Semi-finals - Live

0:00:29 > 0:00:41The Stone of Scone, upon which the ancient kings of Scotland were

0:00:41 > 0:00:41crowned. Very soon, a few miles from here, another Scot will reign

0:00:41 > 0:00:48supreme.Managed to knock a couple of the seeds out. Here's hoping we

0:00:48 > 0:00:55can carry on.Delighted to get to the semifinal. Playing well, not the

0:00:55 > 0:01:00best quarterfinal, but I'm going to do my best.You have to be prepared

0:01:00 > 0:01:04to battle. You can't play well every civil time. It's about getting over

0:01:04 > 0:01:10the line on a tough day.When it gets down to tie-breaks, one shot,

0:01:10 > 0:01:15it can be very difficult and sometimes things fall for you.

0:01:15 > 0:01:20Paulista at the top. Is there for a reason. Here's hoping he may be has

0:01:20 > 0:01:25an off day and I have a good day. Don't underestimate Michael Stepney,

0:01:25 > 0:01:31a top-class player.He's one of Scotland's top players and you don't

0:01:31 > 0:01:35get that accolade lightly.Darren has the ability to win games when

0:01:35 > 0:01:38he's not playing well. When he's on top, it's almost impossible to beat

0:01:38 > 0:01:42him.It's another game. You have to go out there and play the best you

0:01:42 > 0:01:49can. Every game is final.Everybody knows if I could play the game I can

0:01:49 > 0:01:55plate then I will be hard to beat. The semifinal is probably the

0:01:55 > 0:01:58hardest to lose because you are just one game away from the final.And

0:01:58 > 0:02:05all Scottish semifinal.Four men standing.Go along or go home.Bring

0:02:05 > 0:02:11it on.Bring it on indeed. Both matches a battle royal to see will

0:02:11 > 0:02:13be crowned the next King of Scotland. The

0:02:13 > 0:02:16be crowned the next King of Scotland. The first semifinal coming

0:02:16 > 0:02:20up is Michael Stepney, the qualifier, against five-time world

0:02:20 > 0:02:25champion Paul Foster MBE. The second one, a little later this afternoon,

0:02:25 > 0:02:31Darren Burnett against former world champion David Gourlay. Hello and a

0:02:31 > 0:02:34very warm welcome to the Dewars Centre in Perth for the Co-op

0:02:34 > 0:02:42funeral care Scottish International open. Only four men standing. This

0:02:42 > 0:02:48is the first time ever here at Perth in the International open that we

0:02:48 > 0:02:51have had four Scotsmen in the semifinal. They all playing very

0:02:51 > 0:02:56well. David, I have to say the standard we have seen this week

0:02:56 > 0:03:02equals the best we have seen, if not better.There have been some great

0:03:02 > 0:03:15games. I thought Jamie Chestney was outstanding and Michael Stepney

0:03:15 > 0:03:21stood up past.We'll devote to the first match, Michael Stepney against

0:03:21 > 0:03:25Paul Foster. Let's look at the Gourlay match, against a Darren

0:03:25 > 0:03:28Burnett, who will be the player playing at the Commonwealth Games,

0:03:28 > 0:03:33trying to regain his gold medal. But David Gourlay is his coach for that

0:03:33 > 0:03:39competition. Today they go toe to toe.He is his coach, but he will

0:03:39 > 0:03:42make Darren be aware of everything he has to do, no more than that. You

0:03:42 > 0:03:49will not tell him how to play shots, believe me. To get the opportunity

0:03:49 > 0:03:52for years later to defend gold is very rare. That's a great accolade

0:03:52 > 0:03:58for him.Let's talk about the match coming up. Paul Foster seems to be

0:03:58 > 0:04:02the man playing the most incredible shots all week. Playing shots other

0:04:02 > 0:04:08people don't seem to see or attempt. Absolutely. But Paul has one of the

0:04:08 > 0:04:12fastest drives in the game. Pushing the other ball onto the Jack and it

0:04:12 > 0:04:18splits. We knew where it was going. If he hit the jack clean with his

0:04:18 > 0:04:21own bought it would have split into a million pieces and nobody would

0:04:21 > 0:04:28have known what to do. Look at the power. So quick and so fast. And so

0:04:28 > 0:04:32accurate.This was the pinball Wizard shot that cleared the rink.

0:04:32 > 0:04:37But there is much more to Paul's game. It's not just drive and, he

0:04:37 > 0:04:44has a beautiful draw as well.As the core of all the players. Those shots

0:04:44 > 0:04:48look great, they are spectacular, fun, and they raise the crowd. But

0:04:48 > 0:04:52the reality of winning is all about the draw shot. That's exactly what

0:04:52 > 0:04:56these players are so good at. Michael Stepney has been hugely

0:04:56 > 0:05:00impressive, knocking out big names along the way and he deserved to be

0:05:00 > 0:05:05in the last four.Absolutely. I have known Michael a long time in the

0:05:05 > 0:05:09international series. He came up through the Belfast qualifiers. He

0:05:09 > 0:05:14is popular and came into the tournament and you think, he's not

0:05:14 > 0:05:19just one of these qualifying or wild card players. Michael Stepney can

0:05:19 > 0:05:24battle with the best.David, off you go to the commentary box. It will be

0:05:24 > 0:05:31a fantastic afternoon of bowls. We also have the ladies final coming up

0:05:31 > 0:05:35after these semifinals. Let's get the gladiators out onto the rink.

0:05:35 > 0:05:40Paul Foster against Michael Stepney. When Michael knocked out the seventh

0:05:40 > 0:05:47seed, Stuart Anderson, in the first round, others might have been

0:05:47 > 0:05:53surprised, but not those around Scottish bowls to no -- who know how

0:05:53 > 0:06:00good this man is. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a very warm

0:06:00 > 0:06:07welcome to the former British Isles singles champion, Michael Stepney.

0:06:23 > 0:06:27Picking a shot of the day, esteemed commentator David Cork Row has

0:06:27 > 0:06:32struggled to see beyond Paul Foster. Some of the shops this week have

0:06:32 > 0:06:35been nothing short of miraculous. It seems he has every shot in his

0:06:35 > 0:06:39armoury and knows how to execute them. Ladies and gentlemen, please

0:06:39 > 0:06:45give a huge welcome to the reigning five times world champion, Paul

0:06:45 > 0:06:54Foster.

0:07:03 > 0:07:13To take you through both semifinals this afternoon Paul Mitchell joins

0:07:13 > 0:07:18David Corkill. COMMENTATOR: Good afternoon everyone. Few people have

0:07:18 > 0:07:21enjoyed Perth more this week than Paul Foster. Has played

0:07:21 > 0:07:25exceptionally well. Making headlines with shots and making yet another

0:07:25 > 0:07:31semifinal. It's only the third time in bowls history it's an all

0:07:31 > 0:07:38Scottish semifinal line-up. Paul Foster has been in all three. The

0:07:38 > 0:07:43first time it has happened at the Scottish International open.

0:08:26 > 0:08:34Both these players will be playing with strong biased balls. And that's

0:08:34 > 0:08:40the reason why. You want to get back into the central rink.

0:09:07 > 0:09:10It will not help Paul Foster with the backhand, the way the ball has

0:09:10 > 0:09:15dropped. That's why he's moving to the forehand.

0:09:24 > 0:09:29Just short, and he knew it quite quickly.

0:09:49 > 0:09:57Better line, just drifting behind. One green.

0:10:09 > 0:10:15Pulls up short again, the same bowl.

0:10:22 > 0:10:27Michael might be tempted down the backhand's gap there. Just day in

0:10:27 > 0:10:34himself on his own. Controlled, doesn't want to be too heavy. --

0:10:34 > 0:10:40just stay in himself. Has to run a bit to get past the green to this

0:10:40 > 0:10:48line. I think you probably could have used more weight than that.

0:10:57 > 0:11:06Paul Foster on the card first. Scottish international, playing for

0:11:06 > 0:11:18a place in the Scottish International open final.

0:11:18 > 0:11:28Klinger the quarterfinal tie against Jamie Chestney, at the first end of

0:11:28 > 0:11:33the match, uncharacteristic. It was a terrific game yesterday.

0:12:12 > 0:12:13In when you

0:12:18 > 0:12:22in many ways Michael Stepney has achieved what he wanted to do,

0:12:22 > 0:12:26making it to the latter stages of the competition. Everything from now

0:12:26 > 0:12:30is a bonus. He will be thinking of the ranking points and how to

0:12:30 > 0:12:36accumulate them.The ranking points make up the top 16 and the top 16

0:12:36 > 0:12:39are automatically invited to the top singles events. It's the place to

0:12:39 > 0:12:44be.And the chance to play in the world pairs as well. And if you are

0:12:44 > 0:12:51in the top eight you get a chance to play in the mixed pairs.

0:12:57 > 0:13:02Lots of prizes for making your way up into the elite.

0:13:16 > 0:13:20Not like Paul to drop that one. The third jack is usually very

0:13:20 > 0:13:36effective. -- the third bowl is usually very effective. He needs to

0:13:36 > 0:13:41hurry a little bit to get past the green. That's more or less closed

0:13:41 > 0:13:45down the draw, I think on the backhand. Paul struggled to get to

0:13:45 > 0:13:52it. He could come round it, actually, looking at it from that

0:13:52 > 0:13:59angle. It's available both sides. They both have problems in terms of

0:13:59 > 0:14:02getting close.

0:14:19 > 0:14:26It's all just a matter of how much he can pull back. Just didn't make

0:14:26 > 0:14:34it in time. This would go down as a chance because both red bowls are in

0:14:34 > 0:14:39the past. He can play this with some confidence.

0:14:48 > 0:14:56The Queen draw is the way to go but the red bowl is there as well.Kept

0:14:56 > 0:15:09it wide. -- the Queen draw. -- the clean draw.Might have dropped back

0:15:09 > 0:15:16in. It's hard to tell. Paul Foster is pretty good at this.

0:15:26 > 0:15:31Might sound harsh, but a little miss there.Yes, it was a good

0:15:31 > 0:15:37opportunity. Wasn't particularly easy, but there are some players who

0:15:37 > 0:15:40are extremely good when it comes to measuring. And there are some who

0:15:40 > 0:15:45are just not as good. Quite often the players will ask for an opinion

0:15:45 > 0:15:51from the marker as well. Because they are usually more accurate.

0:15:56 > 0:16:02Alan Thornhill is the marker this afternoon.

0:16:14 > 0:16:22Three officials are involved, the shot clock operator, as well as the

0:16:22 > 0:16:30umpire.Yes, it takes quite a number of officials and they operate very

0:16:30 > 0:16:33much as a team.

0:17:06 > 0:17:12This is what Paul Foster will be looking for. Michael, he has the odd

0:17:12 > 0:17:16Lucent and Paul Foster will be hoping to pick up the shots on

0:17:16 > 0:17:19multiples. But Michael Stepney has all the shots, can get himself out

0:17:19 > 0:17:33of trouble.It's his jack length, once through and one short. Has to

0:17:33 > 0:17:38be better. It comes.

0:17:43 > 0:17:57Now a change from Paul Foster. Draw onto the red bowl and fall in.

0:17:57 > 0:18:03Didn't even need the shoulder. Michael Stepney might come in to hit

0:18:03 > 0:18:17this.Two green.Would be very unlucky to take out his own bowl.

0:18:17 > 0:18:25Certainly worth hitting.The first waited back shot of the match.Into

0:18:25 > 0:18:31the green it goes. There is always that possibility, but he has taken a

0:18:31 > 0:18:41poll out. -- taken a bowl out. Hit very solid, so the other two

0:18:41 > 0:18:45disappeared. He really wanted into the jack but he was probably going

0:18:45 > 0:18:49to lose the double.

0:19:02 > 0:19:11APPLAUSE Two shots, Paul Foster.

0:19:29 > 0:19:35Interesting to see what length Paul Foster goes here.

0:19:40 > 0:19:45Jack length, 25 metres.He's going to his default length whenever

0:19:45 > 0:19:53things are tight. Last time he put for bowls within inches of them.

0:19:53 > 0:20:02He's gone to that jack length that he's so good at. It's a good

0:20:02 > 0:20:07starter, but he probably won't be happy with it.

0:20:22 > 0:20:25runs that out.

0:20:30 > 0:20:44Onto the forehand for Paul Foster. He has turned his back on it.On

0:20:44 > 0:20:48your bowl, the gap is half an inch.

0:21:30 > 0:21:37Well, a chance here. Michael, if you were very confident you would play

0:21:37 > 0:21:40beforehand, turn it around the corner, so Paul doesn't have the

0:21:40 > 0:21:45chance to cover. If he leaves it, can't blame him. Playing the

0:21:45 > 0:21:51backhand because he has put two good bowls in. The only danger with that,

0:21:51 > 0:21:56you're leaving Paul the chance again on the forehand. When he gets into

0:21:56 > 0:22:02his own bowl and taps it down, it will leave it a lot better. That's

0:22:02 > 0:22:09almost just as good. A back touch. Nothing really here for Paul Foster

0:22:09 > 0:22:16to strike. He's going for the timing shot. Must think he can get around

0:22:16 > 0:22:21his own bowl.Just an edge, but not enough to move it out.It looked

0:22:21 > 0:22:29very narrow. The best result was probably the front bowl into it.

0:22:38 > 0:22:46Just move that jack forward the inch or two at his last bowl. A draw for

0:22:46 > 0:22:53three, any touch on the jack and he will make four.All Paul Foster can

0:22:53 > 0:23:00do is watch. It's starting to come round. He has enough. Jack high

0:23:00 > 0:23:11ball.Three shots, Michael Stepney. Neither player can afford to have an

0:23:11 > 0:23:15off end in this game.

0:23:23 > 0:23:29Foster, Stepney, Foster, Stepney, so far. The players struggling on their

0:23:29 > 0:23:46own jack.Jack length, 25 metres. Third consecutive 25 metre jack.

0:24:29 > 0:24:55Just enquiring to see if it was jack die. -- jack high.Beautiful

0:24:55 > 0:24:59receiving position, opposite the opportunity to play either side

0:24:59 > 0:25:08forehand or back. That struggles to get back. Michael might be tempted

0:25:08 > 0:25:17with this. Played across with the forehand.I think it's only one

0:25:17 > 0:25:22still.If he is looking to play the backhand, he will look to just

0:25:22 > 0:25:39nipple into the jack. -- nibble into the jack. Dives away very quickly.

0:25:39 > 0:25:43We were talking about the shots over the last few days.They look like

0:25:43 > 0:25:47the right shot, very tempting, but in reality on a portable rink, it's

0:25:47 > 0:25:51a low percentage.

0:25:55 > 0:26:03Foster trying to come in a little bit more than the previous ones.

0:26:03 > 0:26:12Might help the second bowl.The difficulty Michael has is that he

0:26:12 > 0:26:18only has one bowl in there against three. If it's only one shot, if

0:26:18 > 0:26:23it's close the second, if he feels it is true, then he will hit this.

0:26:23 > 0:26:29Would be very unlucky to take his own bowl out and not come back to

0:26:29 > 0:26:34the jack. This sort of weight has to be very accurate to get back into

0:26:34 > 0:26:51the jack. Might just nip in that way. Beautifully played.A choice of

0:26:51 > 0:26:57his own, or to come in off, that's an exceptional result.That's so

0:26:57 > 0:27:03hard to play. Deserved everything he got for that.

0:27:07 > 0:27:17He will be elated after that.Close, it's just a matter of stopping in

0:27:17 > 0:27:24time, get second. He had the right line, just chucked through.Looks

0:27:24 > 0:27:30like two.Two shots, Michael Stepney.

0:27:36 > 0:27:463-1 down to six Ivan 3-up. A good couple of ends for Michael Stepney.

0:27:46 > 0:27:49A Scottish international player for 17 years, playing in this tournament

0:27:49 > 0:27:52for the very first time.

0:27:56 > 0:28:03The first unseeded player to reach the Scottish International Open

0:28:03 > 0:28:09semifinal was Robert Paxton in 2010. Robert lost that semifinal. Came

0:28:09 > 0:28:14back to Perth 12 months later and took the title.

