether he wants to play it or not. He's certainly

2:13:33 > 2:13:46wider. He's more or less putting the bowl back again. Will he stop in

2:13:46 > 2:13:53time? Three shots, he's not even covering anything, really. He's

2:13:53 > 2:13:58drawn another shot.That's interesting.Barely covering the

2:13:58 > 2:14:03re-spot. He's taken a risk in saying you get it, you get it. This will be

2:14:03 > 2:14:12quick.Well, that's as fast as we seen this week. Scatter is

2:14:12 > 2:14:22absolutely everything, there's not a bowl on the rink.APPLAUSE

2:14:22 > 2:14:27Now, I can't remember that, I really cannot remember that in all the

2:14:27 > 2:14:31events where everything has gone. Absolutely unique once more from

2:14:31 > 2:14:39Paul Foster. He splits jacks, he knocks things off rinks. That's the

2:14:39 > 2:14:44first no score in that I can remember. Both players smile but

2:14:44 > 2:14:50what a shot for Paul Foster.Well, when he decides to drive on his

2:14:50 > 2:14:59forehand he does go quick.Watch this, look at them all go. That

2:14:59 > 2:15:02extra little not actually cost in the shot. If it missed his green

2:15:02 > 2:15:07bowl he was going to get one.Got a double touch on the green bowl. He

2:15:07 > 2:15:14knew there were no touchers. But that was as good as Paul Foster

2:15:14 > 2:15:22could possibly have hoped for. Three down.Well, he saved the set.

2:15:22 > 2:15:28There's no doubt about it, he saved the set.

2:15:28 > 2:15:40He does manage to create some very interesting situations, Paul Foster.

2:15:40 > 2:15:52Well played by Jamie Chestney. A great opening ball.

2:16:11 > 2:16:18A big end for both players. The set is at stake. It will be played like

2:16:18 > 2:16:31a tie-break end. That is basically saying "Hit me".It definitely is.

2:16:31 > 2:16:36Jamie Chestney has put Paul Foster under considerable pressure in the

2:16:36 > 2:16:41set.Fabulous, here is Paul Foster, watching. He likes it, still

2:16:41 > 2:16:47watching. It just went the wrong side.He's kept his own ball on the

2:16:47 > 2:16:56rink, which is fine. He knows that it is a 1-shot situation. So it does

2:16:56 > 2:17:08not matter if he loses two or three or four.

2:17:18 > 2:17:21The trouble with someone like Paul Foster is that he plays this shot, I

2:17:21 > 2:17:33do not think he will because he has got the last ball...I think he

2:17:33 > 2:17:44needs a bit more space, he wants to open it up. He is very firm, he has

2:17:44 > 2:17:50got something. It is stuck to the ball. He has opened it up, that is

2:17:50 > 2:17:56beatable on the draw.That is what he wanted to do, give himself a

2:17:56 > 2:18:01chance with this last ball and he has done so. Jamming the red ball

2:18:01 > 2:18:19across.This has been a great match.

2:18:20 > 2:18:27Jamie is aware of the fact that he needs a closer ball. He needs to

2:18:27 > 2:18:43run... It is a bit closer. Trying to draw this clean. Five balls in his

2:18:43 > 2:18:55last seven. This is for the set. And the crowd may well tell you first,

2:18:55 > 2:19:02if he gets it...Certainly out wide enough. He has got good weight, if

2:19:02 > 2:19:13he does, he will come back...Foster for the site... -- set, a stunning

2:19:13 > 2:19:17set of balls Alex Mack with a

2:19:19 > 2:19:24a draw. Paul Foster with the narrowest of margins. Putting it out

2:19:24 > 2:19:28beautifully and judging the weight, taking the first set in this

2:19:28 > 2:19:38quarterfinal tie.

2:19:39 > 2:19:50Well, that was special. The key ball in the set was Paul Foster's. The

2:19:50 > 2:19:55previous end, the last ball on the eighth end, losing three, the set

2:19:55 > 2:20:01was gone. Clearing every single ball off the rink for a low scoring end.

2:20:01 > 2:20:11That was special.

2:20:14 > 2:20:18In order for Paul Foster to play all of these wonderful shots is the fact

2:20:18 > 2:20:25that he has won it at the top of his game.Some brilliant balls in that

2:20:25 > 2:20:33first set... An indication of both players, playing great shots. Jack

2:20:33 > 2:20:44was in the ditch, Jamie has been playing good runners as well as

2:20:44 > 2:20:54drawing. Very even.

2:21:18 > 2:21:28The reply on that one...

2:21:39 > 2:21:48Just over it. When you change onto the other side and try and get to

2:21:48 > 2:21:58the green ball...

2:22:01 > 2:22:12Just need to hurry on the line to get to the jack, not quite there.

2:22:12 > 2:22:23Just over two feet.

2:22:30 > 2:22:42Around it comes again. On the gap... About one yard away, at the gap. It

2:22:42 > 2:22:47was going to come into play that the touching jack would have been enough

2:22:47 > 2:22:56to hide it away. Jamie with a chance to remove the green ball. Not sure

2:22:56 > 2:23:10if he is going to hold this line, is he?Just looked out of the hand...

2:23:10 > 2:23:14It isn't easy for Paul. They add another. We would be thinking about

2:23:14 > 2:23:24it.

2:23:35 > 2:23:48On the backhand... It drifted in. Not going to run out, though.One

2:23:48 > 2:23:58shot, Paul Foster.Paul Foster, started the tournament in the same

2:23:58 > 2:24:08way as heeded in 2016, getting past Chris Gayle and then Mark Dawes.

2:24:08 > 2:24:21Different quarterfinal opponents. Leading a much tighter game against

2:24:21 > 2:24:32Thompson. It's understandable, coming from Bell draws, the first

2:24:32 > 2:24:38set he was really finding his way. A lot more competitive in the second

2:24:38 > 2:24:51set. Sometimes these players make the surface looks so easy. But it is

2:24:51 > 2:25:07far from it. Lightning fast. Compare to many surfaces. -- compared to

2:25:07 > 2:25:17many surfaces.

2:25:23 > 2:25:31It's almost an expectation that every ball will be on the jack. As

2:25:31 > 2:25:38much as these players are playing exceptional stuff, they do put the

2:25:38 > 2:25:50odd 18 a few inches away. -- the odd one a few inches away. Paul has a

2:25:50 > 2:25:57looking the same hand.

2:26:08 > 2:26:11Giving the shoulder.

2:26:24 > 2:26:36It looked under.It is a nasty place for Paul Foster. Forcing him onto

2:26:36 > 2:26:51the other side. His line is so good here. At every chance, he comes...

2:26:51 > 2:27:06No drop. Won't be walking too close to that one.Drawn, Jamie Caven play

2:27:06 > 2:27:13in or tap it on the backhand. Either way, he is available. -- JB could

2:27:13 > 2:27:22play it in. He doesn't want the jack. He has got the ball, he does

2:27:22 > 2:27:33not want the jack... Ooh! That was a well executed shot.The green ball

2:27:33 > 2:27:37was always the target, did not want to move the jack. That would have

2:27:37 > 2:27:42brought other balls into contention. Done enough. Another good end of

2:27:42 > 2:28:04balls. Still not picking out a win on this one.Certainly not!Jack

2:28:04 > 2:28:16length, 27.5 metres.Jamie Chestney, home of the Perth Saints, in Saint

2:28:16 > 2:28:24Johnstone. He loves his football and his rugby. The Exeter Chiefs.

2:28:24 > 2:28:30Currently second in the English premiership. A couple of points off

2:28:30 > 2:28:40Saracens.

