10/02/2012 Bowls - Welsh Grand Prix

Paul Foster - a three-times world champion. Mervyn King - World's

best, 2006. David Gourlay - 2012 World Mixed pairs winner. Greg

Harlow - champion of the world 2010. Welsh Grand Prix and winner 2012 -

all will be revealed. At the end of the day, one of those four world

champions will have lifted his trophy and left his mark on

Llanelli. Today was the semi-finals and final, all in one fantastic

Friday. Could the estate manager knocked out Scotland's Supreme

though? Would it be cartwheels or a taxi to this year's final? Play

started at 10 o'clock this morning and on the eve of the second

weekend of the Six Nations, both our semi-finals were Calcutta Cup

affairs. Mervyn King has had a straight forward competition Until

yesterday when he survived a shoot- out against Wayne Hogg. David

Gourlay's journey has been a mixed bag. He's the first round, a tough

second. Yesterday, he spoiled home hopes by defeating Port Talbot's

John Price. Gourlay started best, taking two shots at the 7th and 8th

ends to take the first set 9-4. But King is a bachelor and took a shot

at each of the last four ends to claim it 7-3. We were into another

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tie-break. We join it in the second bite of the cherry and expect him

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just needs to bend and drop. He is That is the best game I had played

on this rink for a long time. In the second set, there was nothing

You are having a great time and you are here to learn? Absolutely right.

To see the differences and to enjoy ourselves. To see Greg Harlow,

David Gourlay, it is great. there a crossover between the two

games? A tremendous crossover. One of the things I would really love

to see is some further crossover where maybe the crown green players

pitched their skills against the law and green players. Thank you.

It is quiet in here because they are all out there in join the

second semi-final. Paul Foster has beaten two world champions.

Yesterday he defeated his World pairs partner Alex Marshall. Greg

Harlow has had two tie-break tussles to get to his second

successive semi-final. This semi- final was a tight affair at the

start until Harlow took two in the 7th end. Foster was suffering a

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disappointing exit. We join it in world No. 1. If Harlequins this

semi-final, we are told he will overtake Foster and go back to the

number-one position he occupied a couple of years ago. Not very happy

with that. He has brought it out into the open. Very solid out into

the open. He has given Foster a the open. He has given Foster a

overtaking Paul. If he wins, that will further consolidate his

position. He has been very consistent this year, and that is

From then on there was only one we know. Harlow through to the final

in straight sets. I watched Paul play yesterday and it was fantastic.

I had a couple of plans and one of them was to get close. If he got in

early, I was trying to disrupt his game. Everyone is looking forward

to this final and I know you are as well. Who do you fancy? It is going

to be a very close game. Both players have been playing

exceptionally well all week. If I was a betting man, I would not put

any money on. I don't know. It is going to be close. We you -- do you

agree with that? Greg Harlow has won it three times in all. Is your

favourite? Yes. Do you have a favourite? I should be retained for

Harlow, but I have got a feeling call it will win. Our experts had

been reading that brief in the case of Harlow against Gourlay, 2012.

Caught in session. I thought I was going to be presenting a case here

on my own. David Gourlay has progressed to the final. He is

certainly playing well. He likes the fast greens in Australia and

they do suit him. He has got all the shots, particularly the driver

shot. I have got a feeling this could be his year to win in the

Welsh Grand Prix. I present the case for Greg Harlow. He's

confidence is going to be sky high. He always plays the forehand runner

very well. There is no doubt about it, Greg Harlow is going to win

this title. David Gourlay could be the man. He is hungry for success

and wants another title. He is not a great man in the finals. My money

is definitely on Harlow. David Gourlay has got the class. He is

going on holiday on Tuesday and he wants this title. I think we should

reconvene later for the verdict. Gourlay was first out of the blocks,

claiming two in the first end. As we join it in the 4th, he has

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better player at the moment. -- the line, coming back at the end. It is

dropping away now. He needs to run. Not quite what he wanted. No, I

think it's two or three feet short from what he was looking for. It

gives great a chance on the ball. The jack will move to these two.

Not an easy shot, by any means, but world number one next year, so

forehand side coming back into it. Very aggressive with this, though,

on the forehand. I didn't expect his last delivery. He is good for

line. Now he needs to run. That's a good bowl, and that covers that

side. The problem is on the other side of the rink now. It could get

him a four. He's going heavy, by the looks of it. An imitation job,

here would have been good. He is looking for the side of the jack.

Very close. Not a lot in that. ball was wobbling. He did not get

it away clean, otherwise I think it might have dipped back. The two

shots David Gourlay got in the first end, gave it to life and one.

We join it in the 4th end, and time a David Gourlay not taking the

trophy back with him. Playing very is in with this one. He has got the

outside of the bowl. I thought he had its solid. He is not playing at

his best, but he has had one or two Bad touchers. Swings and

roundabouts. Sometimes you get them, brilliant. He can sense of victory

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at this. Here it comes. This time, two down, Greg Harlow, but he does

have the last bowl. Yes, a good strike. He will be pleased he hit

the target. Write down the centre. Good contact. Gets it out to the

quickly. It's all about pace now. Here it comes. It's very good.