0:28:59 > 0:29:06It's quite remarkable when you think of Paul Foster, five-time world

0:29:06 > 0:29:09champion, current world champion, up against a wildcard coming into the

0:29:09 > 0:29:14event. If you ask anyone in the know, they would say it's going to

0:29:14 > 0:29:30be a close game.Going for the takeout.One away. Can't think of

0:29:30 > 0:29:35many sportswear that would be the case.They are very few. There is

0:29:35 > 0:29:43such a depth of talent, certainly in Scotland. Elite players like Paul

0:29:43 > 0:29:47Foster, Alex Marshall, Darren Burnett, Stewart Anderson. But

0:29:47 > 0:29:52underneath that, just underneath, a raft of top players.

0:30:11 > 0:30:19Paul looking for a close bowl.But is not doing much. Down two choices

0:30:19 > 0:30:35again, do you go close and take a risk? Well, there is the guys, we

0:30:35 > 0:30:39might have mentioned they were from Dalkeith last year and they have

0:30:39 > 0:30:48been getting ribbed because of it. A lovely handwritten note from Frank,

0:30:48 > 0:30:56very rare to see such nice script, actually. Welcome again, guys.

0:30:56 > 0:31:01Dalkeith, leave them alone, they are nice blokes.They are from the

0:31:01 > 0:31:07Borders! What can Paul Foster do with this? Taking his time to work

0:31:07 > 0:31:15back in. Good bowl. Really good effort.Looking for shot.

0:31:25 > 0:31:29Set score, 7-3 after three ends.

0:31:51 > 0:31:56Reputation, laid-back player, laid-back guy, not fazed either

0:31:56 > 0:32:03crowds here.He has played in a world pairs final, quite

0:32:03 > 0:32:13intimidating. That venue, knows all about it. Just the fact he is such a

0:32:13 > 0:32:14natural player.

0:32:20 > 0:32:24Paul Foster will always go in as favourite in virtually every match

0:32:24 > 0:32:25he plays, actually.

0:32:30 > 0:32:42Paul Foster and Alex Marshall. The winners in that final. Back in 2011.

0:33:26 > 0:33:37That's in a nasty position. He has to play the open hand here.Seventh

0:33:37 > 0:33:42end of a nine end set, this is the one to win if you are in front.

0:33:42 > 0:33:45Really puts the pressure on the opposition.

0:34:07 > 0:34:13Play the bowl off. Thought he was going to tap it down, looks as

0:34:13 > 0:34:22though it might still be moving. Really doesn't want it to fall.

0:34:39 > 0:34:45It's not up, I'm just wondering, if it was going to be a protector but

0:34:45 > 0:34:50the line was too good in many ways, he's made centre rink. Paul Foster

0:34:50 > 0:34:55has an interesting shot, will he play this with more weight? Very

0:34:55 > 0:34:57difficult shot.

0:35:06 > 0:35:11Certainly down on a very narrow line. Going to push through it.

0:35:18 > 0:35:26That was a big moment. Michael Stepney. Has control. Two ends to

0:35:26 > 0:35:28play.

0:35:35 > 0:35:38He has won the first set in all three matches he has played this

0:35:38 > 0:35:47week. Beating Stewart Anderson 9-3 in the first set of that match,

0:35:47 > 0:35:55Perry Martin, and Mervyn King, 8-4. Jack length, 25 metres.

0:36:23 > 0:36:27The qualifiers, sometimes, you are not quite sure of their experience,

0:36:27 > 0:36:31for the guys have come through. Most of the time they are very good

0:36:31 > 0:36:39players. Perry Martin proved that, others have over it the years. They

0:36:39 > 0:36:46may not be international standard. Whereas with a wild card, they have

0:36:46 > 0:36:51been selected on the basis of having a pedigree of qualifying in events

0:36:51 > 0:36:58over the years and the history behind them. And that's what makes a

0:36:58 > 0:36:59wild card very dangerous.

0:37:07 > 0:37:13From memory, if an Lendl won Wimbledon as a wild card or was it

0:37:13 > 0:37:17Michael stick? Absolutely incredible.

0:37:24 > 0:37:33Someone, I have no doubt, they will find out who it was, all the group

0:37:33 > 0:37:47through Mac. -- gurus.It was Goran Ivanisevic. The Croatian.Goodness

0:37:47 > 0:37:57me. Fortunate. That was one for your quiz. All? Should have gone with

0:37:57 > 0:38:02that. The director would have got it. Because he is a genius.

0:38:12 > 0:38:17It's come through for Paul Foster, little chance, he might want to come

0:38:17 > 0:38:27round the back.Well... The danger with this is if he hits it too hard,

0:38:27 > 0:38:32it goes to the back and Paul Foster gets this. Close it down to one

0:38:32 > 0:38:40shot, if you don't get the one, just make sure you can't lose any more.

0:38:40 > 0:38:44This single, clear road is better for him. That's actually very

0:38:44 > 0:38:51useful.That's in a good, good place. The most Paul can't hope for

0:38:51 > 0:39:04is a double. -- can hope.He needs this to keep the set alive.One

0:39:04 > 0:39:10shot, Paul Foster.Good end from Michael Stepney, really close did

0:39:10 > 0:39:12down.

0:39:16 > 0:39:26Paul Foster needs a four and while it's not impossible, it's unlikely.

0:39:34 > 0:39:37An all Scottish semifinal line-up for the first time in the Scottish

0:39:37 > 0:39:42international open.Jack length 29 and a half metres.

0:39:50 > 0:39:54Just to finish our tennis analogy, it's one thing to note that even

0:39:54 > 0:40:00these of each one as a wild card but even impressive, you -- he knew who

0:40:00 > 0:40:07he beat in the final.We will be getting advice all directions from

0:40:07 > 0:40:12that. Richard Krajicek has been mentioned. Please tell me it's

0:40:12 > 0:40:20wrong!I do lighted to tell you is wrong.Thank goodness for that!You

0:40:20 > 0:40:28can raise the roof for Pat Rafter, an Australian.The Aussie. Even our

0:40:28 > 0:40:38director does not know everything! Paul Foster... Tried to set himself

0:40:38 > 0:40:45up for a potential four.Well, he's in a good position in terms of those

0:40:45 > 0:40:54two bowls. If he's feeling brave, he will drive them, but he's not, he

0:40:54 > 0:40:59will draw. You do not want to start driving and miss and put yourself

0:40:59 > 0:41:04under that sort of pressure. This one has got a bit of work to do to

0:41:04 > 0:41:12make the distance. Oh dear. Oh dear. Fuzzy will drop another one in.

0:41:21 > 0:41:27Surprised that Michael Stepney. Playing negative to that. No reason

0:41:27 > 0:41:32he shouldn't be playing through it. Just by even two feet.

0:41:41 > 0:41:48He may decide to come up a little bit firmer.He has two take a bowl

0:41:48 > 0:41:54out, any connection. Goodness me! How on earth do you go through that?

0:41:54 > 0:42:05He had to actually touch the bowl to make this space.Now... Saloon door.

0:42:05 > 0:42:12It becomes very interesting. Part one is Paul Foster has to draw the

0:42:12 > 0:42:18shot, he cannot make a mistake, that is a little heavy.He has missed it.

0:42:18 > 0:42:23The last bowl will not be played. First set, Michael Stepney.

0:42:23 > 0:42:29APPLAUSE Paul would have made that. So did

0:42:29 > 0:42:35he, to be fair, did all the hard work to set that up. His opponent

0:42:35 > 0:42:42made the mistake with the heavy shop. The underdog gets the first

0:42:42 > 0:42:52bite in, wins the first set 8-6. Well, the thing about Paul Foster,

0:42:52 > 0:42:57he is so experienced. He will talk that away and not think about it too

0:42:57 > 0:43:06much. Probably realised the damage was done earlier in the set. Four

0:43:06 > 0:43:14ends. Lost seven shots.Jack length 24 and a half metres.Would still

0:43:14 > 0:43:18have preferred to ask the question of his opponent.

0:43:27 > 0:43:37This set is gone, we move on.

0:44:21 > 0:44:24That's more the jack length I thought Paul Foster would have in

0:44:24 > 0:44:27looking for. Different for Michael.

0:44:35 > 0:44:42Dropped against the bias, that's unusual.Short ball, is it, in

0:44:42 > 0:44:46relation to the jack?It is jack high.

0:44:55 > 0:45:01Certainly playing the arriving bowl, can he get back to it? Clean Jack

0:45:01 > 0:45:15would be good. A little further than what he wanted but good change.Paul

0:45:15 > 0:45:22Foster watching this closely. Forehand shot coming in.Trying to

0:45:22 > 0:45:28put the brakes on but I think it is good enough.

0:46:03 > 0:46:08Looked good all the way. A controlled wedge shot. That's great

0:46:08 > 0:46:15stuff, the man on top form. Paul, looking for the gap on the backhand

0:46:15 > 0:46:24to come through to the jack. Hard to pick out the line. It's cost him

0:46:24 > 0:46:32another shot, I think.That was the danger, to come across.Two shots,

0:46:32 > 0:46:39Michael Stepney. APPLAUSE

0:47:07 > 0:47:08Jack length, 26 metres.

0:47:18 > 0:47:22Paul Foster has looked unbeatable in his first three games, hasn't

0:47:22 > 0:47:33dropped a set. In round one, Mark Dawes, in round two, the score line

0:47:33 > 0:47:4110-5, 10-3, doesn't reveal how close it was. Beat Jamie Chestney in the

0:47:41 > 0:47:46quarter, really good game. Struggling here.

0:47:46 > 0:47:53APPLAUSE The thing is he's not playing badly.

0:47:53 > 0:47:58He's struggling on the scorecard. He's just not getting it on the

0:47:58 > 0:48:05card. A strange sort of game that way. Mark Dawes played here well and

0:48:05 > 0:48:13Jamie Chestney, well... On that particular day he could have won the

0:48:13 > 0:48:20event, the way he played. More credit to the champion that Paul

0:48:20 > 0:48:27Foster is that he gets through those games. Playing so well. But he has

0:48:27 > 0:48:30to dig deep in this one.

0:48:50 > 0:48:56That's under. That will dive away. Yes, missed the line, off the mat

0:48:56 > 0:49:05rather quickly as well.You are holding one, sorry, one green.Going

0:49:05 > 0:49:10looking for about a little bit on the inside but he did not have the

0:49:10 > 0:49:14weight to carry it, Michael Stepney. Let's see if Paul can close the door

0:49:14 > 0:49:23on him.Coming back on a good line now, does not want to take it too

0:49:23 > 0:49:33far.Well... He's opened the door a bit, he's opened the door a bit and

0:49:33 > 0:49:51can get a clean view now, Michael still had a good shot.The front red

0:49:51 > 0:49:58bowl slightly closer than I thought. Has he got the weight to get to the

0:49:58 > 0:50:07jack or the bowl? Good second, but well, now, Paul Foster has a chance.

0:50:07 > 0:50:18He moves the jack through, he could score quite well here. Sorry, folks,

0:50:18 > 0:50:22some technical things playing silly today.

0:50:31 > 0:50:36Just wants to come and turn the jack round. If he does so, he will take

0:50:36 > 0:50:45the reward. But that's short.I find that amazing, I really do. I thought

0:50:45 > 0:50:49Paul Foster would have been playing that with two feet away. And now,

0:50:49 > 0:50:56the change of ends.He is on the card.

0:51:06 > 0:51:11Paul Foster wants to look up the jack length. You may go further,

0:51:11 > 0:51:19Sheikh things up a little bit.Jack length, 29 and a half metres.He has

0:51:19 > 0:51:20gone full length.

0:51:32 > 0:51:38You change it, you want a good first pole-macro. Another couple of feet

0:51:38 > 0:51:48running there.

0:52:05 > 0:52:16Turned his back on that one. Hasn't pushed, maybe, but it's still not

0:52:16 > 0:52:23that far away. Paul Foster knew it was the same bowl.Your bowl, two

0:52:23 > 0:52:24and a half feet.

0:52:37 > 0:52:46He's not convinced by it. Not bad. There was a little grimace.I bet he

0:52:46 > 0:52:50played that and he thought he was two feet through. It stopped very

0:52:50 > 0:53:00quickly.

0:53:15 > 0:53:18Second shot, a couple of feet short.

0:53:35 > 0:53:40Impressive stuff. It is. A target there, Paul Foster would normally

0:53:40 > 0:53:46reach into these two, yes, that is what he is playing. But it looks

0:53:46 > 0:53:56under. Yes. Well... Does not look happy out there in comparison to the

0:53:56 > 0:54:09last three matches, he is down on farm. -- down on form.This is a set

0:54:09 > 0:54:16he has to win, the jack length, he changed it. From 25-29 one half

0:54:16 > 0:54:26metres.

0:54:26 > 0:54:33Paul Foster thinks that is in. I think it was.Didn't even wait until

0:54:33 > 0:54:39the bowl finished and that's not unusual. When they see a bowl coming

0:54:39 > 0:54:50in, they just take some

0:54:51 > 0:55:00of the bowl away.Pensive, thoughtful, work to do. Jack length,

0:55:00 > 0:55:0624 and a half metres.He has been in worse positions than this, Michael

0:55:06 > 0:55:07Stepney wants to keep things steady.

0:55:44 > 0:55:51Some of these opening bowls have been pretty good.Michael Stepney

0:55:51 > 0:55:56has been finding a way to

0:56:01 > 0:56:07he thought he was short, he was right.

0:56:19 > 0:56:24Watching this all the way, Paul Foster. A little move in his hand,

0:56:24 > 0:56:28thinking that should have been dipping in in front of the jack, not

0:56:28 > 0:56:33getting the bend back that he wants, that is now a target for Michael

0:56:33 > 0:56:40Stepney. Michael, not going as heavy as I thought he might, just trying

0:56:40 > 0:56:49to draw it off. He has two pick the line. That might be enough, the bowl

0:56:49 > 0:57:02has fallen. It's just fell down. As if to say, no, thanks. Sometimes you

0:57:02 > 0:57:12just need a little break! I wonder is this it. This end?

0:57:17 > 0:57:21Don't think that's going to make any difference, he will just plough into

0:57:21 > 0:57:30this and see what comes out of it, hopes he misses his own

0:57:35 > 0:57:43gets the jack.That is a great hit, he is going to lose one but that is

0:57:43 > 0:57:50a fantastic drive.Hit it spot on, Jack will go into the re-spot but

0:57:50 > 0:57:56Paul Foster has a bowl to play and a green bowl sits to the right of the

0:57:56 > 0:58:06red bowl, hanging around.Brilliant strike, right bang on target.One

0:58:06 > 0:58:15shot, Paul Foster! APPLAUSE

0:58:15 > 0:58:21Set to score, 5-2 after four links. It's only halfway the set, he was

0:58:21 > 0:58:28looking at a possible three, four. The throwing of this Jack is

0:58:28 > 0:58:34important. He has brought the mat right up.Jack length 24 metres. No

0:58:34 > 0:58:38danger.

0:58:44 > 0:58:48That's as far as we've seen him this week, all in Perth.

0:58:55 > 0:59:02Hoping to find a different line. A foot and a half.

0:59:15 > 0:59:22Hoping to upset your opponent's line or weight.He didn't. I thought the

0:59:22 > 0:59:27jack was a little heavy, I think he picked it up on the way past but all

0:59:27 > 0:59:35credit to Michael for being there. If he had missed, he probably would

0:59:35 > 0:59:49have been two feet behind. Foster draws the show.1-1.

1:00:24 > 1:00:32He's gone under. He might get in the way.The gap is three inches.It's

1:00:32 > 1:00:38not easy, but at the same time he's only looking at a single shot.

1:00:48 > 1:00:56It's dipping under the line as well. The weight wasn't bad. Don't really

1:00:56 > 1:01:02think he has set much up for his last bowl. He has covered the green

1:01:02 > 1:01:05one.

1:01:10 > 1:01:15Well played Paul Foster.

1:01:21 > 1:01:28Wee smile from the world champion. Trying to see how he will get out of

1:01:28 > 1:01:34this. The front plant of the red bowl onto the red might get a sneak

1:01:34 > 1:01:41off the green, but I don't think so. Oh my, he's trying to draw this, and

1:01:41 > 1:01:44has probably been forced into it.

1:01:48 > 1:01:52Given it a chance. It looked a little heavy. Might have nicked one

1:01:52 > 1:02:00away.That's a very good bowl. Paul Foster looking at it, hasn't said

1:02:00 > 1:02:15anything.One out on the measure. Really good effort. Not easy.

1:02:30 > 1:02:37Every shot is important, Paul Foster fancied this. Is he right? Nope,

1:02:37 > 1:02:40it's not be.