2:29:11 > 2:29:24Exactly jack high, Paul.At the edge, jack high. Otherwise it is a

2:29:24 > 2:29:28ball short. Depends on how you interpret that. The rules have

2:29:28 > 2:29:45changed over the terminology of jack high, and other bits and pieces...

2:29:58 > 2:30:02Ten seconds on the shot clock, plenty of time.You've got to come

2:30:02 > 2:30:08into it, that is why he is taking his time. A narrow target...

2:30:08 > 2:30:13Striking the front green ball.A hard shot to play, that forehand

2:30:13 > 2:30:19runner. It really is.

2:30:19 > 2:30:27Really wanted to lift that onto the shot bowl, perhaps move the jack.

2:30:27 > 2:30:33The reason why he's so disappointed is the shot has left himself so

2:30:33 > 2:30:41difficult.

2:30:44 > 2:30:52Careful... APPLAUSE Mmm, well, he's opened the jack a

2:30:52 > 2:30:56bit. There's two shots to green but he's opened the jack a little bit

2:30:56 > 2:31:01for the draw. Prior to that, I'm not sure if the draw was just the best

2:31:01 > 2:31:07shot for Jamie. So hard to get to the jack but as soon as you do that

2:31:07 > 2:31:11it's opened adopted three or four inches and Paul knows that that's

2:31:11 > 2:31:23exactly what he didn't want to do. Not an easy shot.Time-out called.

2:31:23 > 2:31:30By Jamie Chestney.

2:31:41 > 2:31:49Very close, can he make the running? Well, I don't know for sure. Paul is

2:31:49 > 2:31:55going to have a look.

2:32:03 > 2:32:07He certainly had the run in to make it, a clean road. But we don't move

2:32:07 > 2:32:18ashore. -- but we don't know for sure. Big wide arc for Paul Foster

2:32:18 > 2:32:28because he has to make it past the red one.Just didn't run out. One

2:32:28 > 2:32:38shot to Paul Foster.A four just to be cautious. He suspected that was

2:32:38 > 2:32:44his shot.

2:32:49 > 2:33:06Singles all the way again.Jack Link 29.5 metres. -- jack links 29.5

2:33:06 > 2:33:08metres.

2:33:19 > 2:33:22APPLAUSE

2:34:03 > 2:34:08APPLAUSE

2:34:08 > 2:34:16Again, a little touch.Jamie normally wouldn't...It was exactly

2:34:16 > 2:34:32jack high.Normally run this off. Firm, controlled weights. Likes it.

2:34:32 > 2:34:36Goodness me, without a touch he was taking one away. I can't believe the

2:34:36 > 2:34:44touch putting through the gap! I thought it had to get to the jack.

2:34:44 > 2:34:54He's found his way through some holes today.Trying to reach up to

2:34:54 > 2:34:58the jack and disturb it by trailing it through. Touch it through to the

2:34:58 > 2:35:09green one would be better.It's a bigger target. But he does have the

2:35:09 > 2:35:13touchers, and that could be important. The bowl to the left is a

2:35:13 > 2:35:19toucher and double coming in is also a toucher.If he's after the jack,

2:35:19 > 2:35:28he's going to have to go forehand. He's not far away, as it turns out.

2:35:28 > 2:35:35He's got a result out of it.He'll take that.There was a noise as he

2:35:35 > 2:35:42just went to bowl which didn't help him. Toucher in the ditch.It was

2:35:42 > 2:35:48almost like somebody was calling out just as he was about to deliver,

2:35:48 > 2:35:54they weren't watching the player on the mat. There are hundreds and

2:35:54 > 2:35:58hundreds of bowls delivered in the week and very few get disrupted. The

2:35:58 > 2:36:04jack has stayed just inside the marker.It actually turned out to be

2:36:04 > 2:36:09OK.Yes, turned out to be a decent shot.It's going to be hard to beat.

2:36:09 > 2:36:13No matter where Paul puts it, Jamie will have a chance to beat it with a

2:36:13 > 2:36:22last one.He didn't like it.If he didn't like it it must be heavy.

2:36:22 > 2:36:28That's a mistake and he knows it. Really just to beat the two green

2:36:28 > 2:36:35bowls.Didn't even get close to the ditch. Two yards away will do for a

2:36:35 > 2:36:49straightforward double.He's straining here.Oh my goodness me...

2:36:49 > 2:36:59Surely that's in? If it's not in that's a terrible mistake!It's too

2:36:59 > 2:37:07short and he'll be so relieved about that. So much space to draw in.

2:37:07 > 2:37:14Almost too much space to draw it. Paul played three very good bowls,

2:37:14 > 2:37:22two of them touches. And in the end lost a double. -- two of them

2:37:22 > 2:37:27touchers.

2:37:35 > 2:37:42Jack length 28 metres.Noise isn't necessarily the problem when you're

2:37:42 > 2:37:48playing bowls, it's when it's silent and you just get one noise. That's

2:37:48 > 2:37:58what can catch you.Internationals are very noisy and you certainly

2:37:58 > 2:38:02don't have, at any stage, silence. You just get used to it. There's

2:38:02 > 2:38:07been some talk about playing with background music and stuff so that

2:38:07 > 2:38:20small noises don't disturb the players.

2:38:24 > 2:38:28For some, background music is more irritating than noise. It depends on

2:38:28 > 2:38:34the music.Absolutely. You're not going to keep everyone happy with

2:38:34 > 2:38:42that. Although we do have one or two experts that are very good.

2:38:52 > 2:38:56I don't think anybody would be rushing to lift my playlist to play

2:38:56 > 2:39:04in the background of anything.Now, round the back would be better. Yes,

2:39:04 > 2:39:14that's good.

2:39:16 > 2:39:22Just wants to come to the green bowl, drop inside. It's all about

2:39:22 > 2:39:27getting back there with an extra couple of feet of run in. Not the

2:39:27 > 2:39:33gap. He has found three or four gaps in this match and they've actually

2:39:33 > 2:39:40been quite costly.

2:39:51 > 2:40:05Similar from Paul Foster.Played it well. Played it well. Jamie might go

2:40:05 > 2:40:13more forceful now. Rather than just relying on coming through. Jack in

2:40:13 > 2:40:17the ditch is good. The difficulty he has is he doesn't want his own bowl,

2:40:17 > 2:40:24he takes that away he's in a heap of trouble.In it comes. Jack. Solid.

2:40:24 > 2:40:29That's not getting beaten. Paul Foster shouldn't bother playing this

2:40:29 > 2:40:37last bowl.It depends if it looks like it's just one.If it's too...

2:40:37 > 2:40:43If it is to then he has to play it past. On that angle it's two.It

2:40:43 > 2:40:47must be otherwise he wouldn't bother playing it. Just try and draw it

2:40:47 > 2:40:58into second.That was a good drive. Absolutely middle it.Tremendous

2:40:58 > 2:41:11shot.This is looking good.Anything there will do.

2:41:12 > 2:41:18For the second time of the match he wins back-to-back ends.

2:41:32 > 2:41:47Jack length 27.5 metres.

2:42:12 > 2:42:22APPLAUSE

2:42:36 > 2:42:43APPLAUSE He's played all his shots. He is

2:42:43 > 2:43:05matching Paul Foster all the way. Just coming through.

2:43:05 > 2:43:17Changes hand just to come across that green bowl.He's close again.

2:43:17 > 2:43:23Note that where he stops -- no matter where he stops. Not bad, it's

2:43:23 > 2:43:30a protector.

2:43:39 > 2:43:52That looked better. Just the weight holding it out.

