08/02/2012 Bowls - Welsh Grand Prix

Tuesday was Sunday at the Welsh Grand Prix. Young Damien Doubler

showed of the future of Welsh bowls is in safe hands. John Price told

us not to write off the past just yet. Today, it's a very big day.

Macro to all-time greats fight for a place in the quarter-finals.

Welcome to day three of our coverage from Llanelli. Three Welsh

manner may have been blown away, but John Price is still breezing

along. By the end of the day's play, we will know the full quarter-final

line-up for 2012. Coming up tonight, new world champion Andy Thomson

against Alex Marshall. Also 3 other Welsh champions and last year's

Welsh Grand Prix winner. As well as it Welsh Ladies' Final, who will

follow in the footsteps of Wales's bowling greens? Today was about

completing the remaining matches. In a competition of such quality

that, before play, it started with eight world champions. First up,

the clash of the titans. Alex Marshall, fresh from winning the

world pairs hadn't been beyond round one this year, until now. It

was his birthday today. And the world crown for the third time in

his career. 17 years after his last success. Marshall had the perfect

start to his birthday, claiming the first set 11-7, but Andy Thomson

took the second, 7-6. They had been playing for 90 minutes as they

enter the tie-break of this epic in playing defensively in a tie-

break because it doesn't matter whether you drop one, two or four

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shots. It is all the same. You need makes the distance. The line is

good. Oh, he has got it back again. very close. Anchors out. Oh, it

just keeps running. That is the speed of the green. He thought he

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far away from it. If he drops wait for Alex Marshall there. The weight

was very good. It actually made second shot. That makes a

difference. That means he has to get another bowl in. So, choices.

He can drop in on the forehand or on the back hand if he wants to

come around on the deep side and drop in there. He has played the

last bowl in the four. Straight shot on the red ball and a drop

back. That's good. He has left a gap. It is going to be hard to get

the two green bowls on it. He will just try to draw this. He can make

it through between the bowls through there and then draw back

your man. Look at this. Oh, that's brilliant. That is absolutely

merely has to win one of the next two ends. Is that all? Thomson Has

to win both of them. That's a great take the jack in the ditch, and

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perfect split if Thomson wants to play it. There is Paul Foster, the

pairs partner of Alex Marshall. He won the world title a couple of

weeks ago, together. At the same event that Thomson won the world

that first effort, Alex actually starts to disturb things. Both

cover bowls him. Not by much. Disappointing. I think it was the

right shot to play, but not quite Had Andy Thomson it got that, and

split them up, he would say it was a wonderful shot. Well, it wasn't a

mistake. It's the right shot to play, 100%, no question about it.

In many ways, it's still the same shot to play. There's no reason why

Andy can't adjust and make the split. If he gets it right and the

two bowls it disappear, he could trundle the jack back to the red

more bullet left. You can tell by the way he flicked his hand across

at the end of its travel, you could see it on the delivery that he

walked that. It's one of those things. He is thinking, I must not

be wide again, and the result of that, he pulled it. Missed the

target on the other side. Now then, Mr Marshall, what do you do here?

That would be ideal. That would have probably be on the backhand,

to try to drop into their, because he has the back position covered by

this. The re-spotted is over here, covered, a big target. I think Andy

will go again but he doesn't want to make the head much bigger, but

he is conscious his two bowls can disappear. I don't think he can

make the target much wider, really, under the circumstances. Even if he

gets in his own two bowls, it would be good. Yes, he was trying to drop

short of the split, and that's not going to help, and he knows it. I

wouldn't be at all surprised if Andy plays this slightly

this with less weight, not much, but still going for the split, but

a man and the bowl to travel down a bit, more of a trial for shot. If

he hits it hard, and the bowl and the jack goes in the ditch, he has

for much better. I would have liked for him to go down to the wire, but

it was 2-0 in a tie-break two Alex Marshall, so he goes through to the

It would be a gym for me to win this. I've never won an event

outside the world championships so if I win this week, I would be

delighted. Alex Marshall against Andy Thomson. Well, it started well

in this match. But, by the 7th, Thomson was playing some good

drawing bowls. He took some of Marshall's best play in the first

set. He found the answer and takes the first set. On the second set,

Thomson forces' Marshall in to be a good deliveries. Andy Thomson

showing world championship form. And his all-round game, he is

hitting the strikes as well and takes the second set into the tie-

break. In trouble, Marshall, but what a bowl on a tie-break.