1:02:50 > 1:02:54The jack on the tee.

1:03:03 > 1:03:12Jack length, 23.5 metres.

1:03:47 > 1:03:55If you are going to miss, be deep, be short.

1:04:03 > 1:04:07This is what I was saying, Paul Foster isn't playing badly. He's

1:04:07 > 1:04:13playing some very good bowls but has been on the wrong side of the

1:04:13 > 1:04:16scorecard. That's all credit to Michael Stepney for managing to do

1:04:16 > 1:04:31that. He's played a very good game. Two green.Paul Foster, will he

1:04:31 > 1:04:38change his hand? He might try to get the little tuck around the corner

1:04:38 > 1:04:43before his opponent does.

1:04:53 > 1:04:57Three shots, doesn't give him the cover he needs. Michael might be

1:04:57 > 1:05:06attempted to play to this. He is, and he's in the area for the jack.

1:05:06 > 1:05:12Wants it to stay... It's off. Wanted it to stay in the ditch.It went

1:05:12 > 1:05:22off, it will go on the re-spot. Both players will have a look. It's what

1:05:22 > 1:05:26he wanted.The big advantage about the jack staying in the ditch, Paul

1:05:26 > 1:05:31Foster would have been three down. The matter where he put the ball,

1:05:31 > 1:05:34Michael Stepney would have been after it for a count. Now it comes

1:05:34 > 1:05:43down to the fact he has to save shots. If he needed four shots,

1:05:43 > 1:05:54there is a great shop on. I don't think you can afford to play it.

1:05:54 > 1:05:58Playing the draw, coming across the head. He wants to beat the two green

1:05:58 > 1:06:04bowls.That's the first job done. Can he get the shot, that's the

1:06:04 > 1:06:13second idea.Still a good bowl.Does the job.Foster is making his way

1:06:13 > 1:06:18back.

1:06:23 > 1:06:34He takes the mat wondering once more. I wonder the secrets of Paul

1:06:34 > 1:06:41Foster's success so far, losing singles coming into today. 13

1:06:41 > 1:06:55singles.Jack length, 23.5 metres. Losing by two and above is always

1:06:55 > 1:07:01bitter.

1:07:54 > 1:07:59It's been a great game of tactics as well as superb play. The mat has

1:07:59 > 1:08:05been all over the place. The jack has been short and long. That was a

1:08:05 > 1:08:10little bit on the quick side. Paul Foster, a chance of turning the jack

1:08:10 > 1:08:17himself.That's what he's after.

1:08:20 > 1:08:29It just dipped away.He set up a shot to take out the red bowl. He

1:08:29 > 1:08:41will play it. Michael needs another wine. -- another one in.

1:08:52 > 1:08:59Beautiful weight. Paul Foster realises if he plucks it out, he has

1:08:59 > 1:09:06no back position, but he will lie at least three. He has the draw shot to

1:09:06 > 1:09:17turn around.Time-out is called. It's the first of the match.He's

1:09:17 > 1:09:22looking at, can he get the jack to bear on the backhand? If he doesn't

1:09:22 > 1:09:26like that, there's a very good shot on the forehand available to take

1:09:26 > 1:09:37out the bowl. He removes that, the other bowls come into play.We will

1:09:37 > 1:09:54see what he wants to do. The forehand.Doesn't matter which side.

1:09:54 > 1:09:58The thing about playing the backhand was, you could take out the bowl and

1:09:58 > 1:10:02run off the gap. With the forehand, you're getting the bowl running into

1:10:02 > 1:10:07the jack. That's why he played it on the backend. Didn't really matter,

1:10:07 > 1:10:13the same shot by indicated. That's the reason why he played it. The red

1:10:13 > 1:10:18bowl going through nicely.

1:10:28 > 1:10:38That's not a spare shot. That's a tremendous bowl.It makes a massive

1:10:38 > 1:10:49difference in the game as well.That was a super bowl. In terms of the

1:10:49 > 1:10:56impact on the game, it was a wonderful shot.

1:11:03 > 1:11:143-up with two to play. The Scottish International Open final weights. --

1:11:14 > 1:11:19awaits.

1:11:25 > 1:11:35This is interesting now. Michael Stepney, if he can get a single shot

1:11:35 > 1:11:40here, they are shaking hands. Paul Foster, realistically has to have

1:11:40 > 1:11:52two.Just not finishing off that hand for him.

1:12:07 > 1:12:15It looks good.

1:12:26 > 1:12:29Paul Foster, five-time Scottish international Open finalist. Has

1:12:29 > 1:12:38been forced to work exceptionally hard here. Falls down.I expected

1:12:38 > 1:12:45the jack to move to red.The gap on your bowl is half an inch.

1:12:50 > 1:12:56Good old-fashioned stuff. None of this five millimetres, or anything

1:12:56 > 1:13:06like that. Half an inch.That'll do. He is close.He's closing their

1:13:06 > 1:13:11heads down. He still has a shot to get the shot, but outside green ball

1:13:11 > 1:13:18will budget across. It's making Paul Foster's life really difficult, to

1:13:18 > 1:13:33get more than one. Going for the two bowls, I'm not surprised.That's

1:13:33 > 1:13:48brilliant.Really good bowl. In many ways it was the only shot he could

1:13:48 > 1:14:06play. That was a knob over to Michael on the way past. -- that was

1:14:06 > 1:14:12a nod over to Michael. Does it have the weight? Looks like it's

1:14:12 > 1:14:21struggling. Therefore a second. Well played by Michael Stepney. It's a

1:14:21 > 1:14:26really good bowl. Once again the questions have been asked.And he is

1:14:26 > 1:14:34answering consistently. Paul Foster, a little draw, would love to take

1:14:34 > 1:14:42the jack back a touch. Might just rest against the red bowl.

1:14:45 > 1:15:01Plates to extend it. Plate to move across for three.What an

1:15:01 > 1:15:05Plates to extend it. Plate to move across for three.What an.

1:15:22 > 1:15:29The last two ends were Michael Stepney has added a shot. Defended a

1:15:29 > 1:15:32position and played two absolutely cracking bowls. That's put him in

1:15:32 > 1:15:38this position. Without those two, Paul Foster would have been in the

1:15:38 > 1:15:47driving seat.The list for shot of the day is getting longer. We have

1:15:47 > 1:15:57seen plenty of them. Shot of the championship might be impossible.

1:15:57 > 1:16:15That's true.Short bowls don't help you. When your opponent leads three,

1:16:15 > 1:16:24don't drop them short.

1:16:35 > 1:16:40Michael Stepney went into the last end four shots up and nearly lost.

1:16:40 > 1:16:45Is the same thing going to happen again? He doesn't want to give Paul

1:16:45 > 1:16:52Foster chats for three.

1:17:00 > 1:17:05Good place but not safe.

1:17:27 > 1:17:31Michael needs another good bowl. Will he use a time-out? He hasn't

1:17:31 > 1:17:39used any.Time-out, Michael has four remaining.It really should be a

1:17:39 > 1:17:45draw. But you never know sometimes with Michael. Playing to that, if he

1:17:45 > 1:17:49misses, come across to the green ball. If he gets a lock on the green

1:17:49 > 1:18:01bowl, that would be perfect. Rivellino running shot available.

1:18:01 > 1:18:18Will he get back on that line again? That's the one he wanted. Drop that

1:18:18 > 1:18:21one in and it will be really difficult for Paul Foster to develop

1:18:21 > 1:18:32three shots out of this.He will take a time-out in a second or two.

1:18:32 > 1:18:37Time-out called. Paul has three remaining.What he's looking for

1:18:37 > 1:18:42here, and I think this is the only way, to be truthful with you, come

1:18:42 > 1:18:48through the forehand, on the edge of the bowl, and progress it if you

1:18:48 > 1:18:56can. Onto this one, that will take out to bowls, they will both

1:18:56 > 1:19:13disappear.You are looking and wondering.He's looking for the edge

1:19:13 > 1:19:17of the red bowl onto the other one. He has done so much this week. Is

1:19:17 > 1:19:25there a final touch of magic left? Very nearly.The second set and the

1:19:25 > 1:19:37match to Michael Stepney.A nice moment. Michael Stepney, the

1:19:37 > 1:19:42wildcard coming into the event, finds himself in the final of the

1:19:42 > 1:19:47Scottish international Open. He has put out the world champion. Paul

1:19:47 > 1:19:54Foster has been sparkling this week, and is defeated by Michael Stepney.

1:19:54 > 1:19:58As I said before, look at somebody like Michael Stepney, and he doesn't

1:19:58 > 1:20:03really fall into the category of a qualifier. He is a wildcard when he

1:20:03 > 1:20:09comes into the event, but with great credibility, and he played well in

1:20:09 > 1:20:17this match. Time after time after time, keeping the pressure on. When

1:20:17 > 1:20:21you can play bowls like this, that is absolutely perfect. It was a

1:20:21 > 1:20:30fantastic shot. The world champion Paul Foster could get what he needed

1:20:30 > 1:20:38on occasions. That was a last bowl opportunity at the last end of the

1:20:38 > 1:20:44first set. Michael took it 8-6, picking up a big cab, three to go

1:20:44 > 1:20:515-1 in front. Paul Foster, after Michael hit it, gets a good bowl in.

1:20:51 > 1:20:57And that was a key shot at the seventh end for a double from

1:20:57 > 1:21:02Michael Stepney. Played it really well. I have to say, Paul was very

1:21:02 > 1:21:05good in defeat. Didn't reach the standards of his previous game but

1:21:05 > 1:21:13step in played really well.What a match for Michael Stepney. Paul

1:21:13 > 1:21:18Foster won more ends, but eight of those ten were only singles. Two

1:21:18 > 1:21:26threes picked up Stepney. He had the advantages in the touches. What a

1:21:26 > 1:21:31match, and what a week it has been for Michael Stepney, a finalist at

1:21:31 > 1:21:36the Scottish international Open of 2017.

1:21:44 > 1:21:49Michael Komula about the five-time world champion.It's unbelievable. I

1:21:49 > 1:21:53have seen Paul play a lot better than today, but that was not the

1:21:53 > 1:21:57real Paul Foster there today.Paul, we have seen you play this week and

1:21:57 > 1:22:01the quality you are capable of. It wasn't the best game from you by any

1:22:01 > 1:22:07means, but Michael put pressure on you.I'm not going to stand here

1:22:07 > 1:22:10criticise myself. Michael deserved to win. It was a poor performance

1:22:10 > 1:22:20from me. I didn't know what I was doing, they were going all over the

1:22:20 > 1:22:25place towards the commentary box. Going away from the commentary box I

1:22:25 > 1:22:30was fine. Michael deserves his win and I have no complaints whatsoever.

1:22:30 > 1:22:36APPLAUSE You must be particularly pleased

1:22:36 > 1:22:39about how you have gone through this week, knocking out Stuart Anderson

1:22:39 > 1:22:51and then Mervyn King, the swerve. You came here with a good game, and

1:22:51 > 1:22:55it seemed like the occasion didn't get to use.I had to stick to my

1:22:55 > 1:22:59game plan, which is to get your bowls as close to the jack. It

1:22:59 > 1:23:04worked today. Had a couple of good runners to keep me in it, kept me

1:23:04 > 1:23:10going. Delighted.A little bit of analysis. The seventh end of the

1:23:10 > 1:23:16second set. You had a draw for two. It was such a great

1:23:16 > 1:23:18second set. You had a draw for two. It was such a great shot.I was

1:23:18 > 1:23:23trying to get inside the green bowl to touch the jack Tabb might have

1:23:23 > 1:23:30made three. It held off, like it was doing quite a lot through the game.

1:23:30 > 1:23:34Paul, quite an unusual situation for the Scottish international Open to

1:23:34 > 1:23:38have a wildcard in the final. Extraordinary. But you know Michael

1:23:38 > 1:23:44and the quality he has. What's he like as a player? He's pretty good.

1:23:44 > 1:23:48I have known Mike for a number of years. Played against him in the

1:23:48 > 1:23:51international singles and he's in the Scottish team. He's a class

1:23:51 > 1:23:57player. Didn't underestimate him. The players he has beaten a one-way,

1:23:57 > 1:24:01top players, but Mike can beat anybody on his day. A class act, and

1:24:01 > 1:24:06I wish him all the best in the final.Michael, that's it, you are

1:24:06 > 1:24:10in the final tomorrow. Darren Burnett against David Goodwillie.

1:24:10 > 1:24:18You know them as well.It's just another game, bring it on, one more.

1:24:18 > 1:24:22Michael Komula attitudes and to stick. Commiserations, Paul. Michael

1:24:22 > 1:24:29Stepney, you are through to the final. There's the semifinal

1:24:29 > 1:24:34graphic, Michael Stepney, confirmation of the result. Michael

1:24:34 > 1:24:43Stepney knocking at Paul Foster MBE, 2-0. The next one coming up very

1:24:43 > 1:24:54soon, Darren Burnett against David Goodwillie. David Gourlay, Paul

1:24:54 > 1:24:57Foster and Darren Burnett will be going to the Commonwealth Games on

1:24:57 > 1:25:01the Gold Coast. It's on the back of a great Commonwealth Games in

1:25:01 > 1:25:10Glasgow just a few years ago.So many happy memories of Glasgow.

1:25:10 > 1:25:15Quite often I feel myself drifting back to some of them.The memories

1:25:15 > 1:25:20at Kelvingrove will last for ever. An amazing event, to play in your

1:25:20 > 1:25:23own country, the Commonwealth Games, and to have a gold medal in the

1:25:23 > 1:25:26singles is something I will never forget.Glasgow was probably the

1:25:26 > 1:25:31best ever, not just because it was in my home country, Scotland, but

1:25:31 > 1:25:35coming away with gold medals in my own backyard, you can't beat that.

1:25:35 > 1:25:39It'll never happen again in my lifetime, the Commonwealth Games in

1:25:39 > 1:25:42Scotland, to have the home crowd, your family there, and then picking

1:25:42 > 1:25:46up two gold medals, it's a dream come true.We're looking forward to

1:25:46 > 1:25:51going to the Gold Coast. The team has been announced and ratified by

1:25:51 > 1:25:55Commonwealth Games Scotland. It puts us in a good place. We can send a

1:25:55 > 1:26:05message to say we are confident, this our team and we have chosen

1:26:05 > 1:26:08quite early compared to some other countries. We are confident in the

1:26:08 > 1:26:10team we have chosen and we can't spend the next six months fine

1:26:10 > 1:26:15tuning it.David Gourlay is back with us. A professional at the bowls

1:26:15 > 1:26:18and being professional. He looks after as well and leaves nothing to

1:26:18 > 1:26:23chance. We will be well-prepared and hopefully it will be another good

1:26:23 > 1:26:27games.The Gold Coast is an incredible place to play bowls. The

1:26:27 > 1:26:31venue is one of the best in the world. The Greens will be

1:26:31 > 1:26:34challenging, the conditions will be challenging. I think the Aussies

1:26:34 > 1:26:38will make sure it's as quick as possible. They will maximise home

1:26:38 > 1:26:42advantage, as we did in Glasgow. It'll be a challenge for northern

1:26:42 > 1:26:46hemisphere teams to win down in Australia. But we have some of the

1:26:46 > 1:26:50best players in the world and will be well. Everybody is really up for

1:26:50 > 1:26:56it.Not long before we had to the Gold Coast. Something to look

1:26:56 > 1:27:00forward to. It was always going to be hard for David to pick because

1:27:00 > 1:27:04there are so many class players in the elite squad. So many guys have

1:27:04 > 1:27:08been unfortunate, and some will be very happy. The five guys that are

1:27:08 > 1:27:12there, it will be a very hard team to beat.To be part of the five-man

1:27:12 > 1:27:18squad to go to the Gold Coast, especially after what we did in

1:27:18 > 1:27:25Glasgow, getting gold medals in the pairs and the fours, I can't wait.

1:27:25 > 1:27:30The Commonwealth Games is a huge challenge for our sport. It's like

1:27:30 > 1:27:35the Olympics of our sport. There are no top teams missing. There are no

1:27:35 > 1:27:38other sports where maybe China, Russia and America are missing.

1:27:38 > 1:27:43Nobody is missing. We are playing the best countries in the world. The

1:27:43 > 1:27:51conditions will be difficult and it will be a challenge.And here is the

1:27:51 > 1:27:55Scotland men's team that will be going to the Gold Coast next year

1:27:55 > 1:27:59after great success in Glasgow a few years ago.