2:44:22 > 2:44:32I'm not sure he meant that. His best back bowl. But...I think the target

2:44:32 > 2:44:36was without doubt a green bowl because that's the one Paul will be

2:44:36 > 2:44:49trying to move the jack to. Just overplayed the weight. Just needs to

2:44:49 > 2:45:03sneak past the front red...The damage is done.Jamie Chestney

2:45:03 > 2:45:11started to sneak away in this second set. A set he has to win. Three ends

2:45:11 > 2:45:19to play, three shots to the good.

2:45:19 > 2:45:24The typesetters enough for Paul Foster to see him through, having

2:45:24 > 2:45:33taken the first 7-6 -- the tide set. A game that almost deserves a

2:45:33 > 2:45:37tie-break.Both attacking players, we want to see some spectacular

2:45:37 > 2:45:51stuff... Paul will be hoping to dispense with that... Paul Foster.

2:45:51 > 2:45:59He is responding here. 11 ends in his first two matches, he lost seven

2:45:59 > 2:46:04singles from four doubles in the opening set. He had lost three, and

2:46:04 > 2:46:20since then, all singles bar a number for, as he replaces Jamie Chestney.

2:47:04 > 2:47:08Looking to follow Paul Foster down the forehand, using the green ball

2:47:08 > 2:47:16to come inside.The weight is the problem, the line is good. Yes,

2:47:16 > 2:47:24centreline each time. He is in a heap of trouble here. No back

2:47:24 > 2:47:34position.

2:47:47 > 2:47:55Just a little further through them he wanted. Still two. Jamie Chestney

2:47:55 > 2:47:59lost three at the sixth end in the opening set which has caused him a

2:47:59 > 2:48:10big problem. Two against here.He is certainly reaching with this one,

2:48:10 > 2:48:19will it get back in time?Enough weight to turn it over! He drops it

2:48:19 > 2:48:25in well. Now Paul Foster has a chance to play the shot.He is going

2:48:25 > 2:48:29to attack here. It is a narrow target but he has two attack.Well,

2:48:29 > 2:48:34the ball out would be good. The green ball onto the jack would be so

2:48:34 > 2:48:55much better. Yes, see what he gets... He is in the area. A strange

2:48:55 > 2:49:05shuffle there.

2:49:06 > 2:49:11I think he would have been happy to get his front green ball, that is

2:49:11 > 2:49:21what he was looking for. Encouraging it forward to get the jack. Back to

2:49:21 > 2:49:25quarterfinal day, the Scottish International Open. A real buzz

2:49:25 > 2:49:39around the place. Some fabulous bowling.

2:49:43 > 2:49:50Both players are desperate to score at this end. Ramifications for the

2:49:50 > 2:49:54final end, if Paul Foster can pick something up. He can afford a tide

2:49:54 > 2:50:04set.

2:50:14 > 2:50:19Ooh... Just tucked it in around the corner a little bit. Still a good

2:50:19 > 2:50:29ball. Just making it a bit harder. Changing it onto the backhand. The

2:50:29 > 2:50:40red ball, effectively, the jack.

2:50:57 > 2:51:03Once again, he is in the area. Can he pick up the jack this time? He

2:51:03 > 2:51:13has. Goodness me. That is a great ball, it really is. Four balls at

2:51:13 > 2:51:17this stage in the match, to play them like that, that is hot stuff.

2:51:17 > 2:51:24It really is, from both players. Timing it beautifully, got the

2:51:24 > 2:51:35contact that he wanted.Three time-outs remaining.He might have

2:51:35 > 2:51:40to play down at this, the danger with a front plant is that it's a

2:51:40 > 2:51:50touch.

2:51:51 > 2:51:55The front plant has a touch of air, he cannot afford to play too much to

2:51:55 > 2:51:56it.

2:52:00 > 2:52:06He is watching this one. He needs the back ball first. Get the back

2:52:06 > 2:52:14ball, and then the jack. No! Not the jack...Dear oh dear! This is

2:52:14 > 2:52:28fantastic. Very unlucky. Very, very unlucky.Still has a ball to play.

2:52:28 > 2:52:33The falling back caused the problem. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

2:52:33 > 2:52:43Quiet please.

2:52:46 > 2:52:52Goodness me, that is a very tight head. Just looking to get two green

2:52:52 > 2:52:58balls, if he can. And drop back... Just over it. That was very good.

2:52:58 > 2:53:03Perfect, in fact. Now, I don't know if Paul Foster would play this or

2:53:03 > 2:53:09not but if he wants to play it, it is very much available. Green ball

2:53:09 > 2:53:16on the red. The jack should move but it will come to him. That is a

2:53:16 > 2:53:24sweetie, in the way that it is sitting.Can he get the nudge that

2:53:24 > 2:53:30he needs?He is playing for it, no doubt about that.Watching it,

2:53:30 > 2:53:41keeping a close eye... He has done it!What a bore! -- what a ball. He

2:53:41 > 2:53:46watched it all the way, we knew that he would get a result. What a

2:53:46 > 2:53:54result, when it came. Nipping out the red. Well played.You could see

2:53:54 > 2:53:59it a mile off, but in the context of the match it was incredibly

2:53:59 > 2:54:04important. The time-out called by Jamie Chestney. He's got to think

2:54:04 > 2:54:16about it. He has the best back position.The firm on the forehand.

2:54:16 > 2:54:32Ball on the jack. Just got the edge... What an effort! It is a key

2:54:32 > 2:54:40three again. It happened in the first set and has happened again. A

2:54:40 > 2:54:45key three, taking Paul Foster 6-5 ahead. Jamie Chestney has two score

2:54:45 > 2:54:58two at the final in to get a tie-break. Two better. Paul Foster,

2:54:58 > 2:55:05accumulating his own short of the day show real. -- shot of the day.

2:55:05 > 2:55:09My fingers are getting tired writing them down. He has played some good

2:55:09 > 2:55:15balls but Paul Foster has so many! I keep putting one in and changing it,

2:55:15 > 2:55:26and changing it! And we still got another match to go...So far it has

2:55:26 > 2:55:36been outstanding.

2:55:37 > 2:55:49The quarterfinal is being played at the standard of a final. The problem

2:55:49 > 2:55:54for Jamie Chestney is that he needs a double. A good start, not leaving

2:55:54 > 2:56:02anything short. Give yourself a chance... The way that he's played

2:56:02 > 2:56:05today, it takes a world champion to be an absolutely brilliant form to

2:56:05 > 2:56:17stay with him. It is close again. He just needs to run over the line...

2:56:17 > 2:56:27Nearly there!

2:56:39 > 2:56:44Fighting it on the weight. He needs to pick up the jack. He cannot

2:56:44 > 2:56:51afford to draw this cold. He needs more than one. Perfect for the job.

2:56:51 > 2:57:03Paul Foster does not like this. A little bump of the fest. The best

2:57:03 > 2:57:11back ball, the problem being, he was not looking for that. It is

2:57:11 > 2:57:23engrossing.This match whizzes through, it is such high quality. A

2:57:23 > 2:57:28little tap of the back foot. It normally means that he is close.

2:57:28 > 2:57:36Just getting down off the high line. That is the problem. Yes, again, the

2:57:36 > 2:57:41weight is perfect for what he wants. And he knows that he cannot afford

2:57:41 > 2:57:47to nip the line, it will dive across. But it is a match lie at the

2:57:47 > 2:58:01moment.Paul Foster has the back position covered. If both sides are

2:58:01 > 2:58:06no good, we look first of all at the re-spot positions. It doesn't really

2:58:06 > 2:58:12work for Jamie. Neither does that. So what does Paul Foster do? The

2:58:12 > 2:58:18perfect shot, this is the perfect shot for Paul Foster. To draw on his

2:58:18 > 2:58:23forehand, and try and drop into here, if he can. That way, any Trail

2:58:23 > 2:58:27on the jack and he could get a shot. He could play on the backhand as

2:58:27 > 2:58:37well. Available on both sides. But he wants something to dropping

2:58:37 > 2:58:44behind the jack and stop that Trail. -- drop in. He is very close to

2:58:44 > 2:58:52it... It starts to come back now... It is in a very useful place. Either

2:58:52 > 2:58:58side of the red ball was going to be very handy, in front that would have

2:58:58 > 2:59:08been perfect, but... We've got to see what Jamie has available here.