That's a very good from David, because Greg or will realise that,

if he goes at this, and misses, he is in a heap of trouble. The second

shot is a gift, really. I don't imagine if he will play weight. I

will be mortified if he does. He has to go for second. Anything from

that distance there would be good. Go for second shot. If you get it,

it will be a bonus. You would be suicidal to try to go for this. He

work very hard to hold that 1 up. Here it goes. Oh, he has just

missed the edge. Has he played it? It looks good. It looks good.

Second bowl. I can't imagine many players taking the risk on the

narrow side there. Brilliant bowl. Very unlucky not to get the shot.

Using a slightly less buyer s than David. A brilliant effort by Greg.

I think he will settle for that. -- bias. We are not sure what Greg can

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do because no matter where the jack many ways. When you look at the

scorecard, 10-1, 6-1, yet it is engrossing. You would not rule Greg

out if he can find some form. It's a problem. He has moved on to these

green bowls, but does not look as comfortable with them. If you have

not used Camelot, it is difficult to make that change. Even though

David Gourlay has gone to the red, he has been practising with the red,

playing with the red. He played against me in the quarter-finals

with reds, so he looks more comfortable. He is finding the

Greg it may be did overdo that attacking a bit. I know what worked

well in the semi-final. I just think he hasn't really settled on a

length since then. It has been hard Greg has had the advantage of using

again here. Controlled weight. Got it. Where is the jack going to go.

strikes. In the area again. Good hit. He moves to the red and leaves

weight. He has missed a chance. I honestly believe that if David had

put that in, that could easily have been Greg on the way out. As it is

now, Greg has got an easy shot to make the double, and he is right

for Greg and 6-3 after five. is so unlike Greg Harlow. Yes, he

is suffering for weight at the moment. He knows it's a missed

Was Harlow about to make an unlikely comeback? By the end of

a few shot without playing really at his best. He has given himself

an opportunity. It's a good start. finals over the years. He is in a

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wide and drop on to the green bowl and Greg will have to chase it. --

the bowl, if he can, drop back to the jack. It was perfect.

Absolutely perfect. Yes, wonderful delivery, that. He could not have

played it better, if he had walked up and put that bowl there. Look at

this. He would have visualise doing this. Coming in, wider line.

Touched the greener. Drawback right the mat to hold the bowl apple. Oh,

it looks under. Yes, it's gone. -- going as quickly as he did in the

semi-final. He got a few away badly in the first set, but David Gourlay

has got a problem because he has to try to get the re-spotted position.

It's a problem I wouldn't mind having in the final. I would take

nuzzle it towards the re-spotted position to cover it. Yes, that's

good. The jack goes out. That will be number one, so this is literally

straight through to there. The re- spotted is over in this position

and that would be under David Gourlay's bowl, which is over there.

Greg's best chance might be if he went back up the green. He has got

to hit the target first of all. It is difficult enough to hit this.

This could be all over in a few hasn't played it with a lot of

weight. He knows the re-spotted are covered, that's a problem. He is

very close. Has he got enough? No, it is going to be two to David

Gourlay. He wins the Welsh Grand Prix 2012, over Greg Harlow. A

wonderful, wonderful match for David Gourlay, dominated from the

first end. He did not let go. Gave his opponent no chance at all and

thoroughly deserves his wins. has been exceptional in the final

and semi-final. A deserved win for You have been plenty of finals but,

my goodness, you played well today. Thank you, thank you. It has been

nine finals in a row I have lost. I'm so happy today and thankfully I

started well and Greg was missing a few drives. Greg, you have the same

game-plan because you knew David would be drawing very close but it

didn't happen today for some reason. You seem to come off edges and

slice things across. Firstly, I would like to apologise to this

crowd because I think it was my worst performance of the week.

Secondly, I would like to congratulate David because that is

the best I have seen anybody play this week. He did not give me an

inch and deserved the win. I would like to congratulate David. When

you are chasing, you need a few results to go your way. I got what

I deserve, to be honest. Nine finals and you got over the line.

You can go on holiday a happy man. Yes, I would like to thank

Ladies and gentlemen, the Welsh The final, we expected a close

match but David Gourlay had other ideas. Both these players are so

well matched but David Gourlay it was quickly out of the box, drawing

well, Harlow not getting the striking results today. David

Gourlay, so consistent, put in Harlow under pressure. Greg gets a

result on this end but it was not enough. David Gourlay, the Master

of the draw, brilliant bowling again, and he runs away with the

first set. Here he is in the second, piling on the pressure. Now Harlow

is in trouble. Fighting again. The match ebbing away. David Gourlay,

in control. Rubbing salt in the rooms. A brilliant delivery again.

Greg has no answer. He tries. No result today. David Gourlay takes

the match. A brilliant winner for David Gourlay. Welsh Grand Prix