1:28:08 > 1:28:13That's going to be the focus for those boys next year. But for two of

1:28:13 > 1:28:16them, the focus is all about the Scottish international Open in the

1:28:16 > 1:28:22next hour and a half. Let's get them onto the rink, David Gourlay and

1:28:22 > 1:28:30Darren Burnett. Darren Burnett was consistent if not spectacular last

1:28:30 > 1:28:34season. He's used to getting to the business end of tournaments and his

1:28:34 > 1:28:37form this week has been incredibly impressive. Ladies and gentlemen,

1:28:37 > 1:28:40please give a warm welcome to the Commonwealth medallist, Darren

1:28:40 > 1:28:45Burnett.

1:28:48 > 1:29:00APPLAUSE Responsible for coaching the

1:29:00 > 1:29:03Scottish Commonwealth meant to gold and glory, David has again taken on

1:29:03 > 1:29:07the responsibility for team Scotland in the Gold Coast. Despite that

1:29:07 > 1:29:11commitment he remains one of the most technically gifted players in

1:29:11 > 1:29:14the world today. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a huge

1:29:14 > 1:29:23welcome to the former world champion, David Gourlay. APPLAUSE

1:29:34 > 1:29:39The first semifinal was an absolute cracker. Michael Stepney through.

1:29:39 > 1:29:41Who will join them? David Corkill and Paul Mitchell will take you

1:29:41 > 1:29:48through this one. COMMENTATOR: The question is, does David Gourlay have

1:29:48 > 1:29:54the best walk on music? More Than A Feeling, what a great tune. Paul

1:29:54 > 1:30:07Foster comes onto Eye Of The Tiger, also highly rated.23 metres, the

1:30:07 > 1:30:12minimum distance, David Gourlay on the first end. That's an interesting

1:30:12 > 1:30:20challenge in itself. The crowd is still settling down. David, the

1:30:20 > 1:30:22first bowl, no shot clock.

1:31:40 > 1:31:47Excellent start from Darren Burnett. Especially on David's Jack length.

1:31:47 > 1:32:02Absolutely. Pulling the weight back in touch.

1:32:03 > 1:32:06Pretty good adjustment.

1:32:10 > 1:32:12The gap is seven inches.

1:32:33 > 1:32:35Well down again.

1:32:47 > 1:32:49Close for two, David. Close for two.

1:32:56 > 1:33:01David made himself available for the home International Series. To be

1:33:01 > 1:33:09held in Paisley in March. That'll be interesting.

1:33:09 > 1:33:17APPLAUSE Who can resist the lure of Paisley

1:33:17 > 1:33:23in March? Very close, Darren. Very close.

1:33:23 > 1:33:27Measure. Excellent bowl.

1:33:40 > 1:33:47Just under the line that time.Yes, he did not want to get the outside

1:33:47 > 1:33:53of the green bowl. That is for the danger was. Forced it on the inside.

1:33:53 > 1:33:56Unforgiving, let's put it that way.

1:33:59 > 1:34:04Good end, though. That is the taste of things to come. This will be

1:34:04 > 1:34:06pretty good.

1:34:18 > 1:34:30Looking for the merest of touches against the bowl. Round he goes.Oh,

1:34:30 > 1:34:38that is very close.I wonder if Redd Hazard just buy a whisker.Normally

1:34:38 > 1:34:44it is the bowl sitting down with the bulge going towards the jack, that

1:34:44 > 1:34:52is the favourite.One shot, Darren Burnett.Lovely overhead camera

1:34:52 > 1:34:59work. By the camera crew here.And lovely work by the umpire.

1:35:04 > 1:35:09Is that you trying to get back on his good books?Absolutely. Well

1:35:09 > 1:35:15done.Somebody text him!

1:35:22 > 1:35:25Jack length, 28 and a half metres.

1:35:38 > 1:35:42Can never tell from the facial reaction of Darren Burnett.

1:35:51 > 1:36:00You would have thought he popped out in the Acer Inc next door.He winces

1:36:00 > 1:36:05every now and again, not quite sure of what is happening. But he is a

1:36:05 > 1:36:11police man, after all.You will get no argument from me. What a reply!

1:36:20 > 1:36:27It's touching your bowl, yes. Your bowl isn't, no, David's poll,

1:36:27 > 1:36:33quarter of an inch off.This is the difference between a top-flight

1:36:33 > 1:36:40outdoor and a top-flight indoor. The margins are so small in doors. You

1:36:40 > 1:36:44don't have all of the weather conditions and everything else. The

1:36:44 > 1:36:48outdoor is a different challenge, hard to compare the two.

1:37:17 > 1:37:20It's very good. APPLAUSE

1:37:20 > 1:37:25Clever place to be. A slight danger, he would probably

1:37:25 > 1:37:31have liked it to have travelled further. Darren can use that to come

1:37:31 > 1:37:37off if it is a bit wide. Ideally, he can use his own bowl.

1:37:55 > 1:38:00In many respects, that has helped David's bowl by turning it round the

1:38:00 > 1:38:15corner. Quality staff. Five folds down, further one, less than a foot.

1:38:25 > 1:38:29Through by four or five feet, that must be very deliberate.

1:38:55 > 1:39:03He's trotting up after this, he must be very close to his own. Once a

1:39:03 > 1:39:08little tap on it!So close, David Gourlay will not play his last.

1:39:14 > 1:39:17Set score, 1-1 after two ends.

1:39:21 > 1:39:26The marker will go up and delivered the bowl down. Back onto David

1:39:26 > 1:39:34Gourlay.Well up again, in fact, absolute minimum on the mat but the

1:39:34 > 1:39:39advantage about playing this, he has three metres behind the tea. Jack

1:39:39 > 1:39:43length, 23 metres. A margin of error.

1:39:49 > 1:39:54It is interesting with David Gourlay, he is head Coach, not to be

1:39:54 > 1:39:58coaching the likes of his team. He will put in place everything that

1:39:58 > 1:40:02they need to bring them forward.

1:40:07 > 1:40:11Make sure the preparation is absolutely perfect and that will

1:40:11 > 1:40:17include dieticians, biometrics, sports psychologists, there will be

1:40:17 > 1:40:23a fitness regime to make sure the injuries are taken care of.He is an

1:40:23 > 1:40:28excellent sounding board, somebody to talk the game through, the

1:40:28 > 1:40:32players trust implicitly.That is the advantage of someone like David,

1:40:32 > 1:40:36he brings with him instant credibility. That is important at

1:40:36 > 1:40:42that level, you must have got that credibility otherwise it is very

1:40:42 > 1:40:44difficult for players to take any advice.

1:40:53 > 1:40:57There goes the forehand. APPLAUSE

1:40:57 > 1:41:07Two green. He may have to follow that.Tempted by this, Darren is a

1:41:07 > 1:41:14very attacking player.Ten inches, jack high.He is an attacking

1:41:14 > 1:41:26player. Going for it.Back into drive, bowler Jack, Jack would be

1:41:26 > 1:41:32preferred.A distance away from it. Not going to be easy to get to. That

1:41:32 > 1:41:37is what I thought, right on the inside edge, yellow marker. The red

1:41:37 > 1:41:43marker for the bowl, allows the players to see where things are. A

1:41:43 > 1:41:55hard place to trot to.Come to cut across.You want to get as close to

1:41:55 > 1:42:00the front green as you possibly can. To enable the bowl to get up to the

1:42:00 > 1:42:05jack without going off the edge of the rink and that is very good. More

1:42:05 > 1:42:07than good. Superb.

1:42:18 > 1:42:24Such a difficult bowl to beat. Burnett, trying hard.

1:42:30 > 1:42:41Sorry? Third shot, red bowl.David knows he needs another bowl in. Has

1:42:41 > 1:42:49to be a little bit careful, a little bit wider as well. Does not want the

1:42:49 > 1:42:55red bowl to drop in. That's good, that protects his own bowl and third

1:42:55 > 1:43:10shot. Depends what Darren will do. Play it, trying to run the short

1:43:10 > 1:43:11bowl off.

1:43:15 > 1:43:24He allowing it to bend a little bit, very controlled, close. Fractions.

1:43:24 > 1:43:27Not far-away.

1:43:32 > 1:43:40Has been really good. Set score, 1-2, after three ends.We will take

1:43:40 > 1:43:44this for another half a dozen ends in the set.

1:43:52 > 1:43:55Jack length, 26 and a half metres.

1:45:15 > 1:45:23He's going early, inside his own bowl.Perfect. He is in with that.

1:45:23 > 1:45:28Living right next door to it. That is the extra bonus, hit it right in

1:45:28 > 1:45:32the middle, followed it, no chance of beating it.

1:45:39 > 1:45:41Couldn't ask for anything better.

1:45:51 > 1:45:59The advantage of having the heavy shot available in your armoury. The

1:45:59 > 1:46:04best he can do is try and trundle up beside it. Yes, that's a decent

1:46:04 > 1:46:04second.

1:46:18 > 1:46:25He's gone very close to the edge. You get to a stage, once you are

1:46:25 > 1:46:35half a bowl away, it will drag you in. And his eyes just got wider and

1:46:35 > 1:46:40wider! He realised where it was going but he is in a safe position,

1:46:40 > 1:46:46it's so difficult for David to get on the lip of the ditch and he has

1:46:46 > 1:46:55to do that to get the shot.The crowd joining in with that one.

1:46:55 > 1:47:02Another good bowl. APPLAUSE

1:47:02 > 1:47:05Does he draw them or does he try and plant them off?

1:47:05 > 1:47:16There is no benefit.He would not stay, would he? He does not have an

1:47:16 > 1:47:22another shot past now.He would need to be holding forth shot.LAUGHTER

1:47:22 > 1:47:31he has done it again.He hasn't pushed it. Well, he will take it.

1:47:31 > 1:47:38Absolutely. That's what happens, the only time, when a big, swinging bowl

1:47:38 > 1:47:46is a disadvantage. It is rare. For it to be in at that angle.

1:47:54 > 1:48:01No more than singles conceded. Burnett playing his first Scottish

1:48:01 > 1:48:07international open semifinals since 2015. Excellent game against Greg

1:48:07 > 1:48:17Harlow, split the first set 9-9, Greg Harlow took the second 10-7.

1:49:05 > 1:49:13APPLAUSE

1:49:27 > 1:49:3014 inch gap.

1:49:54 > 1:50:01Slap of the leg by David Gourlay, he realised that was in this.Yes, one

1:50:01 > 1:50:09of the things you focus on in that situation. The first bowl is in, the

1:50:09 > 1:50:11second bowl really needs to be there.

1:50:16 > 1:50:18He's been given another chance.

1:50:29 > 1:50:37The shot clock hasn't moved, there we are, we are off and running.

1:50:37 > 1:50:39These two or so quick.

1:50:43 > 1:50:49The clock is required, when you know the players are playing cricket, you

1:50:49 > 1:50:58wonder five.David needed an edge there, but a bit more of a solid

1:50:58 > 1:51:00contact, two shots, nothing particularly easy to be able to get

1:51:00 > 1:51:08round this. Plant to the front but I do not think Darren will play that.

1:51:08 > 1:51:16Very narrow, isn't it, to try and get a reward?Yes, he's trying to

1:51:16 > 1:51:21draw it on the Whiteside, that was the right shot, OK, no doubt about

1:51:21 > 1:51:26that but I don't think he has pushed it, turned his back early.

1:51:31 > 1:51:33Two green.

1:51:54 > 1:52:05David taking no chances, playing through on the forehand.Three

1:52:05 > 1:52:11shots, David Ole.

1:52:26 > 1:52:29Jack length 27 metres.

1:53:25 > 1:53:28Once again, the first bowl is in.

1:53:37 > 1:53:47Very good, really good second bowl. Tempted to go, tempted to go for the

1:53:47 > 1:53:55bowl and the jack.Ten inches past jack high.He could draw second,

1:53:55 > 1:53:59possibly the shot on the forehand, such an attacking player, not sure.

1:53:59 > 1:54:00Again...

1:54:04 > 1:54:08There is a result.

1:54:21 > 1:54:25Just need to pop this one bag on.

1:54:34 > 1:54:45Needs to run.Just made it. That was his target, get the shot.

1:54:49 > 1:54:56Stop the clock.There is movement in the stands. That's why. They have

1:54:56 > 1:55:08stopped the clock for now. They may wait for a moment or two. A couple

1:55:08 > 1:55:15of members of staff in the centre, just in the stand, checking that a

1:55:15 > 1:55:18lady, I think is feeling slightly unwell with the heat in the

1:55:18 > 1:55:27building. Obviously, the most important thing at the moment.

1:55:27 > 1:55:38Darren Burnett will just have to wait.Darren might be better, just

1:55:38 > 1:55:43to come up, have a look, and come back. They have stop the clock, they

1:55:43 > 1:55:49have to do that. Might be wise to do that. The way the head is sitting,

1:55:49 > 1:55:56they want to finish the end. The officials are just having a little

1:55:56 > 1:56:03chat about what it is.They may choose to take the players off the

1:56:03 > 1:56:10rink for a few minutes. Darren Burnett and David Gourlay, it is

1:56:10 > 1:56:16difficult for them.Yes, they try and avoid that. The rules are

1:56:16 > 1:56:22continuous play. And they really don't want to have to replay the end

1:56:22 > 1:56:35again. But... Obviously, it is a duty of care, is the first priority.

1:56:35 > 1:56:44The markers going off to have a chat with Darren.Let's go to the balcony

1:56:44 > 1:56:47and have a word with a man who has reached his first Scottish

1:56:47 > 1:56:52international final, Michael Stepney.

1:56:52 > 1:56:56You are a very happy man up here. Michael, how are you feeling, 20

1:56:56 > 1:57:02minutes, half an hour?Trying to take it all in, get through all the

1:57:02 > 1:57:08messages on my phone, about 20, and about 40 on messenger, get through

1:57:08 > 1:57:13them and then I will get to watch the rest of the game.I guess the

1:57:13 > 1:57:17good thing, you have gone into these matches as the underdog, the

1:57:17 > 1:57:22pressure is off totally, you are in the final, that brings an added

1:57:22 > 1:57:26pressure in itself?Hopefully not, we will see tomorrow. I will try and

1:57:26 > 1:57:31keep myself down, go through it as if it is another game, go out and

1:57:31 > 1:57:38play like I have an playing, I will not be far-away.You know Paul very

1:57:38 > 1:57:42well, he couldn't have spoken about you high enough, it was great to

1:57:42 > 1:57:46hear a guy like that who has been so successful speaking about you in

1:57:46 > 1:57:52such high regard.We have both had a few battles over the years in

1:57:52 > 1:57:57Scottish competitions, Paul is up there, I would classify him as the

1:57:57 > 1:58:02best player in the world. He wasn't playing at his best today, gives me

1:58:02 > 1:58:09a chance in the final tomorrow. He's a top, top class player.You know

1:58:09 > 1:58:14Darren and David on the rink at the moment. David is obviously the

1:58:14 > 1:58:17Scotland coach for the Commonwealth games but he has such an amazing

1:58:17 > 1:58:22game.Oh, yes, I have played him twice and he has beaten me both

1:58:22 > 1:58:29times, very close games. Doesn't matter which one you play, it is

1:58:29 > 1:58:33another game, try and keep my game plan, see what happens.I guess

1:58:33 > 1:58:37that's the thing, then you play these guys so well, you play with

1:58:37 > 1:58:40them on the international circuit, they are team-mates of yours on the

1:58:40 > 1:58:44album for game as well, you know them, you know what they can do, you

1:58:44 > 1:58:49know you want to beat them.You have to put that aside and play a game,

1:58:49 > 1:58:56concentrate on your game, let it take its course.You wouldn't be

1:58:56 > 1:59:02bothered who will get into the final? No, not one bit. How can you

1:59:02 > 1:59:05prepare now, everyone is phoning you, leaving messages, how difficult

1:59:05 > 1:59:11will it be for you to look ahead to tomorrow and get the game right?I

1:59:11 > 1:59:14will try and get through all the messages and then watch a little bit

1:59:14 > 1:59:20of the bowls and take it easy, have a nice bite to eat and maybe a few

1:59:20 > 1:59:25pints.Don't have too many. You are busy tomorrow. Listen,

1:59:25 > 1:59:28congratulations, we will see you tomorrow. We will hand back to the

1:59:28 > 1:59:36commentary team. COMMENTATOR: thank you and

1:59:36 > 1:59:42congratulations again to Michael, what a performance. Darren Burnett,

1:59:42 > 1:59:50there was a long pause here in play. Yes, the concentration levels will

1:59:50 > 1:59:54have dropped, there is not much you can do about that, the fortunate

1:59:54 > 2:00:00thing for Darren is that he has another bowl to come.A lady finding

2:00:00 > 2:00:05the heat it little bit too much helped out by the excellent staff

2:00:05 > 2:00:12year. She will be well looked after. The same problem for David, up to a

2:00:12 > 2:00:17point, cropped short on that. That just happens, nothing anyone can do

2:00:17 > 2:00:23about it. The important thing is that the spectator is being cared

2:00:23 > 2:00:25for.