2:59:08 > 2:59:12Nothing on the forehand. Taking his own out. The jack re-spot position,

2:59:12 > 2:59:22hmm...It's hard to tell.A little Trail of the backhand.It is hard,

2:59:22 > 2:59:26though. The trouble is playing over the weight, if you are coming into

2:59:26 > 2:59:30there, what you really want to do is get the jack over here but if it

2:59:30 > 2:59:34goes over the re-spot with more weight, those two reds may come into

2:59:34 > 2:59:39play.

2:59:39 > 2:59:43Either way, it has to be a slightly overweighted shot on the backhand.

2:59:43 > 2:59:52It looks like he's going strong. What could be shot itself, not

2:59:52 > 2:59:57enough. He needs two to force the tie-break, Jamie Chestney. Something

2:59:57 > 3:00:06put him off, so they'll stop the clock. Only for a few seconds, but

3:00:06 > 3:00:14they just need to sort it.Playing it with weight, see what he can get,

3:00:14 > 3:00:24coming down... It's not enough. What an effort. From Jamie Chestney. But

3:00:24 > 3:00:33unable to defeat the world champion, who gave it his absolute all.

3:00:33 > 3:00:38Consolation, hand on the shoulder from Paul Foster but it's Paul

3:00:38 > 3:00:42Foster who goes through to the semifinal.

3:00:47 > 3:00:54Jamie Chestney will play matches where he's nowhere near on the same

3:00:54 > 3:00:58form as he was today, and he will get through. He might even win

3:00:58 > 3:01:02tournaments playing as well as that. But today against Paul Foster, it

3:01:02 > 3:01:06was a tough ask and he just couldn't make it. Paul was putting him under

3:01:06 > 3:01:11pressure on a number of ends. Having said that, Paul Foster had to play

3:01:11 > 3:01:16the big bowls and get out of trouble time after time. There, he played

3:01:16 > 3:01:21the perfect bowl, the sixth end. Oh, dropped it in, picked up three, and

3:01:21 > 3:01:27look at this. This is just special. The eighth end, everything cleared

3:01:27 > 3:01:32off. Very rare that that happens for a good Paul Foster, bang on target.

3:01:32 > 3:01:37Jamie Chestney was trying everything he could, and that was one of the

3:01:37 > 3:01:42rare occasions when the drive and go through a gap but, goodness me, he

3:01:42 > 3:01:49played some great stuff. Look at that bowl from Paul Foster, perfect.

3:01:49 > 3:01:59Fozzie through to the semifinals.In 12 of the 18 ends, one shot or next.

3:01:59 > 3:02:04It was a cracking match that Paul Foster did enough in to find himself

3:02:04 > 3:02:11in the semifinal at the Scottish International Open for 2017.Yes,

3:02:11 > 3:02:15Paul Foster through to the last four of this competition, and what a

3:02:15 > 3:02:19match it was. Some incredible shots from both players. You must be happy

3:02:19 > 3:02:29to get through.When we shook hands, I said to Jamie I think I stole it

3:02:29 > 3:02:33pulled Jamie -- I stole it. Jamie out drew me most of the game. I

3:02:33 > 3:02:37didn't play as well as I have in the last few days but he always tried

3:02:37 > 3:02:42his best and luckily managed to get over the line. Wood our commentators

3:02:42 > 3:02:46said that, on another day, if you play that well, you wouldn't only

3:02:46 > 3:02:50beat Paul Foster but you'd win tournaments, but you are against a

3:02:50 > 3:02:53guy doing conversion shots, and things were going for him, but he

3:02:53 > 3:03:00played so well.Yeah, I'm gutted, in all honesty. I didn't feel like I

3:03:00 > 3:03:05could play the last couple of ends of the first set any better, but

3:03:05 > 3:03:09that's no disrespect to Paul, because he took great bowls with the

3:03:09 > 3:03:13drive and the draw. I didn't feel as though you stole it. He played great

3:03:13 > 3:03:20as well for the Yukon to be disappointed. -- he played great as

3:03:20 > 3:03:24well. I can't be disappointed.One thing that you do that nobody else

3:03:24 > 3:03:28does, and I am sure that Jamie was gutted when you were able to do this

3:03:28 > 3:03:34in the eighth end of the first set, and my goodness, what a shot.I

3:03:34 > 3:03:39thought that Jamie's was still in. But it was incredible for the try

3:03:39 > 3:03:43that 100 times and you wouldn't get that result, but happy to hit my

3:03:43 > 3:03:47target, trying to get a couple away, and ending up with a no shot.

3:03:47 > 3:03:52Advantage to me, and that was level at the end of the first set.Out of

3:03:52 > 3:03:57was it, when you see something happens like that? Zane Grothe, like

3:03:57 > 3:04:00Paul said. It probably made a big difference to the end of the set,

3:04:00 > 3:04:13being level.-- it was tough, like Paul said.On the second set, the

3:04:13 > 3:04:17eighth end, you had to do a big conversion shots, but I guess you

3:04:17 > 3:04:21are able to play those shots with great confidence because you had

3:04:21 > 3:04:24that set in the bag.I was quite confident going down playing the

3:04:24 > 3:04:32shot. I just wanted it to dip inside to one bowl into Jamie's. It was a

3:04:32 > 3:04:39fraction under his last bowl.Jamie, you are also saying you are not

3:04:39 > 3:04:43disappointed about the way you played, the experience you got this

3:04:43 > 3:04:48week, and you are the holder of the international Open and in the top 16

3:04:48 > 3:04:51you are doing damage. You've got to be pleased with that.Yeah, pleased

3:04:51 > 3:04:57with that, but I probably won't be like that on the drive home! But I'm

3:04:57 > 3:05:01pleased to be having a chance on every tournament and hopefully I

3:05:01 > 3:05:06don't run into Paul playing like that again.If you keep playing like

3:05:06 > 3:05:10that this week, not a lot of guys in the world can live with you when you

3:05:10 > 3:05:14are.A lot of guys play top-class bowls, including Jamie. They can all

3:05:14 > 3:05:21do it. But you go out there and you hope you can bring your a game to

3:05:21 > 3:05:25the match you are playing. The first two games, I thought I slackened a

3:05:25 > 3:05:29bit. But that was down to the wave that Jamie played, putting me under

3:05:29 > 3:05:33pressure in the first two bowls. Yes, I won the game but Jamie played

3:05:33 > 3:05:37brilliant.Paul Foster is through into the last four.

3:05:37 > 3:05:44APPLAUSE Let's have a look at the semifinal

3:05:44 > 3:05:50draw as it is at the moment. We know that it will be Stepney or King up

3:05:50 > 3:05:54against Paul Foster. Paul is the fourth seed and current world

3:05:54 > 3:05:58champion. It's an old Scotland affair, Darren Burnett against David

3:05:58 > 3:06:01Gourlay. That will be live on BBC Scotland tomorrow. These join us for

3:06:01 > 3:06:07that if you can. In the meantime, stick around here because, if that

3:06:07 > 3:06:11last match is anything to go by, this final match will be brilliant.