Brilliant. He is in control, and now Marshall is into the quarter-

In the next round, Alex Marshall will play Paul Foster who came

through another tie-breaker finale with Billy Jackson. Jackson took

the first set, 10-8, but Foster took the tie break 2-0 to set up a

match with his world pairs partner. A really good game. I knew that

under should be a cracking quarter- final. The now the top half and the

two remaining quarter-final places up for grabs. Two time as well to

win a Mark Royal one or over South Africa's Greg Ingham and it is

looking to become the first person to win the title in successive

years since Australia in at 2004-5. Wayne Hogg has the better of

Welshman Jason Greenslade, and could another upset be on the cards

today? He started well. Taking the first set, 9-8. But Mark Royal took

the second, 10-5. We were into a tie-break. We join it in the second

the one bowl but he needs to hold in behind the jack. Here it comes.

That's exactly what I thought he would do. Leaving a clear road.

That's a beauty. Wayne has to attack this now. That the jack

the way down and I think he realised that himself. It will be

worth looking up at again, because coming off the wind, he missed the

Jack by the smallest fraction. Look at this. Frightened it. You know

by Mark Royal, simply because it is difficult not to put something in.

He has got one side corridor. -- covered. This is on his natural

forehand. It should be a very wide to try to hold the bowl up as far

as possible for some skirting with either side of the rink. That is

the problem with the fast drink, when you go too wide, it will just

keep going and going before the bowl breaks and he has missed the

opportunity to get the covering bowl in. He could not have a much

better position than he has got but he wanted one in a position to

cover the re-spot. It is going out and out and out, is she getting

away with that? It gets to the edge. And just goes too far. The at

travelled a long way, before it started to break back. -- that

travelled. Difficult shot to control. He had no choice. He had

Royal has, again, opted to take the jack and deliver the first bowl. He

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has given the last bowl to his Wayne Hogg, under any circumstances

are, but when the match is against had far you. -- value. If he misses

the jack it looks like he will come into a good position. Wayne Hogg

showing his versatility. The backhand with his opening delivery,

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the forehand with the second, or cannot throw the end of by pushing

the jack. He has to declare it. So, 1 bowl left forme Mark Royal to

stay in this championship and I think the best shot 4 him is still

the draw shot. -- for him. Drawing is his speciality. The holder,

playing at top form, looks as if he might be going out of the

championship to a young challenger. He he is chasing it, but has he

frustration, Mark Royal helps the bowl on with his foot, but it is

when all coups caused an exciting and well deserved victory over the

defending champion Mark Royal, who is out of the Welsh Grand Prix.

wanted to keep the jack because he was dominating the long Coldplay

but I were struggling for my weight so the last bowl kind of help me

and I had a chance to get out of jail and it seemed to help again.

Next up, Greg Harlow against Peter -- Peter one, the, according to the

form book, had his work cut out. World No. 2 Greg Harlow got to to

the final of the Scottish Open but yesterday was pushed all the way by

the new Welsh national champion, Damian Doubler. Peter Wong beat

newly converted rules champion match. Greg Harlow was in a

imperious form and Forster first set whitewash. The second set was

equally one-sided. As we join it, Greg Harlow is in sight of the

quarter finals and looking a good bet for the tournament. This could

tarmac out to be the last end -- this took turn out to be the last

shot is going to be hard. MARKER: the gap from the jack to the other

red bowl is eight inches. Problems, he needs to finish the match and

move into the quarter-finals, and now, surely, picking some sort of

position. It looks as though he is trying to draw another shot back.