2:00:33 > 2:00:39One against him, the backhand. Looks like there is plenty of room to draw

2:00:39 > 2:00:44but given the delay... Just want to get that level of concentration

2:00:44 > 2:00:53back. Giving it a chance, trying to come round but it will be one for

2:00:53 > 2:01:06David Gourlay.Set score, two sets after 6 cents.David Gourlay wastes

2:01:06 > 2:01:14no time, the mat down, the jack away.Yes, he is a fast player, I

2:01:14 > 2:01:17had a long conversation with him earlier in the week about the

2:01:17 > 2:01:28Commonwealth games. Preparation for it. Great venue, no doubt about

2:01:28 > 2:01:30that, but the preparation for the Commonwealth Games teams, very

2:01:30 > 2:01:41interesting stuff.Scotland will be hoping to repeat some of the success

2:01:41 > 2:01:47of Glasgow 2014. Be hard to match it, certainly on the mend's side.

2:01:47 > 2:01:55Good squad going out.Very good, very strong. Men and women. The

2:01:55 > 2:02:02plans are put in place. There are and professional as it needs to be.

2:02:02 > 2:02:13Medals are very important for funding.Darren's bowl, five inches.

2:02:13 > 2:02:17Did not tell me anything confidential, of course. Not that it

2:02:17 > 2:02:21would matter, I'm not involved in preparing any team for the

2:02:21 > 2:02:28Commonwealth Games. Would not make any difference.I think we all know

2:02:28 > 2:02:33what to do to get teams ready.Good effort.

2:02:37 > 2:02:42Commonwealth games gold, singles winner, Darren Burnett.

2:02:59 > 2:03:07May just be the one. Close second, definitely one, close for second.

2:03:15 > 2:03:25No time wasted, will he hold up? No. A weighted shot from David Gourlay.

2:03:25 > 2:03:29He has missed a few of those forehand runners this week. Happy

2:03:29 > 2:03:34enough to do it if he keeps winning matches.Five inches.

2:03:59 > 2:04:10No change.

2:04:16 > 2:04:22Couldn't afford to go again. Just trying to draw.Touching his own

2:04:22 > 2:04:28bowl might be enough. Dropped out. It will be one red, definitely. A

2:04:28 > 2:04:40bigger problem here for David Gourlay. Yes...Darren Burnett is

2:04:40 > 2:04:45sizing the sub, there is a shot and he needs it.Very much so, bearing

2:04:45 > 2:04:56in mind the position at the moment. He's just putting his foot down to

2:04:56 > 2:05:01look at the ankle and things. Two things are possible, if he gets that

2:05:01 > 2:05:05onto the jack coming through is good, but also, if he gets the

2:05:05 > 2:05:15outside of the red bowl he could take the other two green falls out.

2:05:15 > 2:05:18I think he has to play this.

2:05:22 > 2:05:29Going for it, lying shot but he wants it once more, the front red

2:05:29 > 2:05:37bowl, will it send the jack through? Did the green bowl moved

2:05:37 > 2:05:46sufficiently? I think he was hoping for three minimum. One out. Yes, his

2:05:46 > 2:05:53own bowl got caught. That is where the slight disappointment on

2:05:53 > 2:06:12Darren's face. Definite two shots, keeps him in the hunt.

2:06:20 > 2:06:31Two ends to play.Jack links, 28 and a half metres.Good contest in terms

2:06:31 > 2:06:35of Jack placement. David Gourlay has also been bringing the matter up.

2:07:37 > 2:07:51Just pulling up short.Just checking my notes. Scored on the last end.

2:07:51 > 2:07:55Darren Burnett would have been looking for a minimum of two, maybe

2:07:55 > 2:08:05three.Did not fall as he wanted. Making sure she is up for this.

2:08:05 > 2:08:16Sorry, your last bowl, almost two feet.

2:08:43 > 2:08:50Has been a bit of a feature. Speaking to a couple of the players,

2:08:50 > 2:08:56they have been saying the same thing, not quite sure why. Almost

2:08:56 > 2:08:59like they are at a different weight from different lines. This is an

2:08:59 > 2:09:09short.

2:09:10 > 2:09:23It's a decent position for David in terms of picking the shot.

2:10:05 > 2:10:11David is looking a bit quick again. Goodness me.One shot, Darren

2:10:11 > 2:10:26Burnett.David Gourlay could not keep the weight off.

2:10:27 > 2:10:31That last bowl from David Gourlay's perspective was almost the one to

2:10:31 > 2:10:38win the set. He would have been in a very strong position. For as two,

2:10:38 > 2:10:49that is a lot different.

2:10:55 > 2:11:10On the longest side... Turning the jack left.

2:12:10 > 2:12:19It is a good ball, but again, the short ones are there.Your ball is

2:12:19 > 2:12:27five inches short of jack high. Weight six shots for Darren, not all

2:12:27 > 2:12:38of them have managed to reach jack high.

2:12:43 > 2:12:56Adding a touch of weight...These guys are so good, you wonder, is the

2:12:56 > 2:13:00surface changing a little bit? It can do that, especially between

2:13:00 > 2:13:15matches.It was very warm out there yesterday, it's warm again today.

2:13:15 > 2:13:28Just hanging off slightly...It's a good weight.

2:13:29 > 2:13:45It's the usual, at 105...The warmest place in Perth!Dave was on

2:13:45 > 2:13:51the wrong side, he wanted to turn that jack around the corner.It's

2:13:51 > 2:13:55all a bit strange at the moment, as we get to the last few balls of the

2:13:55 > 2:14:09set.Darren Burnett needs to score two. Just trying to get that green

2:14:09 > 2:14:14ball off. I'm surprised he's gone for that in some respects...There's

2:14:14 > 2:14:19a big chance of him getting his own ball... That is exactly what has

2:14:19 > 2:14:24happened. He must have felt that was the only ways he was going to

2:14:24 > 2:14:31achieve what he wanted to do. Picking up not one, not to, but

2:14:31 > 2:14:40three. It matters not. Any school was going to see him over the line.

2:14:40 > 2:14:45Black-and-white, 9-4 looks like an easy set but it was anything but.

2:14:45 > 2:14:50It's always a bit weird looking when you see a 9-4 scoreline, watch this

2:14:50 > 2:14:55very tight set like that... The last ends were very odd, in some

2:14:55 > 2:15:08respects. The last was in 2006 in the Scottish International Open.

2:15:08 > 2:15:13Darren Burnett and David Goodwillie met in the final in 2002. -- David

2:15:13 > 2:15:24Gourlay. Darren Burnett won the year before. The second set gets

2:15:24 > 2:15:34underway...

2:16:12 > 2:16:16Just with how it is sitting, I would be surprised as he switches back to

2:16:16 > 2:16:29the hand again, there's no need to change it.

2:16:35 > 2:16:44He will be happy that he stayed the way he did.Last bowl, 15 inches

2:16:44 > 2:16:56from jack high. Two.

2:16:57 > 2:17:03Once again, Darren Burnett playing the running ball early in the end...

2:17:03 > 2:17:13He opens the door...

2:17:14 > 2:17:28A couple of times he has gone with the second ball, and why not?

2:17:37 > 2:17:52Two green. One inch past.

2:18:00 > 2:18:04It is going again. He knows if he is a bit wide, he could get the second

2:18:04 > 2:18:12ball.On the re-spot, his own ball is going off the rink but he will

2:18:12 > 2:18:23have the last delivery at the end.

2:18:23 > 2:18:36He has had a bit of work to do in this match. Decided to go again...

2:18:36 > 2:18:46The result to the re-spot.

2:18:59 > 2:19:06The re-spot is almost unbeatable. Two green, meaning Darren cannot

2:19:06 > 2:19:17just take the ball off, trying to draw in for second.Easily in for

2:19:17 > 2:19:31second, no great threat to the shops... -- shots. Gourlay picks up

2:19:31 > 2:19:41the opening end. David Gourlay, some players like to carry the cloth with

2:19:41 > 2:19:47them, they find it gets a little hot but occasionally he bowls with it in

2:19:47 > 2:19:52hand, other times he throws it away. Generally he throws it away then on

2:19:52 > 2:19:57the last ball, if his opponent has another bowl to come, he keeps it in

2:19:57 > 2:20:04hand, if he wants to go up. Not everybody uses the cloth but it is

2:20:04 > 2:20:14very hot out there.

2:20:51 > 2:21:05The line is looking good. Gourlay comes around his own ball.

2:21:05 > 2:21:09Traditionally, Darren in this match has been quite aggressive, but he

2:21:09 > 2:21:25just joins it this time.It looked a good line all the way... Three goes,

2:21:25 > 2:21:36and a shake of the head.

2:21:48 > 2:21:55David, trying to get between two red ones. He may just come across, that

2:21:55 > 2:22:07hasn't changed anything.The back red was the ideal one to rest on.

2:22:07 > 2:22:13Two seconds.If it is that, he might be tempted...Careful he doesn't

2:22:13 > 2:22:17take his own two balls out, the backhand whips like mad, the

2:22:17 > 2:22:26forehand may stay a bit more but he gets the red onto the jack.Giving

2:22:26 > 2:22:35it a chance. One away.Two seconds, that's all he had to do. The extra

2:22:35 > 2:22:41bonus would have been to get the two of them. He whips it out, clean as a

2:22:41 > 2:22:55whistle.Two red... A ball each to play.

2:22:59 > 2:23:05David is tempted with the same sort of shot. Looking for the Red

2:23:05 > 2:23:17Bulls...Damage limitation...

2:23:33 > 2:23:37-- the red balls.

2:23:48 > 2:24:00The first shot is drawn...That was not easy, he did very, very well.

2:24:00 > 2:24:12For the first time in either set, Darren Burnett has the lead. He took

2:24:12 > 2:24:19the opening end, and then dropped it back to David Gourlay, went all the

2:24:19 > 2:24:28way. The ladies final coming up later today. Caroline Brown, just

2:24:28 > 2:24:40waiting to go on. A very experienced player.

2:24:41 > 2:24:53And Furyk is her opponent, taking to the rink after this.It will be

2:24:53 > 2:25:07interesting to see, third year in the final... It will be a good game.

2:25:07 > 2:25:2016 inches from jack Kite. -- jack high.He plays beforehand this time.

2:25:20 > 2:25:33A longer jack lank, maybe he favours this side.

2:25:37 > 2:25:44Continuing off the backhand. The eighth consecutive year for Darren

2:25:44 > 2:25:57Burnett in the top ten on the world Bowls tour. Always looks like he

2:25:57 > 2:26:02would come across and pushed the jack towards the green ball. David

2:26:02 > 2:26:06cannot afford the forehand now. Touching the red ball in closer to

2:26:06 > 2:26:16the jack.

2:26:30 > 2:26:43Any movement of the jack, there's a chance of it coming a foot behind.

2:26:48 > 2:26:59That's where he was asking who was second. He looks slightly under...

2:26:59 > 2:27:03That would have been Gourlay, drawing for three with one ball, for

2:27:03 > 2:27:15Darren Burnett to reply, he was on the inside. If he got the front

2:27:15 > 2:27:22green ball, it was likely he was taking the back one as well. Their

2:27:22 > 2:27:33routers, David Gourlay. Simply drawing on the back ball.Giving it

2:27:33 > 2:27:41a chance to get to be red.Dropping back, it looks like two. Hoping it

2:27:41 > 2:27:53would drop the other way for a three.

2:27:54 > 2:28:05Nearly... It might spin away.

2:28:17 > 2:28:21He has given it every chance... Slicing it the other way.I think he

2:28:21 > 2:28:31has got second.

2:28:33 > 2:28:38This will bring David onto the forehand to touch his own ball down.

2:28:38 > 2:28:49The backhand was a little dangerous.

2:28:59 > 2:29:16Trying to encourage it forward... It needs to drop. But refused.

2:29:17 > 2:29:23Set to score, 2-2 after three ends. Sticking to the tie-break in the

2:29:23 > 2:29:28quarterfinal against Nick Brett. Won the first set but dropped the second

2:29:28 > 2:29:42by eight shots but won the tie-break. A very good week here.

2:29:42 > 2:29:46When you get to the quarterfinal semifinal stage, everybody is happy

2:29:46 > 2:29:50with their ranking points and performances, putting in a lot of

2:29:50 > 2:30:00good players in this event.

2:30:38 > 2:30:49Drop it under again.

2:31:21 > 2:31:34Still looking for the correction. Still red. Slightly stunned by that.

2:31:34 > 2:31:44Certainly looked, the angle that we've got, so can't Darren Burnett

2:31:44 > 2:31:53change things? He's going through. Interesting.It's hard for us to

2:31:53 > 2:32:03tell sometimes. Depends on the last bowl. Has to be at the very least up

2:32:03 > 2:32:05to the jack.

2:32:28 > 2:32:31Maybe a time out coming here as Darren Burnett is taking his time to

2:32:31 > 2:32:39look at their head.Certainly taking his time, if he goes driving at it,

2:32:39 > 2:32:46always the potential for taking his own two bowls out but I think that

2:32:46 > 2:32:48would be desperately costly.

2:32:57 > 2:33:02He has a good over the weight shot under the jack and punch it through.

2:33:12 > 2:33:14Keeping a close eye on it.

2:33:18 > 2:33:26One shot, David Gourlay. APPLAUSE

2:33:26 > 2:33:34Score, 2-3 after four ends.Made sure of taking one away.

2:33:45 > 2:33:51Jack links, 27 and a half metres. The first set, the key end was

2:33:51 > 2:33:56arguably the fifth, when David Gourlay picked up a three. Started

2:33:56 > 2:34:05to carry him away. Also a set Darren Burnett has to win.

2:35:18 > 2:35:22Two good opening bowls from David Gourlay.This is struggling by some

2:35:22 > 2:35:27distance. It won't be in the way but the players but once again, that

2:35:27 > 2:35:34backhand takes its toll. I just wonder sometimes if he goes slightly

2:35:34 > 2:35:36outside the line, just a little bit slower.

2:35:46 > 2:35:57Ideal if he picks the jack up.

2:36:06 > 2:36:17Put a little bit of weight into it. Let's see what Darren decides to do.

2:36:17 > 2:36:21Will take the jack if he could. Alternatively, if you go through

2:36:21 > 2:36:30gaps and miss them all.That is what happened next type shot.That gap,

2:36:30 > 2:36:36that gap. Wouldn't have made any difference if he had taken his own

2:36:36 > 2:36:45bowl away. Little age would have been enough to get the jack.

2:37:11 > 2:37:16Well, that's different now if he takes his own bowl away. And at 3-2,

2:37:16 > 2:37:24that never clever. Forehand, could take everything away with regards to

2:37:24 > 2:37:25the green ones.

2:37:29 > 2:37:35Clean Jack, he's looking for.Goes again, plenty of weight, watches

2:37:35 > 2:37:43after it. Going to be four.There was a danger. He knew the danger,

2:37:43 > 2:37:51prepared to accept that.Could happen. Four shots, David Gourlay.

2:37:51 > 2:37:56If he picks up the jack, it's 3-3.

2:38:04 > 2:38:12That is a key moment in the match. Yes, David was lying through, if

2:38:12 > 2:38:16he'd been lying one, maybe two, Darren would have been trying to

2:38:16 > 2:38:24draw it.Jack links, 23 metres.He worked on the basis that it was just

2:38:24 > 2:38:27one war shot.

2:39:52 > 2:40:02Well, might be.

2:40:06 > 2:40:08Forehand shot.

2:40:16 > 2:40:25Been a bit too canny with that one. Darren, any touch on the jack, he

2:40:25 > 2:40:29could make two.