3:06:11 > 3:06:15If you are sitting at home and wondering how you get to be as good

3:06:15 > 3:06:23as these guys, we are going to help you. Corky will show you.For this

3:06:23 > 3:06:26masterclass, I've selected a match between Ian Bond and Andrew where,

3:06:26 > 3:06:37and the first set, Ian Bond is 9-7 down, but he holds three shots and

3:06:37 > 3:06:43Andrew Ware has his last shot. Forehand drive, move the two bowls,

3:06:43 > 3:06:48it's good, but Ian Bond has another bowl to come, so he will draw it.

3:06:48 > 3:06:52Backhand drive, same situation, a chance of coming inside to get the

3:06:52 > 3:06:57bowl, but difficult, and you have to be fortunate. Whereas the forehand

3:06:57 > 3:07:02with a bitof, it pushes the bowl the jack guarantees the set. But

3:07:02 > 3:07:06anything with two feet of running is hard to play. What he decides to do

3:07:06 > 3:07:12is to play the perfect bowl. A lot of risk, but he plays the forehand,

3:07:12 > 3:07:17the bowl drops back in behind the jack, really good, second shot, Ian

3:07:17 > 3:07:21Bond, virtually no shot to play other than a draw, and has to be

3:07:21 > 3:07:26perfect to get something, so that Ware guarantees winning the set 9-8.

3:07:26 > 3:07:34He makes it look so easy, doesn't he? Let's get to the final game. We

3:07:34 > 3:07:38know all about Marvin King, he knocked out Greg Harlow. He's up

3:07:38 > 3:07:41against Michael Stepney. Let's hear from him.

3:07:46 > 3:07:52I've never played a singles game against him. I've played quite a bit

3:07:52 > 3:07:57in another series, and he is a dogged competitor. He's always there

3:07:57 > 3:08:00or thereabouts at the business end of tournaments. I know it's going be

3:08:00 > 3:08:06a really hard game against him. It's a bonus for me to be here anyway, so

3:08:06 > 3:08:10every game, it is take one game at a time. I doesn't mean -- it doesn't

3:08:10 > 3:08:14mean too much was the further on it gets, semis and final, it will

3:08:14 > 3:08:18probably mean a bit more, but just go out and do the things I've been

3:08:18 > 3:08:22doing.That is what Michael Stepney is thinking about, but let's get

3:08:22 > 3:08:28them onto the rink at Dewars Centre in Perth. Mervyn King up against the

3:08:28 > 3:08:33man from Elgin, Michael Stepney. Former winner of the British Isles

3:08:33 > 3:08:37singles title, Michael has represented his country on the

3:08:37 > 3:08:40international stage 27 times. Impressive performances against

3:08:40 > 3:08:44Stuart Anderson and Perry Martin in the previous rounds but Michael in

3:08:44 > 3:08:50the quarterfinals on merit. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm

3:08:50 > 3:09:02welcome to the bowler from Elgin, Michael Stepney!

3:09:03 > 3:09:09MUSIC: Walking On Sunshine

3:09:09 > 3:09:13The last time Mervyn King won a singles tour on the pro tour was in

3:09:13 > 3:09:182010, but don't let that U. Mervyn is the master of the draw game and

3:09:18 > 3:09:23knocking Greg Harlow out shows how deadly he can be. Ladies and

3:09:23 > 3:09:25gentlemen, please welcome the former winner of the Scottish International

3:09:25 > 3:09:36Open, Mervyn King!

3:09:37 > 3:09:39MUSIC: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

3:09:44 > 3:09:48I hope Paul and Corky have got their breath back after that last match.

3:09:48 > 3:09:53They will take you through the final one this afternoon.It was something

3:09:53 > 3:09:57special, that's for sure, and the phrase hard act to follow springs to

3:09:57 > 3:10:05mind. What it a tough one, it always is when you get a match like that.

3:10:05 > 3:10:08One of the best matches I've ever seen in terms of quality bowl of

3:10:08 > 3:10:18double. -- bowl after bowl. He is always a bit hard on himself but,

3:10:18 > 3:10:21goodness, you have to play the big bowls at the right time. That's what

3:10:21 > 3:10:31he managed to do. And Jamie was superb in that game, he really was.

3:10:31 > 3:10:38It will be a long drive when you lose like that.Lots to think about

3:10:38 > 3:10:42but lots to be positive about as well. These two gentlemen, Mervyn

3:10:42 > 3:10:48King and Michael Stepney, fighting for the unenviable task of playing

3:10:48 > 3:10:56Paul Foster in the semifinal.Well, they'll take it, for lots of

3:10:56 > 3:11:00reasons.Absolutely.Especially Michael Stepney, who is really

3:11:00 > 3:11:02looking for the ranking points.

3:11:27 > 3:11:30Mervyn King, the Norfolk man.

3:11:37 > 3:11:41I would ask you where Michael Stepney's from. What do I know

3:11:41 > 3:11:53exactly where he's from. --I know exactly where he's from. Michael

3:11:53 > 3:11:58Stepney, who lists on his form that he's from Elgin. Perhaps not quite

3:11:58 > 3:12:04as accurate as some of the maps that are available.No, his hometown is

3:12:04 > 3:12:13Elgin. Let's put it that way. It's probably the nearest town, Elgin.

3:12:13 > 3:12:19He's always played out Elgin club, irrespective of one or two people

3:12:19 > 3:12:23who like to keep things right. He is from Elgin, as far as we are

3:12:23 > 3:12:29concerned. Just hanging on to the shot, just. Hole in one.

3:12:39 > 3:12:44His good friend, Andrew Barker, is watching this, and he will tell us

3:12:44 > 3:12:48as well but he's from Elgin. I hope Andrew's well.

3:12:59 > 3:13:07Plenty of fine places close to Elgin, of course. Including Milton

3:13:07 > 3:13:13Duff. If you from there, nearest town is Elgin.Well, he's not from

3:13:13 > 3:13:21there.No, he's not. Birkhead. That's where he lives, nine miles

3:13:21 > 3:13:24outside Elgin.

3:13:31 > 3:13:39Four short bowls.I don't think Michael can take advantage of it.

3:13:39 > 3:13:46Doesn't look to be a very good way through. The draw shot round, tries

3:13:46 > 3:13:52to touch the jack. He'll be happy if he can get on the card.

3:14:02 > 3:14:10He will do well to get another with this one. It wasn't an easy one.

3:14:18 > 3:14:22The other difficulty in a match like this is that they have to take their

3:14:22 > 3:14:28time, because there are a lot of people coming in to take their seats

3:14:28 > 3:14:34again, after a long session this afternoon.There will be a bit of

3:14:34 > 3:14:43noise in the background as people return.That will not stop Michael

3:14:43 > 3:14:54Stepney, I can assure you. He does not get disturbed too much.

3:15:06 > 3:15:08Another good opener.

3:15:46 > 3:15:48APPLAUSE

3:16:14 > 3:16:17Again, two good opening bowls from Michael Stepney.

3:16:45 > 3:16:50Sensible stuff. Going deep. Two bowls in there. Mervyn King,

3:16:50 > 3:16:53sticking with the draw. A lot of players would have attacked that

3:16:53 > 3:16:55head.

3:17:03 > 3:17:06I think he will with the next one.

3:17:40 > 3:17:50Well, this is worth arriving into. Solid jack would be good for Mervyn,

3:17:50 > 3:17:55but there is a plant also, green ball onto jack, which is pushing it

3:17:55 > 3:18:01over towards the red ball. Two or three chances. Inside line,

3:18:01 > 3:18:05controlled weight. Just a matter of getting back from a wide target. He

3:18:05 > 3:18:16was after the plant. So hard to get back there.Didn't miss by much, but

3:18:16 > 3:18:30that's all it takes. A good start for the Scotsman. Small margins

3:18:30 > 3:18:36indeed, but it was the right shot to play.