That is different, with the jack on he would have been looking for is

to hit this bowl. He needs to bring this jack out into the open, even

if it goes out into the ditch, the short bowl will go with it and he

has the chance of getting a second shot. You cannot help but feel

sorry for Peter who has been on the wrong end of quite a massive score

line, partly because he has not found his touch in this second

round encounter, partly because Greg Harlow has simply played so

well. That was the shot key was looking for, with his previous

delivery. That is a good strike, once again. Always in the air rare

-- area. And the jack stayed in Play which means it is going to be

difficult. He has achieved his object, really, in the opening the

bowl up. He has had a good strike. If you stay the side of the jack

you are safe. What a beauty. You are not going to beat that, are

you? It has been a master class, from Greg Harlow. It is difficult

to keep your concentration in such a one-sided match, but he has done

just that. Look at this. To a displaced jack, a toucher. He will

be more than happy about the situation, with the single. He bit

like to close the game down with a double, but... He should be trying

matter. It will just go back on the be short -- the re-spot again.

was all against Peter. The match was virtually over. It was a master

class from Greg Harlow. He's got three shots to win 11-2. Greg

Harlow is in good form. Let's take a look at his game against Peter

Wong. He had no answer to the relentlessly -- Greg Harlow, one of

the most consistent performers on the circuit. Loss of close bowls. A

very professional performance by Greg Harlow, closing the match out

and giving Peter warned no chance. -- Wong. The Welsh ladies' final is

next. A big day for the Welsh Association. Barbara gritters is

the association president. We have seen that the men's game is alive

and well with new talent coming through in Damian Doubler. What

through in Damian Doubler. What about the women's game? We have a

lot of talent in the team. The undertakings, and the underwent --

under-25s, or doing very well. you work with the youngsters as an

organisation. The air is a lot of coaching for youngsters and they

might get a lot of development and coaching. It is very good. As with

the Men's final on Monday, the woman's is a case of youth against

experience. Let's find out more about the Younger final list. Kerry

Packwood has already had quite a In the last year, there have been a

lot of big changes. I have had a baby. She is gorgeous horse Top

she's very content and happy. She loves the attention. It is really

good. He looks after her, and she just loves it. It is my second time

in the final. I lost to Betty Morgan but I have not had a lot of

practice. Now, this year, I am stronger. I think I have settled,

Maia. -- now. I don't know much about Mali. I know that she plays

Keller no bowls. I am going to make Over the last few years, experience

has counted in the Welsh Ladies final. Would be the case this year

Marlene Gamlin? I have been bowling for 20 years, but I have never

quite got to the final. This year, I got to the final. There you go.

We have an intriguing contest in store, in the Welsh Ladies final.

Marlene was quickest off the blocks, taking two shots of the first end,

then she was reined in by Kerry Packwood. But it did not impress

her newborn daughter, too much! Marlene started to lose a radar,

and Kerry took the first set 13-3, to the delight of her mother. We

join it in the second set with Marlene facing a comprehensive

forehand. Looking at it from a perspective of having to get down

you think. Even if it does not come back all the way, it should come

back, sufficiently. The line is certainly much better and that is

making it inside the rink. You have to aim for a point that you think

is too wide. This is looking good. Anderson, could do better than that,

and he is a pretty nifty Claire. -- is frustrating. She is getting good

weight, but when she pursues it wider and pushes it the bit further,

as well... In the meantime, Carey is not making any mistakes. --

Kerry. Look at this. Marlene seems to be in draw all were. -- a draw

bowler. This one is on a good line if it comes back to the jack. Has

she overplayed it? Just, trying to catch the bowl. This could be

another full house for Kerry Packwood. Three of them already in,

accounting. If this gets anywhere near the jack it will be a full

house for Pat Wood. -- Packwood. is a good enough line, if the

weight is there. She gets one, close. Very consistent player,

Kerry Packwood. The 4th bowler owes of the game so far. -- the 4th full

house. With an early end in sight, Marlene started to loser in

additions and find her length, to win three consecutive ends. But it

proved to be a false dawn, as youth triumphed over experience.

concedes one shot, happy to do that. So that Kerry Packwood wins the

title with a 13-3, 10-4 victory over Marlene Gamlin and has she

done well? You must be very happy? Yes, it is a dream come true.

new ladies' champion, Kerry play in the Welsh Grand Prix. This

is the quarter final line-up. One unseeded player and six world

unseeded player and six world champions. We are back tomorrow at