2:41:01 > 2:41:12It's what he wanted.Well, that was the perfect result. Gives him the

2:41:12 > 2:41:21double. Again, Darren has a shot to drag the jack back for three. Hits

2:41:21 > 2:41:31the two bowls out. With that as well. Watching this.Jack bowls,

2:41:31 > 2:41:39re-spot. Looks like two from this angle. Definite two. Might be

2:41:39 > 2:41:45interested to go looking at the third as well. Good result.That's

2:41:45 > 2:41:54what he was playing for.Two shots, Darren Burnett.He knew as soon as

2:41:54 > 2:41:59the jack came over about a direction. A minimum of two,

2:41:59 > 2:42:09possibly three.

2:42:10 > 2:42:18Having dropped the four, he needed that.

2:42:24 > 2:42:27Jack length, 28 and a half metres.

2:42:53 > 2:42:58That's an important bowl. The last few times coming back towards the

2:42:58 > 2:43:06commentary box, that's been short. Be happier with that.

2:43:18 > 2:43:25Just leaning up against the red bowl. If he had stopped it sooner he

2:43:25 > 2:43:29would have dropped in for number one.

2:43:42 > 2:43:4920 inches past Jack I. -- jack high.

2:44:01 > 2:44:03Think he's better this time.

2:44:10 > 2:44:26David is keeping the pressure on. He's turned his back on it already.

2:44:26 > 2:44:36One green.All bowlers do that, it's just more of its prize when one of

2:44:36 > 2:44:46top players does it.It happens to everyone.I think it's more the fact

2:44:46 > 2:44:48he needs shots.

2:44:53 > 2:45:04That's closer for number two.Just the one, Darren. Seven inch gap.

2:45:16 > 2:45:27Don't think there's much else he could do. Going along, once the

2:45:27 > 2:45:32green bowl, gets it. APPLAUSE

2:45:37 > 2:45:44After missing with his last one, leaving David with very little here,

2:45:44 > 2:45:50except a draw.The weight he would like to use is the backhand with

2:45:50 > 2:45:56controlled weight, but it's just so difficult. I can see what he's

2:45:56 > 2:46:00after, that's why he is looking at the Angles but goodness, David has

2:46:00 > 2:46:08it covered. Looking to try and see if he can get the jack over. If he

2:46:08 > 2:46:15can do that. Going to have to come in, half Jack. Go through it. Hope

2:46:15 > 2:46:22that the jack travels. All the way through to the green. If he can

2:46:22 > 2:46:26flick the bowl out, that's good, but I don't think the angle is good

2:46:26 > 2:46:31enough to get anything better than that. The forehand, he can flick the

2:46:31 > 2:46:38bowl out but the jack is going the wrong way.If it hits the red bowl,

2:46:38 > 2:46:54it could actually go forward again. Just trying to arrive on the draw.

2:46:55 > 2:46:59Never looked like it was a high percentage shot. So difficult to

2:46:59 > 2:47:14play that shot. Deciding I will try and draw this.Having dropped the

2:47:14 > 2:47:17four, Darren Burnett needs a double and a single to bring him back into

2:47:17 > 2:47:19the set.

2:47:29 > 2:47:33These men playing for a place in the Scottish international final 2017.

2:47:33 > 2:47:36Taking place tomorrow.

2:47:55 > 2:48:02This is all about getting one shot really, for both players. Darren

2:48:02 > 2:48:05Burnett needs to score at least a single to give himself a chance in

2:48:05 > 2:48:10the last end for a double. David gets a single, Darren is looking for

2:48:10 > 2:48:20four.

2:48:59 > 2:49:01Two feet past jack high.

2:49:41 > 2:49:49Has two correct with this one. He is on a good line. The payslips better.

2:49:49 > 2:49:59-- the pace looks better. Choices for David Gourlay.Short of the jack

2:49:59 > 2:50:04by seven inches with a three and a half inch gap.We'll go down and

2:50:04 > 2:50:10have a look. Understandably so.It is a shot that could win the match

2:50:10 > 2:50:17for him.Depends on the weight. It's good if he gets the jack, don't get

2:50:17 > 2:50:24me wrong. Because the jack threw into a back position, if he puts it

2:50:24 > 2:50:29down into that sort of direction, the best Darren can do is a single

2:50:29 > 2:50:34and David has the last bowl on the scent. This is well worth a go.

2:50:34 > 2:50:39There is only one danger, getting through the gap and taking his own

2:50:39 > 2:50:49bowl out, that's the only danger. He is angled for the draw. Let's see.

2:50:49 > 2:50:55Yes, very controlled. Allowing the bowl to bend. Now, has he got the

2:50:55 > 2:51:01jack or his own? Perfect. A little bit unlucky. Very unlucky. Really

2:51:01 > 2:51:07unlucky. That should have been in the ditch.David Gourlay should have

2:51:07 > 2:51:12been in the final, if he picked that through and if that had run in with

2:51:12 > 2:51:19him.That was game over and he knows it.

2:51:19 > 2:51:24It was game over, if it hadn't hit the barrier...He is still holding

2:51:24 > 2:51:31the shot, you would expect Darren to draw it. The best he can do is get a

2:51:31 > 2:51:44single now. An interesting choice, Darren going across the head. He has

2:51:44 > 2:51:58picked out the line, anyway. Yes, a good ball. Various players going

2:51:58 > 2:52:05down the open side... David quite often would go narrow side. I wonder

2:52:05 > 2:52:14if he would be tempted for a jack... If he takes the jack, sneaking it

2:52:14 > 2:52:18across, he has the best green ball, the ball is in the ditch and he

2:52:18 > 2:52:25could win the match. There is only one against them...On the last end,

2:52:25 > 2:52:31your opponent needs to take the ball out clean. And he gets a one.

2:52:31 > 2:52:43Choices, choices. He is thinking... That is what he is going for,

2:52:43 > 2:52:49Bowling a jack... If he takes the jack, he is in the final but if he

2:52:49 > 2:53:02takes that... No wedges on that, hitting it right, centre.He knew if

2:53:02 > 2:53:06he held it he could get the jack into the ditch. A brilliant ball by

2:53:06 > 2:53:21David Gourlay. No wonder there is a spring in his step... David

2:53:21 > 2:53:27Goodwillie, the winner of the International in 22nd -- David

2:53:27 > 2:53:36Gourlay, the winner of the International in 2016. In Scotland,

2:53:36 > 2:53:462004-2006. His last here.

2:53:51 > 2:54:02Darren Burnett is in search of a miracle.

2:54:08 > 2:54:13They are going to check to see if this is... On the mat.It is

2:54:13 > 2:54:18important if it is. David Gourlay will be looking for 23 metres,

2:54:18 > 2:54:23simply on the basis that... Is that up?He is short by a couple of

2:54:23 > 2:54:34inches. The reason why he was doing that was that he has a good margin.

2:54:34 > 2:54:3823 metres and he knows he can drive the ball out. That's all he had to

2:54:38 > 2:54:46do. Darren Burnett will try and put as much distance between them as he

2:54:46 > 2:55:06can.All the way through, here he comes.

2:55:24 > 2:55:34Take that for starters.

2:55:46 > 2:55:56That is lovely.

2:56:06 > 2:56:15It has been an entertaining semifinal...That is short. How many

2:56:15 > 2:56:24times have we seen that? Darren Pops another one in. Transferring across

2:56:24 > 2:56:34to another player in the lead. Struggling, isn't he? He has two

2:56:34 > 2:56:41arrive... That is going to be hard now. Darren looks to the heavens on

2:56:41 > 2:56:57that one. Anything within two feat for David would be good. Struggling

2:56:57 > 2:57:08for weight once again.

2:57:12 > 2:57:25That looks horrible, he will come in and have a look. So, why not? That

2:57:25 > 2:57:33is not great looking, is it?The last ball was half protected, it is

2:57:33 > 2:57:41available... Playing onto his own red ball with enough to stop the

2:57:41 > 2:57:46green out. But can you steal?The angle isn't right. He's got to play

2:57:46 > 2:57:52this with his forehand, I think. And hope that he is able to get into the

2:57:52 > 2:58:05green ball. That is all.

2:58:10 > 2:58:22Trying to set it up for his last ball. A little something to try and

2:58:22 > 2:58:26disturb...You could see what he was trying to do, but he didn't have

2:58:26 > 2:58:32much choice. He had to move his own ball, playing the forehand to get

2:58:32 > 2:58:39the green ball out. It isn't easy. Or David Gourlay wants to do is put

2:58:39 > 2:58:52his ball towards the back red ball. Risking losing the ball. Two feet on

2:58:52 > 2:59:07his last yard, that will do it. One foot in the final as it is...

2:59:10 > 2:59:16Well...I'm not sure he meant that. He certainly didn't. Not only that,

2:59:16 > 2:59:24but strangely, he has given Darren Burnett something to aim for...

2:59:24 > 2:59:33Green ball onto green ball, perhaps? It needs to hang around...It does.

2:59:33 > 2:59:38The angle isn't good for that. He knows that they have jack on the

2:59:38 > 2:59:49forehand is no good.On the inside ball, this is a snooker shot, but if

2:59:49 > 2:59:55he is able to get into that, he then goes on to that and it gets through

2:59:55 > 3:00:01to the green ball.He can tell me the lottery numbers for tomorrow

3:00:01 > 3:00:13while he is at it?That is... One of those things where occasionally, it

3:00:13 > 3:00:19is the only thing available. Pinball, he is to be the pinball

3:00:19 > 3:00:25Wizard on this one. It will be fascinating to see.The only reason

3:00:25 > 3:00:28he's on this one, this ball ran too much, otherwise two Greenwood have

3:00:28 > 3:00:39done.He's in this position because David Goodwillie made a mistake --

3:00:39 > 3:00:47David Gourlay.He's got to go for it. To take three out.Or nothing.

3:00:47 > 3:00:58For Darren Burnett. David Gourlay has two -- Gourlay has is to wait

3:00:58 > 3:01:07for now. And it wasn't 1 million miles away!David Gourlay, 11 years

3:01:07 > 3:01:13since he was last in the final for the Scottish international, but

3:01:13 > 3:01:23here's back there. He has beaten Darren Burnett by 2-0. It's always

3:01:23 > 3:01:29tough whenever you have to take on not only the high-performance player

3:01:29 > 3:01:32but also the selector! Darren Burnett was doing it with

3:01:32 > 3:01:39aplomb in the first, Birch David Gourlay picked up a three in this

3:01:39 > 3:01:45end and got to a 5-2 lead. And he carried it all the way through. In

3:01:45 > 3:01:48the end, picking up three in the last end, distorting the score a

3:01:48 > 3:01:58little. In the second set, Darren Burnett is up and running. In the

3:01:58 > 3:02:04second end, taking the lead... David Gourlay shows how good he is at the

3:02:04 > 3:02:12drawer shot. Darren has two resort down to heavy shots and

3:02:12 > 3:02:19unfortunately this one cost him four on the fifth end. Then he was

3:02:19 > 3:02:24chasing for absolutely everything, picking up a two at the next end...

3:02:24 > 3:02:29But David Goodwillie, with a perfect take out shot, taking the ball away.

3:02:29 > 3:02:33Forcing Darren into needing a four on the last end. The perfect result

3:02:33 > 3:02:43for David Gourlay.The key end on both sets was in number five, three

3:02:43 > 3:02:50in the last set, four in the second. Not much between them. Those two

3:02:50 > 3:02:55ends and then five, the biggest difference in the total shop score.

3:02:55 > 3:03:00David Gourlay is a finalist in the Scottish International Open 2017.

3:03:00 > 3:03:07David Gourlay through to the final for the first time in 11 years, in

3:03:07 > 3:03:11Perth, back in 2006. Congratulations!Thank you, I'm

3:03:11 > 3:03:15delighted to be in the final at Perth. It has been a long time

3:03:15 > 3:03:20coming. But I'm happy, I put pressure on from the beginning but

3:03:20 > 3:03:24Darren's running shots were incredible. He didn't miss a drive.

3:03:24 > 3:03:30It was amazing, we talk about the greens often in this game but now

3:03:30 > 3:03:35and again, you are a millimetre or two off either side?I thought it

3:03:35 > 3:03:40ran well today. Never really got any results, David had me playing

3:03:40 > 3:03:47runners and if you do that, sometimes they don't come off.What

3:03:47 > 3:03:55you do is key in the sets game, and he knew about that?Yes, I had to

3:03:55 > 3:03:59get the ball closer to what I have been doing to put Darren under

3:03:59 > 3:04:03pressure and thankfully it happened today.When you were running well,

3:04:03 > 3:04:06it is so difficult when they are not coming off, you don't get the

3:04:06 > 3:04:09results you want but as you said, the pressure David put you under

3:04:09 > 3:04:18made you play then?It was a loose end for me.In the second, there was

3:04:18 > 3:04:25a small gap, and they were big ends in such a tight game.We thought

3:04:25 > 3:04:29there was no space that you found it! Unbelievable. A big shot on the

3:04:29 > 3:04:38eighth end of the second set, such a huge one for you?I need to remember

3:04:38 > 3:04:47this one, not my favourite backhand but on this occasion... Got a four.

3:04:47 > 3:04:57He hit it right on the nose?It was a good shot, yes.No doubt about

3:04:57 > 3:05:02that. You are through to the final. Michael Stepney against Michael...

3:05:02 > 3:05:08Have you played him much? You've beaten him twice here before?The

3:05:08 > 3:05:11last time I played Michael was in the International at Blackpool, I

3:05:11 > 3:05:21was fortunate to win the game. He outplayed me. He played incredibly

3:05:21 > 3:05:28today.Commiserations, Darren. A great week and some wonderful play.

3:05:28 > 3:05:36David Gourlay is through to the final. Well done. So, here we have

3:05:36 > 3:05:41it, confirmation of the final, it is tomorrow, live on BBC Two Scotland.

3:05:41 > 3:05:47Michael Stepney, the wild card, against David Gourlay, the former

3:05:47 > 3:05:51world champion. There have been some amazing players here this week,

3:05:51 > 3:05:56doing incredible shots. But how do you get to be as good as them? You

3:05:56 > 3:06:04practice, or you listen to Corky! For this masterclass I have selected

3:06:04 > 3:06:10a match with Kelvin Kaikai, playing in red, against Simon Skelton, in

3:06:10 > 3:06:15the green. Kelvin needs two shots to win the set and the match. But how

3:06:15 > 3:06:19on earth is he going to get those two? A variety of shots are

3:06:19 > 3:06:24available. Play the forehand, and dropped onto the jack, a delicate

3:06:24 > 3:06:29shot and it's very possible that he can drive out on the backhand in the

3:06:29 > 3:06:37hope he gets the jack but Kelvin doesn't do that, he plays the

3:06:37 > 3:06:42perfect shot, taking out the green ball and winning the match,

3:06:42 > 3:06:46progressing through to the quarterfinal.The masterclass is

3:06:46 > 3:06:52all-important, let's reflect on the two semifinals we have seen so far,

3:06:52 > 3:06:59David Gourlay, playing really well. He faces Michael tomorrow?No

3:06:59 > 3:07:02weaknesses in his game, the take-out shots were all there, the good draws

3:07:02 > 3:07:07put Darren under pressure a lot. Darren had to drive quite a bit. It

3:07:07 > 3:07:11was interesting, with David Gourlay. He's been here a few months, playing

3:07:11 > 3:07:18a lot more and it shows.Darren is so good normally at conversion

3:07:18 > 3:07:21shots, he was hitting them, the runners and all of that. But he

3:07:21 > 3:07:26wasn't getting the result?You need a bit of luck sometimes, it wasn't

3:07:26 > 3:07:33there today but both players played well. It didn't reflect the match at

3:07:33 > 3:07:38all but David Gourlay had to play a brilliant ball on the eighth end to

3:07:38 > 3:07:42give him an unassailable situation going into the last end. It was very

3:07:42 > 3:07:48close.It was, and the first semifinal, Paul Foster, the current

3:07:48 > 3:07:54world champion, knocked out by the qualifier, amazing!Yes, and Paul

3:07:54 > 3:07:59said it himself, we know Michael Stepney, whenever you play him you

3:07:59 > 3:08:03may as well play the top players. You know what you get, and he is

3:08:03 > 3:08:08playing very well.He is, particularly in the first round, he

3:08:08 > 3:08:11knocked out Stewart Anderson. Doing incredibly well here in Perth in the

3:08:11 > 3:08:16past. Eyebrows were raised, thinking, how much damage will he do

3:08:16 > 3:08:22this week? So far a huge amount!He was 11-2 for the game. Can you

3:08:22 > 3:08:28believe it? A lot of guys up and down the country would have put

3:08:28 > 3:08:32pennies on that and done well. It was an even skein, strangely. They

3:08:32 > 3:08:44got it wrong -- and evens game.In the finals tomorrow, with David

3:08:44 > 3:08:47Gourlay's experience, having been in the top 16 for so long, would have

3:08:47 > 3:08:52the advantage that Michael has never been here before and he will enjoy

3:08:52 > 3:08:57himself?We said that with Stewart Anderson ASBO! Identikit will make a

3:08:57 > 3:09:03difference, I think they will go and enjoy it -- we said that with

3:09:03 > 3:09:08Stewart Anderson as well! I do not think it will make a difference.The

3:09:08 > 3:09:13final is live on BBC Two Scotland, Corky is going to the commentary

3:09:13 > 3:09:21box. We have and Caroline Brown now for the ladies final...Lady bowler

3:09:21 > 3:09:24of the year Caroline is a hugely talented competitor with a plethora

3:09:24 > 3:09:30of plaudits to her name. Champion in 2010 followed by titles in the US

3:09:30 > 3:09:37and Australia, she has experienced to burn... Ladies and gentlemen,

3:09:37 > 3:09:55please welcome the ladies champion, Caroline Brown!APPLAUSE

3:09:55 > 3:09:59Just two years ago, Leanne Furey picked up the Scottish title here in

3:09:59 > 3:10:04Perth, she knows about playing under the lights and the cameras, she has

3:10:04 > 3:10:08represented Scotland around the world and relishes the prospect of

3:10:08 > 3:10:13facing Caroline, please welcome the former Scottish Masters champion,

3:10:13 > 3:10:23Leanne Furye!