3:19:06 > 3:19:16Preferring the shorter length of jack. 24.5 metres. The third world

3:19:16 > 3:19:20Bowls tour singles event from Michael Stepney, but he has won the

3:19:20 > 3:19:27Scottish Champion of champions on this very carpet. The last time was

3:19:27 > 3:19:352015, against his good friend and clubmate, Andrew Parker.He has had

3:19:35 > 3:19:38plenty of time on the portable. He made his way to the world final as

3:19:38 > 3:19:42well. The world pairs final.

3:20:09 > 3:20:16It's close the shot. -- it is close for shot.

3:20:31 > 3:20:37Almost very well played again. Just holding up. He is questioning

3:20:37 > 3:20:42himself, Mervyn King, a lot of the bowls short. Not by much, but

3:20:42 > 3:20:56enough.The players only had an opportunity to play two trial ends.

3:20:56 > 3:21:03Just like competition is back up their own club.I slightly favour

3:21:03 > 3:21:16your front bowl. 15 inches short of jack high.Mervyn would almost

3:21:16 > 3:21:19expect to come around the outside bowl. That is what he will be

3:21:19 > 3:21:21trying.

3:21:27 > 3:21:34Just over the weight. Back to centre rink nicely, though. Slightly off

3:21:34 > 3:21:42it, but enough. There is a shot for Michael if he wants to come inside.

3:21:59 > 3:22:06Oh, he has played one! Well played! APPLAUSE

3:22:06 > 3:22:21Good bowling, good drawing. Beautifully done. Judged perfectly.

3:22:21 > 3:22:27Just took it round the corner. I would always be hopeful of getting

3:22:27 > 3:22:31that kind of support when I am playing. It certainly won't happen

3:22:31 > 3:22:40tonight!Mervyn King just wanted to play into his own.The

3:22:40 > 3:22:45follow-through, nearly made it. Nice weight again from Mervyn. The shot

3:22:45 > 3:22:54bowl is there to be removed. What he was probably looking for was his own

3:22:54 > 3:23:03red one, rather than the green. It nearly worked for him. The opening

3:23:03 > 3:23:06three ends the way of the Scotsman.

3:23:25 > 3:23:28Jack length, 24 metres.

3:24:05 > 3:24:07APPLAUSE

3:24:12 > 3:24:15Just short of jack high.

3:24:59 > 3:25:09I am still surprised he is playing this. It is so hard to play over the

3:25:09 > 3:25:11weight.

3:25:18 > 3:25:24Good bowl. Didn't take advantage of the shot that was available on the

3:25:24 > 3:25:30backhand. Might be enough to draw it.

3:25:42 > 3:25:47Mervyn, trying to take away the danger by playing through it.

3:25:51 > 3:26:03Well, that will give him the shot. It just snuck across. Both players

3:26:03 > 3:26:07have a bowl to come.Just as well he has another one to come, because

3:26:07 > 3:26:12that red bowl is looking quite lonely in there.

3:26:25 > 3:26:32That is asking a lot, at this length. It was fighting. That

3:26:32 > 3:26:38length, he pushed it out very wide and it had got really good weight.

3:26:38 > 3:26:42This will be a cheap double on the end.

3:27:05 > 3:27:13The question is, is he running? Dropped away. That might hurt, and

3:27:13 > 3:27:21that really is a missed chance. That should have been two.It was a mess.

3:27:21 > 3:27:28That was a chance for the extra shot. But he is on the card.I feel

3:27:28 > 3:27:39he missed a week trick there. -- a wee trick. At 4-0 down, you need to

3:27:39 > 3:27:43make those, and Mervyn is usually very good at them.

3:28:05 > 3:28:08Going to the longer jack length, Mervyn King.

3:29:01 > 3:29:05The change of lengths, you've missed with your first one, you want to get

3:29:05 > 3:29:12the correction with this. It looks a better line.Well, it's all about

3:29:12 > 3:29:18weight. He hasn't done enough to get past the front red.

3:29:31 > 3:29:39A good day for the Scots.Just having a look back. Cannot

3:29:39 > 3:29:42remember... I think this is the 11th year that I've done this, and I

3:29:42 > 3:29:50can't remember that there has ever been all four Scots making up a

3:29:50 > 3:29:52semifinal line-up. It's been English dominated before.

3:30:02 > 3:30:07This is where it struggles to get back. You make the correction on

3:30:07 > 3:30:12weight and you just fade off the high side. This is a very loose end,

3:30:12 > 3:30:16by Michael Stepney. He's going to have to pluck something out with his

3:30:16 > 3:30:17last delivery.

3:30:35 > 3:30:39Holes and gaps. But it's very drawable. Michael will not want to

3:30:39 > 3:30:45go through the gap. Choices here. He can still try and draw it, or he can

3:30:45 > 3:30:58play heavy. Sticking with the draw. The draw is to get the number one

3:30:58 > 3:31:01shot, the heavy shop, which is damage limitation. This needs to

3:31:01 > 3:31:12run. -- the heavy shot. He's taken two off, I think.With four against,

3:31:12 > 3:31:16to flip two off would be a result.

3:31:21 > 3:31:23A strange end from Michael.

3:31:29 > 3:31:35It was just little things that were wrong, a bit offline, a bit of

3:31:35 > 3:31:37dropped weight, not bringing yourself through because you don't

3:31:37 > 3:31:43want to be short, and all of a sudden your opponent is lying three,

3:31:43 > 3:31:50and then Mervyn King draws a four. To short bowls almost certainly end

3:31:50 > 3:31:55up -- inevitably end up with an over correction. Having said that, he

3:31:55 > 3:32:00managed to get in and take two off for the last. So a good recovery.

3:32:00 > 3:32:05Surprise again that Mervyn King has taken it long.

3:32:29 > 3:32:43A better first bowl.It makes the difference.The gap is four inches.

3:32:43 > 3:32:47First bowl, gap is 15 inches.

3:33:01 > 3:33:07Well, this time, it's Mervyn dropping short of the first two

3:33:07 > 3:33:10bowls, and a chance for Michael.

3:33:26 > 3:33:33Just didn't have the weight. The other problem with Mervyn King's

3:33:33 > 3:33:37bowls is because they are directly in the line. If Michael Stepney had

3:33:37 > 3:33:42put that one just behind, hard to run it.

3:33:48 > 3:33:59That's better.

3:34:00 > 3:34:05Slightly favour yours, Michael, but it's very close. Last bowl is

3:34:05 > 3:34:18slightly Ali half an inch past, jack high. -- last bowl is half an inch

3:34:18 > 3:34:20past.

3:34:28 > 3:34:32Well, that will be enough. That's probably moved it an inch.

3:34:32 > 3:34:38Definitely one green now.Sliding it across the carpet.

3:34:47 > 3:34:48With no doubt.

3:35:07 > 3:35:16Struggling for weight again. Just one bowl has managed to make it up.

3:35:16 > 3:35:22Michael not playing his last bowl. I'm surprised at that.One shot,

3:35:22 > 3:35:31Michael Stepney.Hmm, oh well. I thought he might have reached that

3:35:31 > 3:35:36with the bowl and put it out for free.Michael is indicating that he

3:35:36 > 3:35:41wondered if that all would fall and ticket shop. -- if that all would

3:35:41 > 3:35:48fall. I thought, there is a great shot on for three, but the fear was,

3:35:48 > 3:35:53if he missed it and the bowl fell down, he wouldn't actually get the

3:35:53 > 3:35:59shot.He is closer to the action, that wise man. Bird in the hand, and

3:35:59 > 3:36:07all that stuff.Now, that could be close.It's going to be very close,

3:36:07 > 3:36:22because the mat is up a metre. Look at this.Yes, it is a veto.Minimum

3:36:22 > 3:36:25distance is 23 metres from the front edge of the mat to the closest edge

3:36:25 > 3:36:31of the jack it will be interesting to see.At this level, they use this

3:36:31 > 3:36:41long tape. At my club, this is what they use to measure my shots.Well,

3:36:41 > 3:36:47these ones, they are mega shots. They are spring-loaded. You have to

3:36:47 > 3:36:54be very careful with them, because they are metal. They could take the

3:36:54 > 3:37:04edge of a finger off very easily. A lot of club ones about the wind-up

3:37:04 > 3:37:09cloth -- a lot of club ones have got the wind-up cloth. They take longer

3:37:09 > 3:37:21to wind up but are very safe.He knew all 11. -- all along.If it had

3:37:21 > 3:37:28dropped in, Michael would have managed to get his shot length.This

3:37:28 > 3:37:37makes all the distance in the world, 28.5 against 29.A decent looking

3:37:37 > 3:37:44start, isn't it?Yeah. He'll take it, that's for sure. Good opening.

3:38:07 > 3:38:10Last bowl, four inches short.

3:38:18 > 3:38:26He's going to have a little go at this.Not getting his own bowl.

3:38:26 > 3:38:31That's a typical aggressive shot from Michael Stepney. But not sure

3:38:31 > 3:38:41if it was really the right time to do it. Well, it's just a forehand

3:38:41 > 3:38:46draw, he could rest the bowl off, return the jack.

3:38:52 > 3:38:58Does that make it any more tempting? Well, two in it, a B. Might go

3:38:58 > 3:39:04again. Still a good shot to come off his own for the jack.

3:39:13 > 3:39:18Both bowls off the rink.

3:39:42 > 3:39:47That dropped down on the jack. Michael might be tempted to go

3:39:47 > 3:39:59again, because he... Losing one more. Needs the two bowls. Well,

3:39:59 > 3:40:06he's got them. In terms of the jack going through, that jack looks like

3:40:06 > 3:40:09it might still be in play, and the toucher is in the ditch. That's not

3:40:09 > 3:40:18going to be easy to beat. Yeah, well in play. He'll move the mat and the

3:40:18 > 3:40:25three bowls off the rink.A great angle, that, right down the rink,

3:40:25 > 3:40:32and you can see what Mervyn King has to do.He's going to have to play

3:40:32 > 3:40:38across it. The only danger he really has is actually going off the edge

3:40:38 > 3:40:46of the rink, rather than the ditch side, just drawing too much. I think

3:40:46 > 3:40:55he's safe enough.And he's drawn a good shot.He played that well. It

3:40:55 > 3:40:56wasn't easy.

3:41:04 > 3:41:07It was a mistake from Michael Stepney to concede the jack. He then

3:41:07 > 3:41:12found himself under pressure, three weighted shots, Toulouse just a

3:41:12 > 3:41:30single in the end. He'll be happy enough. --. Two to play.

3:41:30 > 3:41:32Back-to-back Scottish International Open quarterfinals for Mervyn King

3:41:32 > 3:41:36last season full stop he lost it to Robert Paxton.

3:41:51 > 3:41:57Mervyn King, series 14. Michael Stepney, unseeded, wild card entry

3:41:57 > 3:42:10into the tournament.That's really based on his previous performances.

3:42:10 > 3:42:13Obviously, being a local man helps, too. But he is more than justified

3:42:13 > 3:42:21the wild card selection. When he was playing Stewart Anderson, I was

3:42:21 > 3:42:28thinking, that's a very tough draw for Stewart on a wild card. Well

3:42:28 > 3:42:35played, still one red.Stuart Anderson with a tie-break in round

3:42:35 > 3:42:45one. A fellow giant killer. Perry Martin in round two, to set up this

3:42:45 > 3:42:48quarterfinal tie.

3:42:53 > 3:42:59Michael played one of the best bowls of the event to win that match.

3:42:59 > 3:43:06Forehand off the centre of the rink, taking Stewart Anderson's bowls out

3:43:06 > 3:43:09clean as a whistle.

3:43:13 > 3:43:18Top quality, this, no doubt about it. Some very good bowling.

3:43:34 > 3:43:38That dropped in probably about 12, maybe 13 inches behind the jack, and

3:43:38 > 3:43:49not a murmur.Tough crowd! Expectations are high, I think it's

3:43:49 > 3:43:51fair to say.

3:44:07 > 3:44:09Mervyn running for cover.

3:44:20 > 3:44:25Choices here for Michael. He needs another tall tap on the bowl on the

3:44:25 > 3:44:30backhand, to move the jack. A tap on the jack on the forehand to rest the

3:44:30 > 3:44:37bowl off for a double. Can't afford to be too heavy, otherwise it will

3:44:37 > 3:44:48scamper through. Played it just over the weight. He was tapping his leg

3:44:48 > 3:44:54on the way down the rink. Such a difficult shot to play.Both players

3:44:54 > 3:45:03have one still to play. He does not want to disturb it. But nor does he

3:45:03 > 3:45:10want to leave it to chance that his opponent won't play.Time-out.

3:45:10 > 3:45:16Mervyn has four time-outs remaining. First time out taken by Mervyn King.

3:45:16 > 3:45:20What he is worried about is this area. The re-spot position, which is

3:45:20 > 3:45:29over here, is not really a concern at the moment. But the jack could

3:45:29 > 3:45:33end up there if he goes heavy at it. He wants to split into that area of

3:45:33 > 3:45:35three green bowls.

3:45:48 > 3:45:53That's not bad. He's come across a little bit too far, in my opinion.

3:45:53 > 3:45:58He really wanted to be about a foot wider than that. Michael is looking

3:45:58 > 3:46:02at the re-spot.

3:46:09 > 3:46:15The drive, well, if he drives that, and that jack goes out... The

3:46:15 > 3:46:22problem for the drive for Michael is that if he hits into this bowl, his

3:46:22 > 3:46:25own two green balls will disappear, the jack will go on the re-spot and

3:46:25 > 3:46:30he could easily be a couple down. And at the moment he is only one. So

3:46:30 > 3:46:35he has to think about this. One is not a disaster.

3:46:40 > 3:46:54Well, he went for it.He got a good result. The plant might be

3:46:54 > 3:47:02profitable.It looks like a shot. Could be two. It is two. What a shot

3:47:02 > 3:47:10that was.Good shot. Well, he called it, knew exactly what he wanted to

3:47:10 > 3:47:18do. Wanted to drive it off without damaging his own bowls.There were

3:47:18 > 3:47:22two reds to hit, and he got the inside one, the perfect one. He

3:47:22 > 3:47:26really did not want the shot bowl, so he took a big risk and it paid

3:47:26 > 3:47:35off. Well played, Michael Stepney.A little look at the scoreboard behind

3:47:35 > 3:47:41him. What he will see will make him very happy.

3:47:50 > 3:47:54You get your first bowl in, you feel so much better, put the pressure on

3:47:54 > 3:48:02your opponent. Neatly behind.

3:48:45 > 3:48:48That is an excellent bowl, it really is. When your opponent is looking

3:48:48 > 3:48:51for three.

3:49:16 > 3:49:27It's going to be tough now. Michael, looking to come around into position

3:49:27 > 3:49:35on the blindside, so that Mervyn can't see it. That is good, that's

3:49:35 > 3:49:37really good, actually. That's going to make it very difficult.

3:49:44 > 3:49:49It shows even the difference that extra shot made at the last end, to

3:49:49 > 3:50:02be 7-4. Mervyn, way under there. Well, that's the thing, 7-4, or 5-5.