3:10:24 > 3:10:31APPLAUSE COMMENTATOR: David Corkill is in the

3:10:31 > 3:10:40commentary box.Thank you. Yet again, Furye here for the third year

3:10:40 > 3:10:48running. Nothing new for her, she will be used to it, and she is up

3:10:48 > 3:10:50against Caroline Brown, the very experienced international from

3:10:50 > 3:10:58Scotland, it should be a fascinating contest between these two players.

3:10:58 > 3:11:07You will know the two players and in particular, Caroline Brown.They

3:11:07 > 3:11:12have been at the top of their game for the last two years, I think that

3:11:12 > 3:11:16Caroline has an added incentive because she is going to the

3:11:16 > 3:11:20Commonwealth Games. She will be out, this will be a good practice round

3:11:20 > 3:11:28for her. Leanne will not come I do not think... -- Leanne will not, I

3:11:28 > 3:11:36do not think.Caroline will be delighted to get the nod for the

3:11:36 > 3:11:44Gold Coast. The trip that everybody wants to make. But of course, with

3:11:44 > 3:11:47these trips comes a certain amount of pressure and you've got to think

3:11:47 > 3:11:51about it in terms of bringing back medals. That is what counts and that

3:11:51 > 3:11:58is where funding is heavily attached.Pressure will be on,

3:11:58 > 3:12:05because they did not win anything in Delhi, or Glasgow. So they have been

3:12:05 > 3:12:11putting the yards in in their training. Fingers crossed this

3:12:11 > 3:12:20time... It will be interesting to see what the playing line-up is.

3:12:20 > 3:12:28Yes, the combinations and the disciplines. A good start. Having

3:12:28 > 3:12:36said that, it's hard to go past one player in the women's singles, but

3:12:36 > 3:12:43it will be interesting.It really will be. I think that Leslie has a

3:12:43 > 3:12:51good shout, as has Caroline.The runner-up in the world outdoor

3:12:51 > 3:12:55singles in Christchurch last year. Watching that match, played very

3:12:55 > 3:13:03well against Australia's Karen Murphy, she just got over the line.

3:13:03 > 3:13:13She is a good competitor. She has an acquired way with her.She doesn't

3:13:13 > 3:13:16appear to get overexcited. In the team situation it is very important.

3:13:16 > 3:13:21It isn't just about the singles player and playing in disciplines,

3:13:21 > 3:13:25it is about playing in the team and playing them from a Commonwealth

3:13:25 > 3:13:29Games perspective. A very good effort from Leanne, just dropping

3:13:29 > 3:13:46through.Caroline is very good too, she has a very good temperament.

3:14:17 > 3:14:29Well played for the double. It was not easy.

3:14:34 > 3:14:43Two shots, Caroline Brown.Caroline checked it out with Darren McManus.

3:14:43 > 3:14:50It good start. The ladies will have had a chance to practice on the

3:14:50 > 3:14:59portable rink and pick their bowls, and what sort of bias they have.

3:14:59 > 3:15:03Obviously, from Leanne's point of view, it is similar to previous

3:15:03 > 3:15:16years.That is even better a game, isn't it?Caroline normally plays

3:15:16 > 3:15:26there, she has had to change this. I don't think it really makes a

3:15:26 > 3:15:32difference. She is using the same model. I'm sure she will have

3:15:32 > 3:15:41practised. On the green ones.I have seen her practising as well, between

3:15:41 > 3:15:49matches there isn't much time, you get a couple of ends. Things do

3:15:49 > 3:15:58change during the day with regards to atmospheric conditions...It is a

3:15:58 > 3:16:04good bit warmer in here today.It is, it is warm in the commentary

3:16:04 > 3:16:14box, isn't it?

3:16:15 > 3:16:19The current international has won a number of different titles...She

3:16:19 > 3:16:25has been steady in the nationals for Arbroath, Caroline. Double pairs,

3:16:25 > 3:16:37back-to-back.A host of things in there.She has come to the fore over

3:16:37 > 3:16:51the last few years. Caroline...She got a gold, in the Championships. A

3:16:51 > 3:16:57lot of things in there as well. But we know that she is more than

3:16:57 > 3:17:20capable. Indoors and outdoors. A little unlucky, dropping away...

3:17:37 > 3:17:40Close shot. The trouble playing the backhand with the green ball is that

3:17:40 > 3:17:46that touch goes to the red. She has had a good look at it, it favours if

3:17:46 > 3:17:58she is lying or not... The forehand shot, it shouldn't red ball off but

3:17:58 > 3:18:10the careful not to put it onto the jack.

3:18:15 > 3:18:35It is a fantastic effort. It is a gentle draw on the forehand.

3:18:40 > 3:18:48Yes.

3:19:00 > 3:19:04An interesting choice of short, doesn't want to touch the green one.

3:19:04 > 3:19:14-- choice of shot.A good effort. Get the impression she favours her

3:19:14 > 3:19:25own by playing the backhand.

3:20:03 > 3:20:07One shot, Caroline Brown.As it turned out, it's gone to Caroline

3:20:07 > 3:20:15Brown. It was always going to be a close measure.Caroline's mother,

3:20:15 > 3:20:25with the blonde hair. Her son in the middle, and dad, Jim. Supporting

3:20:25 > 3:20:29Caroline very well. I've watched her son growing up. He's been to every

3:20:29 > 3:20:33game and her dad is always there too. She gets very good support from

3:20:33 > 3:20:43them.

3:21:32 > 3:21:41It isn't unusual with the over correction... A bit behind, then in

3:21:41 > 3:21:43front.

3:21:56 > 3:22:06Leslie Dyke has also won the title. She won it as Leslie Gordon.

3:22:06 > 3:22:11Caroline and Leslie seem to follow in one another's footsteps for the

3:22:11 > 3:22:18title!Probably why I did not recognise the name... Another one

3:22:18 > 3:22:22who takes the married name from her husband, very confusing when they do

3:22:22 > 3:22:31so! Not quite sure who is who!It helps to keep you right...It

3:22:31 > 3:22:37happened with Natalie and Del Moral -- Natalie melt more, married to

3:22:37 > 3:22:41Jamie Chestney.

3:22:46 > 3:22:56Making the double...

3:23:17 > 3:23:21Caroline is using the mat, trying to get extra bend in the backhand.

3:23:21 > 3:23:29Trying very hard with this one. Once the ball... That is great! Well

3:23:29 > 3:23:40done, is super-sharp. The perfect draw. Something we have noticed in

3:23:40 > 3:23:47this event, the backhand is very slow to get back. We have spoken to

3:23:47 > 3:23:50the players, you probably know that they've been saying that is what is

3:23:50 > 3:23:55happening, that is why there is a strong bias all the time.It is

3:23:55 > 3:24:01interesting, that they use the bowls with a stronger bias. The overseas

3:24:01 > 3:24:06players sometimes struggle with bias when they come here, they are so

3:24:06 > 3:24:13used to a narrow bias.They are indeed. Just one more tap and it

3:24:13 > 3:24:20would have been enough. And it is one green. Spring seamer shot,

3:24:20 > 3:24:30Caroline Brown. Quite often it is the case with the Southern

3:24:30 > 3:24:35Hemisphere, in Australia they play very narrow bias balls. Outlaw it is

3:24:35 > 3:24:40more understandable, with extremely fast greens. I never like to see

3:24:40 > 3:24:43balls come down with three feet of length before that bias takes

3:24:43 > 3:24:53effect.It is a boring game when you...Well, it isn't anyone's

3:24:53 > 3:24:56fault, in particular the manufacturers, they are satisfying

3:24:56 > 3:25:01the need and the legal requirement. The demand is there. It's down to

3:25:01 > 3:25:06the master ball. There are some conditions, especially in New

3:25:06 > 3:25:09Zealand and parts of Australia where the greens are so quick that you

3:25:09 > 3:25:23need a narrow bias ball. There is more skill, I feel anyway... More

3:25:23 > 3:25:28margin for error too!Yes, more margin for error. That is correct.

3:25:28 > 3:25:40The ball is beginning to dive across a little...

3:26:11 > 3:26:14Two great bowls by Caroline, she is up and running in the match! A good

3:26:14 > 3:26:21starter ball, one of the first two, both in. Putting them under some

3:26:21 > 3:26:36pressure... Running the cloth around her hand.

3:27:06 > 3:27:12Well, and over correction, it is so easy to do. This could be very

3:27:12 > 3:27:19costly.

3:27:39 > 3:27:47Well, it is looking good to me. Not sure, but I think that it is good!

3:27:47 > 3:27:58Yes, it looked like it stopped, and info four. -- in for Ford. She lost

3:27:58 > 3:28:03out to Julie Force last year, she didn't play her best in the final

3:28:03 > 3:28:07last year but the marker was Dan McManus, and the umpire was Dan

3:28:07 > 3:28:24Blewett. We have the double Dan tag team again today! This has to be

3:28:24 > 3:28:34better. It must save... Certainly a lot closer, can she get past? Ooh...

3:28:34 > 3:28:46The edge.One shot, Leanne Furia! She got one shot. Probably an inch

3:28:46 > 3:28:51away from losing those shots there. That will be registered as a

3:28:51 > 3:28:57fortuitous result there my thing?I think it will settle Leanne. She

3:28:57 > 3:29:04looks tentative. She is putting some of her bowls away.She looks a

3:29:04 > 3:29:08little nervous...Doesn't she?She hasn't settled into her game yet. It

3:29:08 > 3:29:14doesn't matter how you get the shot, they all count. That gets it going,

3:29:14 > 3:29:24doesn't it?

3:29:41 > 3:29:48The women's game in Scotland, as you say, from a high level, a high

3:29:48 > 3:29:55performance point of view, struggled in the last two Commonwealth Games.

3:29:55 > 3:30:00There seems to be a new group of players coming through. Maybe

3:30:00 > 3:30:04they've been given a chance as well? It will be interesting to see how

3:30:04 > 3:30:10they go, when they go down to Australia. But the international

3:30:10 > 3:30:17team are still full of talent.Yes, seems to be a sport now where the

3:30:17 > 3:30:22younger people are considered. I do not think so much depends on what

3:30:22 > 3:30:27you have done, I think they are trying to build a team for the

3:30:27 > 3:30:32future. Bringing the young ones in. A rebuilding process. A lot of teams

3:30:32 > 3:30:37need to go through that, I think. They need the experience, we do not

3:30:37 > 3:30:41have that in our women's game. We do not have the competitions to give

3:30:41 > 3:30:51you the experience.That's mainly due to the fact a lot of bowls are

3:30:51 > 3:31:02played midweek, Leanne tries to push that green out, and she has got it.

3:31:02 > 3:31:09I've been at the four nations and eight nations, and the Greens

3:31:09 > 3:31:19weren't superfast, as I would expect in Australia. But that was me.

3:31:19 > 3:31:26Should be faster in April for the Commonwealth Games.Just that little

3:31:26 > 3:31:33bit later makes a big difference down there. I would suggest that

3:31:33 > 3:31:36Australia, for success purposes, need them to be quicker.I think

3:31:36 > 3:31:40they will make them quicker, the same as they did in Adelaide for the

3:31:40 > 3:31:45World Championships.Exactly. They will be rolled to within an inch of

3:31:45 > 3:31:49their life.And you will get the wind. I think two of the greens at

3:31:49 > 3:32:01broad beach will be lifted and relayed prior to the games.Now,

3:32:01 > 3:32:04Caroline, can you just turn that Jack round the corner? A little

3:32:04 > 3:32:16tickle on the Jack would make a three.

3:32:24 > 3:32:31Is this going to get back in time? Not quite. Just holds off. It was

3:32:31 > 3:32:39perfect for the Trail shop, in a way. Leanne follows up on the last

3:32:39 > 3:32:50end. -- the trail shot.

3:33:13 > 3:33:24At 27 metres, the jack nearly lost.

3:33:30 > 3:33:34APPLAUSE Do you think Australia will name

3:33:34 > 3:33:39their team shortly? I thought they even said they would name it after

3:33:39 > 3:33:47the Trans-Tasman, and that is being played now. It will be interesting.

3:33:47 > 3:33:57It certainly will.A lot of talent in depth there.Just sneak in. --

3:33:57 > 3:34:12just sneaked in. The selectors will see them operate under pressure. The

3:34:12 > 3:34:17television etc all comes into play. The Scottish indoor Bowling

3:34:17 > 3:34:20Association changed the format of this and opened it up to everyone,

3:34:20 > 3:34:29so I think they had five venues and everyone could put their name in.

3:34:29 > 3:34:32You pays your money, you take your chance.No argument about the

3:34:32 > 3:34:41winner, then - they have qualified. Yeah, it doesn't matter, if you face

3:34:41 > 3:34:47it, you've done it yourself.No reliance on the subjectivity of

3:34:47 > 3:34:52selection.And as I said, these two girls have been top of their game in

3:34:52 > 3:34:58the last couple of years. Caroline was named Player of the Year in

3:34:58 > 3:35:10doors this year. It is a small group.And quite a young group as

3:35:10 > 3:35:15well.Yes.Now, Caroline, can you make this on the forehand. It needs

3:35:15 > 3:35:27to run a little bit. It's going to stop fairly quickly.

3:35:44 > 3:35:50I don't think that was meant to be back there, but it's going to be

3:35:50 > 3:36:01hard to play anything other than a

3:36:02 > 3:36:11draw. She works in the National Health Service as a clinical care

3:36:11 > 3:36:22manager. She started bowling when she was very young. Oh, this looks

3:36:22 > 3:36:33quick. Just over the weight. Once again, it's all down to making the

3:36:33 > 3:36:44corrections. The singles are arriving. She would be very happy

3:36:44 > 3:36:46with another three of those.

3:37:02 > 3:37:16UMPIRE: Jack Lang, 27.5 metres.-- jack length.

3:37:35 > 3:37:40She knew that out of the hand. You can see the disappointment in her

3:37:40 > 3:37:45body language, saying, that's not reaching. The women's International

3:37:45 > 3:37:57is, of course, will be in Scotland. -- Internationals.Yes, in Paisley.

3:37:57 > 3:38:03Another jamboree of bowls. You would know I was in the Scouts, wouldn't

3:38:03 > 3:38:10you?Have you been selected?We won't be picking our team for a

3:38:10 > 3:38:17while! I'm not saying a word. The selectors might be listening.You've

3:38:17 > 3:38:22done quite well, in the last...Yes, I've been hanging in.