3:50:02 > 3:50:08Totally different situation, obviously.Even 6-4 is different,

3:50:08 > 3:50:12chasing two, not three.Chasing three is hard, it really is.

3:50:25 > 3:50:27He has split the red.

3:50:36 > 3:50:41Tactically, just a very good and from Michael. He has left Mervyn

3:50:41 > 3:50:45with virtually nothing to play.

3:50:54 > 3:51:03Just a practice shot.That's all it is. There was no way he was getting

3:51:03 > 3:51:06himself three.

3:51:15 > 3:51:18It's the first set of the competition that Mervyn King has

3:51:18 > 3:51:22dropped. He drops it to Michael Stepney. The Scot takes the opening

3:51:22 > 3:51:31set. He started the set well, and ended the set well.

3:51:52 > 3:51:58Last season and unseeded player got through to the quarterfinals. He

3:51:58 > 3:52:04could not find his way to the final, losing in that quarter. Michael

3:52:04 > 3:52:10Stepney has given himself a fabulous chance.

3:53:23 > 3:53:28Again, short bowls from Mervyn King, not intentional.That has been his

3:53:28 > 3:53:33Achilles' heel in this match. Just too many short balls, leaving him

3:53:33 > 3:53:44out of position. Well, it is all a bit wayward, this end. So there is a

3:53:44 > 3:53:46chance to drop another one in.

3:53:59 > 3:54:07I don't think he had the weight anyway. A shake of the head. I can't

3:54:07 > 3:54:13blame him.Especially when you are thinking you are putting the weight

3:54:13 > 3:54:23on.Mervyn is usually so very accurate. Michael deciding to play

3:54:23 > 3:54:28the backhand. The shot bowl is on the backhand, so he might as well.

3:54:28 > 3:54:32If he drops inside and moves the jack, it is worth three. Yes, he is

3:54:32 > 3:54:38therefore the shot anyway.

3:54:46 > 3:54:49Last bowl, the gap is ten inches.

3:54:54 > 3:55:00He stays down the same side, looking for improvement.It is the over

3:55:00 > 3:55:09correction problem.Yes, it is. A loose end from both, but only one

3:55:09 > 3:55:13shot dropped.Mervyn will be thinking, I got away with that. A

3:55:13 > 3:55:19shocking end. Michael Stepney wasn't an awful lot better, to be fair. He

3:55:19 > 3:55:24scored the single. The two players will be glad to kick those bowls

3:55:24 > 3:55:33away. Not too much damage done. Uncharacteristically loose from

3:55:33 > 3:55:36both. The first set, full of entertainment.

3:55:51 > 3:55:54There have been fewer tie-breaks in the Scottish International open this

3:55:54 > 3:56:03year than in previous years. Mervyn King needs a set to force one.Yes,

3:56:03 > 3:56:06but there have been some great matches, and quite long matches,

3:56:06 > 3:56:11considering the shot clock spare. People have been taking their time,

3:56:11 > 3:56:18and others have been very fast, but super to watch.

3:56:23 > 3:56:27The entertainment level has been high, and it will continue for the

3:56:27 > 3:56:41semifinals tomorrow. Mervyn King, a better bowl.It is touching the

3:56:41 > 3:56:45jack, and it is four inches short of jack high.

3:57:02 > 3:57:03My goodness me.

3:57:08 > 3:57:15Just caught the edge on the way underneath. Take it all while you

3:57:15 > 3:57:26can. Mervyn is after him.Very firm, lifts him out. Beautifully played. A

3:57:26 > 3:57:35unruffled, Mervyn King.You will not ruffle Mervyn King too much. This is

3:57:35 > 3:57:39a man that runs about with a 12 bore most of the time in the back of his

3:57:39 > 3:57:45car, the back of the Land Rover.You are wise not to ruffle him, to be

3:57:45 > 3:57:54honest. He is a laid-back character. Involved in hosting a lot of shoots

3:57:54 > 3:57:58and various other activities, like doorman, Mervyn King.

3:58:04 > 3:58:14McKee fields, 4x4, dogs, gun, happy man. -- messy fields.

3:58:38 > 3:58:43There was space left, as Mervyn didn't make anything with his third.

3:58:43 > 3:58:49And that allows Stepney to come in. Like the last end, really, a bit

3:58:49 > 3:58:56loose. One red ball in, and Michael beats it with his last. Can Mervyn

3:58:56 > 3:58:58make a change this time?

3:59:08 > 3:59:14Down the inside track, try and pluck the bowl out. Gets the edge and runs

3:59:14 > 3:59:24through the gap. There he goes, he played it very well. Good

3:59:24 > 3:59:31conversion, one down to two up. Nicked it out cleanly.Just working

3:59:31 > 3:59:35out the angles. Played it beautifully.

4:00:03 > 4:00:08Jack length, 29 metres.Again, going long.

4:00:44 > 4:00:49Chased him.Oh, just fell back.

4:01:09 > 4:01:12That's more like the Mervyn King that we are used to.

4:01:25 > 4:01:28Best two opening bowls to an end for Mervyn King today. It's a very

4:01:28 > 4:01:36narrow target.Surprised he decided to play it forehand. The jack was a

4:01:36 > 4:01:45bit more open in the backhand. It's almost impossible to wing his own

4:01:45 > 4:01:53bowl out without taking the reds. Won't be surprised if Mervyn pops

4:01:53 > 4:01:55another one in.

4:01:59 > 4:02:03He's got that sort of memory, Mervyn. If he does it with one, he

4:02:03 > 4:02:05can do it with three.

4:02:09 > 4:02:18It's not a toucher, no.Michael has two bowls left. I think he has to go

4:02:18 > 4:02:25for it again, try and disturb it. Mervyn King's last wasn't a toucher.

4:02:25 > 4:02:32As close as you are likely to get. Look at that!All three! Dear, oh

4:02:32 > 4:02:40dear! Good strike, but a maximum result. He sort of waved over at

4:02:40 > 4:02:46Mervyn on the way past there. I'll take that all day! A breed strike,

4:02:46 > 4:02:53but he got all three of the red bowls. -- a brilliant strike. One of

4:02:53 > 4:02:59them went up the rink.If you are going to get past a player like

4:02:59 > 4:03:02Mervyn King, you've got to get a break or two.

4:03:08 > 4:03:16He'll be fully expecting to draw this. Needs to break. -- break. It's

4:03:16 > 4:03:27just falls back. I think he's OK. Having a look at it.That's close,

4:03:27 > 4:03:37Michael. I'd say it's the red bowl, but it's close.From 25 yards away,

4:03:37 > 4:03:43I can see it. It's not going to change Michael's shot. Just need to

4:03:43 > 4:03:51draw it. Although he looks pretty quick as well. Oh, dear, oh, dear,

4:03:51 > 4:03:57that's a massive chance missed, it really is.Struggling slightly at

4:03:57 > 4:04:04that full length. The two players will have a lookit's far enough

4:04:04 > 4:04:10away to get the measure out. The referee will sort it out for us.His

4:04:10 > 4:04:17only hope was that the green bowl would touch the red bowl and break.

4:04:22 > 4:04:31Green bowl checked first.Must admit, if we'd put money on both

4:04:31 > 4:04:36players being within a foot or so of the jack. -- I would have put money

4:04:36 > 4:04:52on both players.Yes, it's red. Well, I knew that!There you go.

4:04:52 > 4:04:55Even from the commentary position, I could see that was red.

4:05:00 > 4:05:02Well, it's not tremendous damage, bearing in mind that Michael had

4:05:02 > 4:05:09three against him when he hit the head, and in the end he's lost one.

4:05:09 > 4:05:11Good recovery. Take a positive out of it.

4:05:24 > 4:05:28Michael Stepney struggling a bit at length, and Mervyn certainly keeping