3:38:22 > 3:38:34APPLAUSE Playing with my young skipper, Gary

3:38:34 > 3:38:41Kelly, who is always enthusiastic. It keeps me young enough to play in

3:38:41 > 3:38:46the team.He won his first British title here, didn't he? The junior

3:38:46 > 3:38:51titles, against Wayne Hall, wasn't it? He had never been out of Ireland

3:38:51 > 3:39:03before.Yes. He has certainly come a long way since then. He certainly

3:39:03 > 3:39:07has. He travelled all over the world.Very confident now compared

3:39:07 > 3:39:13to the shy young boy that he was. Caroline, Caroline, Caroline! The

3:39:13 > 3:39:19last time you want -- the last thing you want to be doing is pushing it

3:39:19 > 3:39:25through with the last bowl. She just pushed into the jack. A little

3:39:25 > 3:39:29unlucky. She could have crunched the jack against their own bowl and be

3:39:29 > 3:39:35lying with two very safe shots. As it is, she is a shot against, and

3:39:35 > 3:39:46three back bowls against as well. She will have to think about it.

3:39:46 > 3:39:55Always keen to get another bowl in. Just overplayed that.Either side of

3:39:55 > 3:40:00the jack was good. A difficult forehand shot is on. Play it with

3:40:00 > 3:40:05weight, but the danger is that you can go against the four at the back

3:40:05 > 3:40:10there. She could get the plant, and that will take out the other bowl,

3:40:10 > 3:40:19if it goes in narrow. Certainly worth giving it a chance. Outside

3:40:19 > 3:40:26the line. That was costly at this stage in the end, though, to give a

3:40:26 > 3:40:34shot away. After three ends of losing the shot... It's very unlucky

3:40:34 > 3:40:42when you do that. She was very close to making the double.

3:41:38 > 3:41:42Caroline will be very keen to recover from that last end, try to

3:41:42 > 3:41:48get something back before we go into the last. It has been a run of four

3:41:48 > 3:41:51singles. That is a very good starter.

3:42:23 > 3:42:33It's building up nicely.

3:42:41 > 3:42:46Leanne Furye's in a bit of trouble here. She needs a good, close second

3:42:46 > 3:43:06shot. Drifted away... We're not seeing very many attacking bowls.

3:43:06 > 3:43:17The women play an entirely different game from the men. They try to

3:43:17 > 3:43:30outdraw.It's almost a defensive sort of game in terms of that. There

3:43:30 > 3:43:37are heads that do screen to be hit. That is a single- bowl target, not

3:43:37 > 3:43:42easy, and if she misses it, the chances are she will lose a three. A

3:43:42 > 3:43:46good draw shot, even third shot, that's close within a foot, that

3:43:46 > 3:43:49will put her to make down into the last end, and that is doable in

3:43:49 > 3:44:00terms of getting something out of it.

3:44:02 > 3:44:08The jack is kind of locked in now. She is going for the runner. That is

3:44:08 > 3:44:15a hard shot. I understand why she is playing it. On the re-spot, she was

3:44:15 > 3:44:19getting a single. But by missing, it is giving Caroline the opportunity

3:44:19 > 3:44:33to get a third. I promise, she can't hear us.

3:44:41 > 3:44:49Pressure off Caroline bit now.It is a big bowl, this one. Going into the

3:44:49 > 3:44:55last end, three up. Just needs to stop. She has made it. That is three

3:44:55 > 3:45:01excellent bowls, and the best end for Caroline Brown. She takes the

3:45:01 > 3:45:12benefit of it with a triple.

3:45:16 > 3:45:20Not much expression from Caroline. She is chatty enough when you speak

3:45:20 > 3:45:26to her, but on the green, very much...Focused. She is very

3:45:26 > 3:45:32focused, isn't she?Her concentration is absolute.She does

3:45:32 > 3:45:38dig deep a lot if things are not going away. She can usually herself

3:45:38 > 3:45:47out. She's very good to play with, too. She is not a demanding player.

3:45:47 > 3:45:53You know yourself, no one tries to throw a bad bowl, so she is a very

3:45:53 > 3:45:59good skip.And a good team player when it comes to that. Mentally very

3:45:59 > 3:46:06strong. I think that is a lot to do with people's confidence. If you

3:46:06 > 3:46:09have a top-class player and one or two might others who are not playing

3:46:09 > 3:46:15that well, they can bring them on into a good game. It is how you

3:46:15 > 3:46:18manage the players. Some people might be arm round the shoulder,

3:46:18 > 3:46:26others prefer just a chat.Caroline has had a good teacher. She is from

3:46:26 > 3:46:31the Blantyre club, and she plays a lot with Margaret M.I was just

3:46:31 > 3:46:37going to say. You're not going to get anyone better. I am a great fan

3:46:37 > 3:46:52of Margaret left some. -- Letham. She does not accept fools gladly, or

3:46:52 > 3:46:58any other way.That's a fair comment.I'm sure she would agree.

3:46:58 > 3:47:04I've known Margaret for a long time and she is a class act. Now, Leanne,

3:47:04 > 3:47:07you are going to have to get in close with these next three

3:47:07 > 3:47:11otherwise it will be very difficult to get anything out of this set. The

3:47:11 > 3:47:19short bowl is the killer every time. UMPIRE: It is three inches short of

3:47:19 > 3:47:28jack high.Just draw away. If anything, the other side would have

3:47:28 > 3:47:34been good. She is confident enough. She just needs to reach on this

3:47:34 > 3:47:43line. She is getting back to the centre. A little extra push.

3:48:01 > 3:48:14Oh, good effort. Still two bowls in the head, still a chance. This

3:48:14 > 3:48:19slightly short red bowl, that is the danger for Caroline. If she can get

3:48:19 > 3:48:28to the back one, that would more or less cancel everything. She prefers

3:48:28 > 3:48:32the backhand because she has got good bowls in there. She just has to

3:48:32 > 3:48:39be a little careful.She needs another one in there, because these

3:48:39 > 3:48:49two, should Leanne choose to go for it, can just pop out.Yes, that's

3:48:49 > 3:48:56good. That is the sort of shot I was thinking about, only on the

3:48:56 > 3:49:00forehand. An excellent bowl. It will be hard for Leanne to do anything

3:49:00 > 3:49:10with this.

3:49:14 > 3:49:25Well, nothing, really. She would have to be very fortunate to get a

3:49:25 > 3:49:31three out of this. Unless she sees something that I don't. Running bowl

3:49:31 > 3:49:36into the two greens, and hope to come off at an angle may be. Oh,

3:49:36 > 3:49:41dear! It was a shock to nothing. APPLAUSE

3:49:41 > 3:49:51-- shot. Caroline Brown survives after losing in the middle of this

3:49:51 > 3:49:54set four singles, but picks up a single and a double on the last two

3:49:54 > 3:50:02ends and wins the set 9-4. She will be absolutely delighted.

3:50:09 > 3:50:16She still just looks a little bit nervous. She's standing back.

3:50:16 > 3:50:21Leanne, yes.Arms folded very defensively.The body language isn't

3:50:21 > 3:50:32quite 100%. But I'm -- it is almost a nervous smile. Just hasn't had the

3:50:32 > 3:50:38same feeling about her. Caroline, getting on with the game. A lot of

3:50:38 > 3:50:43people leaving within the sets -- between the sets, and we'll come

3:50:43 > 3:50:46back for the next one. It doesn't disturb her, she just gets on with

3:50:46 > 3:50:57it.It used to happen at present, do you remember? At certain times.Yes.

3:50:57 > 3:51:10Preston, yes! At the Guildhall. It always happened around 5pm,

3:51:10 > 3:51:18tea-time.Bus pass time.And then the last bus at 10:30pm, on the late

3:51:18 > 3:51:23matches. Everything was deserted and you had your two men and a dog, and

3:51:23 > 3:51:30one of them was the umpire!They played music. Was it Steve Glasson

3:51:30 > 3:51:36and Mervyn?Yes, they played music on stage. To keep people away,

3:51:36 > 3:51:42maybe, but it was very late at night.That's what they do at Broad

3:51:42 > 3:51:46Beach, where the Commonwealth Games will be - they have music playing

3:51:46 > 3:51:54all day, outside. It is not blaring, but it takes the starkness away.

3:52:09 > 3:52:13Just needs to get over the seem of the carpet. And that is close. Just

3:52:13 > 3:52:27dropped away. 1 red, I think.

3:52:34 > 3:52:43He signalled up to me that it is 1 red. He knows. Gentle, gentle, on

3:52:43 > 3:53:00the way round... Even a small notch like that can make a difference.

3:53:17 > 3:53:22Well, it depends how brave Leanne's feeling here, because any movement

3:53:22 > 3:53:27on the jack is worth three or four. She didn't come up and have a look,

3:53:27 > 3:53:37and there is no shot clock, so they had plenty of time. -- have plenty

3:53:37 > 3:53:43of time. That is another good effort. That looks like number one

3:53:43 > 3:53:53Timmy. That is a Super Bowl. -- that looks like number one to me. She is

3:53:53 > 3:54:04going to have a look at the second. UMPIRE: Two shots, Leanne Furye.The

3:54:04 > 3:54:14first double of the match. That's the sort of end, and, that gives you

3:54:14 > 3:54:22confidence. She only had about three or four inches of draw there.That

3:54:22 > 3:54:26is what she has been needing. She hasn't won all these titles because

3:54:26 > 3:54:31she is a bad bowler, David. She has that capability. She's just back a

3:54:31 > 3:54:43couple of weeks ago from York with five other Scottish ladies, against

3:54:43 > 3:54:50English ladies. She has got lots of experience.

3:54:50 > 3:54:56APPLAUSE

3:55:08 > 3:55:20There's only three days' difference between these two mangoes.

3:55:20 > 3:55:35-- between these two win then. -- between these two women. Their

3:55:35 > 3:55:39journey through the world of bowls has been very similar.Yes, they

3:55:39 > 3:55:48have been in tandem.Under 18s, under 25s, into the senior team.I

3:55:48 > 3:55:53think Caroline made the senior team at quite an early age.She did.

3:55:53 > 3:55:58Leanne only played once, I think, in the juniors.And then moved up to

3:55:58 > 3:56:05the seniors.

3:56:13 > 3:56:19A rare foray onto the forehand. Caroline doesn't play this hand very

3:56:19 > 3:56:31often. A good effort.

3:57:08 > 3:57:13Just trying to put that little bit on, just overplayed it. This is a

3:57:13 > 3:57:19good chance now for Leanne. She can play the backhand, let it come in

3:57:19 > 3:57:22behind the front bowls, hide it away. It will have to be wide,

3:57:22 > 3:57:37though. She might get her own bowl here. Not quite. There is a weight

3:57:37 > 3:57:45shot available to her. She is a very good player in terms of playing the

3:57:45 > 3:57:49weight shots, but do you think she will play the runner?She is more

3:57:49 > 3:58:00than capable of it.You know, get into the side of the bowl... If the

3:58:00 > 3:58:04jack moves...It is a wider target, and she can use the front red to

3:58:04 > 3:58:11come in off.There is only one danger - if she hits the front red,

3:58:11 > 3:58:19she loses three. She will have to be very accurate.Controlled weight...

3:58:19 > 3:58:23Dangerous the way that hand plays because it wings away very quick.

3:58:23 > 3:58:33There it goes. Just dives away. Like a submarine under attack. There is

3:58:33 > 3:58:39no return for it.We have the advantage, though, knowing the rink.

3:58:39 > 3:58:46These girls have not had the experience on it.You need to spend

3:58:46 > 3:58:53many hours either on it for watching it.Yes, it has its own little...

3:58:53 > 3:58:55Treats!

3:58:59 > 3:59:11UMPIRE: Jack length, 28 metres.She is dicing with death with that jack.

3:59:11 > 3:59:23Three metres after the tea, so plenty of space. A good starter.

3:59:23 > 3:59:25APPLAUSE

3:59:31 > 3:59:38Do you have anything like this in Ireland?Not in terms of the single

3:59:38 > 3:59:46rink. That is a problem. We did have championships televised for a number

3:59:46 > 3:59:50of years at my own club in Belfast, as you know, and that was a super

3:59:50 > 3:59:58event.That Belfast stadium is just ideal for that, isn't it? Good

3:59:58 > 4:00:06viewing galleries, two greens. Elevated.Exactly. I have been a

4:00:06 > 4:00:17member there for over 40 years. We had the women's, the men's, and it

4:00:17 > 4:00:29was very good. Unfortunately, it's not there any more.

4:00:30 > 4:00:37A big chance with this. Well played. This is good stuff from both

4:00:37 > 4:00:49players. Tough audience out there. Only some were clapping.They have

4:00:49 > 4:00:54been tough all week. They must have an exceptionally high standard

4:00:54 > 4:01:12themselves.Well done, Caroline. Actually, well done, Leanne. It is

4:01:12 > 4:01:15almost like she has lifted her game in the second set. She looks a lot

4:01:15 > 4:01:24more confident.Drawing better as well.That two in the first end made

4:01:24 > 4:01:38a big difference. That was a good effort as well.

4:02:00 > 4:02:16There is nothing on here for her. She has to be a little bit careful.

4:02:16 > 4:02:20But again, Leanne set up a good close first bowl and she is looking

4:02:20 > 4:02:32more like the player we know she is.

4:02:40 > 4:02:42Good effort. Difficult shots.

4:03:04 > 4:03:09Occasionally, you get women at the World Championships, but I don't

4:03:09 > 4:03:14think there have been any.Not for an International Open. We have seen

4:03:14 > 4:03:27them at other events, including here. Qualifications are hard,

4:03:27 > 4:03:31there's no doubt about that. But it is a sport where men and women can

4:03:31 > 4:03:34compete literally on a level playing field. There is no reason why they

4:03:34 > 4:03:47shouldn't be qualifying.On paper, it looks easy. But it doesn't always

4:03:47 > 4:03:56appear to be. I think you need to play against men to lift your game

4:03:56 > 4:04:00too. They play a more attacking game, so you have to be versatile

4:04:00 > 4:04:11and play the same game back.

4:04:30 > 4:04:33That's great stuff. That is top-class bowling in anybody's

4:04:33 > 4:04:41language. Alison Merrien, of course, from Guernsey, qualified for this

4:04:41 > 4:04:48event and was knocked out. The first set didn't go too well, but she

4:04:48 > 4:04:54fought back in the second and lost 8-4. Alison would be one of the

4:04:54 > 4:04:59recognised best players in the world.She is a strong competitor.

4:04:59 > 4:05:03She can compete with men. Coming from Guernsey, you just play with

4:05:03 > 4:05:07whoever you can. And there are a lot of good men in Guernsey.Indoor and

4:05:07 > 4:05:22outdoor.So she will have honed her trade against men.

4:05:23 > 4:05:34She has had an injury recently.

4:05:41 > 4:05:47Sometimes, that touch is enough. The problem for Caroline is that she

4:05:47 > 4:05:52can't do a lot about this. She is looking across at the monitor which

4:05:52 > 4:06:09shows the overhead shot, so they know exactly what is going on.

4:06:15 > 4:06:26That is a brilliant set of bowls.

4:07:06 > 4:07:13If she gets this right, she could have a tremendous result. Unlucky!

4:07:13 > 4:07:25So unlucky for that jack to bounce out into the open. She would have

4:07:25 > 4:07:32been looking at three shots. I think Caroline might be well advised not

4:07:32 > 4:07:44to bother with this. The idea is, run away. Good decision. That is the

4:07:44 > 4:07:56best way to go. Leanne has really moved up more than one or two gears

4:07:56 > 4:08:11in this match.But it gives Caroline control of the jack now.

4:08:59 > 4:09:02We have some very good bowling, as you would expect from players of

4:09:02 > 4:09:10this calibre.It was just a bit slow to come to the boil.It was, but we

4:09:10 > 4:09:15are really seeing what they are capable of in the second set. And it

4:09:15 > 4:09:31is very good stuff.There was some big news at the start of this event.

4:09:32 > 4:09:38The last two standing.And they didn't just play a couple of matches

4:09:38 > 4:09:44to get here. They have had a journey to make it to this stage. Well

4:09:44 > 4:10:07worthwhile, of course. Another good bowl. That is four very good bowls.

4:10:23 > 4:10:34The men's was excellent too. Absolutely, brilliant game.Darren

4:10:34 > 4:10:46played in the junior Commonwealth Games in Samoa a good few years ago.

4:10:46 > 4:10:58Another good effort. That was a reference to Baron Weir, who played

4:10:58 > 4:11:02against Graham Donaldson in an excellent game -- Darren Wear. Lost

4:11:02 > 4:11:112-0 on a public after two tied sets. Very rare, but an indication of how