:00:00. > :00:46.Day one game at a time. That's all you can do. I'm confident in my own
:00:47. > :00:51.ability. If I can play my best, I know I'm hard to beat. Can anyone
:00:52. > :00:54.stop Alex Marshall? The Scot, six-time champion, unbeaten at
:00:55. > :01:04.Potters for two years and today up against Englishman Robert Paxton for
:01:05. > :01:09.a place in the world singles final. Semifinals day here is never short
:01:10. > :01:14.of drama and so it was when world number one Nicky Brett locked horns
:01:15. > :01:23.with former champion David Gourlay. Our second Saturday showdown was a
:01:24. > :01:27.veritable cliffhanger. Hello and welcome to highlights of what was a
:01:28. > :01:30.super Saturday of semifinals at the world indoor bowls singles
:01:31. > :01:33.championship at Potters. Four players battling it out for a spot
:01:34. > :01:42.in Sunday's showpiece. The semifinals pitted two Scotsmen
:01:43. > :01:44.against two Englishmen, Robert Paxton against Alex Marshall and
:01:45. > :01:48.David Gourlay against Nicky Brett. Our first match features the
:01:49. > :01:51.six-time champion here at Potters, Alex Marshall, seeded number one. He
:01:52. > :01:57.was up against Robert Paxton, seeded four. This was the fourth time that
:01:58. > :02:01.he'd made it through to the semifinals at Potters. We're going
:02:02. > :02:07.to join this match in the second end of the first set, with Robert Paxton
:02:08. > :02:18.leading 1-0. Commentary comes from Andy Thomson and David Corkhill.
:02:19. > :02:26.Robert Paxton was going very strong last year. Two titles. By the time
:02:27. > :02:32.he came into the quarterfinal, they were behind him, and he just wasn't
:02:33. > :02:39.able to repeat the form. But Alex Marshall was so good in that
:02:40. > :02:44.quarterfinal, you just wonder can he repeat it? Not easy to do. No, I'd
:02:45. > :02:49.agree, David. Most sportsmen, it's difficult to just keep that peak
:02:50. > :02:52.performance difficult to just keep that peak
:02:53. > :03:14.we go. That's perfect. APPLAUSE
:03:15. > :03:25.Better bowl from Robert here, well played, Robert Paxton. Oh, yes. Good
:03:26. > :03:33.shot by the looks of it. One green. It's a quarter of an inch short of
:03:34. > :03:38.jack high. My bowl? You're bowl is quarter of an inch gap.
:03:39. > :03:42.-- your bowl is a quarter of an inch gap.
:03:43. > :03:45.So he'll play the backhand to try and touch the green bowl. If he
:03:46. > :03:50.comes inside and gets the jack, he could make a double and he's very
:03:51. > :03:55.close to it. Will he hold up? Oh, he's got this. There you go. Oh,
:03:56. > :04:03.hold it and drop. Superb bowl, really. Still one green. I thought
:04:04. > :04:06.he'd made the squeeze when he hit the jack on to the green bowl,
:04:07. > :04:11.transferred the forward motion over to the green to drop. He's shaking
:04:12. > :04:15.his head. I can't blame him. He knew it was a great bowl but,
:04:16. > :04:24.unfortunately, the jack rebounded back to the green. I don't know if
:04:25. > :04:29.Robert's trying to block out the forehand runner here but he's
:04:30. > :04:32.certainly not running. Same bowl from Alex. He's tried to arrest
:04:33. > :04:47.Robert's short bowl. Well, he's close again. Better this
:04:48. > :04:54.time. Oh, he's got this perfectly. Wow. Well played. Looked good all
:04:55. > :05:01.the way. Put a little bit of extra weight on it and it just held
:05:02. > :05:06.beautifully. Fantastic shot. Oh! That was fan... As you say, it was a
:05:07. > :05:09.fantastic shot but look at the position he's left Robert in. Well,
:05:10. > :05:14.he's got no position. Robert's got to hope to remove at least two of
:05:15. > :05:20.the red bowls. Difficult to get all three.
:05:21. > :05:26.Well, it looks... Is it going to get the edge? No. Just a little bit on
:05:27. > :05:46.the wide side. He had to get around the green ones.
:05:47. > :05:53.Well, three touches to Alex. Is it a possibility to get a fourth? Looks
:05:54. > :05:56.awkward. Easier to score another shot, though. I think that's what
:05:57. > :06:02.he'll be aiming for, just drop on the green bowl. Try and make sure of
:06:03. > :06:07.the four. He's close for this! That's great stuff. Look at that.
:06:08. > :06:11.Absolutely brilliant. Well, that set the tone for the
:06:12. > :06:18.first set. Marshall claims another full house at end five on his way to
:06:19. > :06:22.winning the set 12-3. But Paxton made a better start to the second
:06:23. > :06:48.set, leading 2-1 after three ends. And when you're out there playing
:06:49. > :06:52.someone of the highest quality, you're just hoping for the odd
:06:53. > :06:57.mistake, in order to give you a chance to build on things. There's a
:06:58. > :07:03.long way to go and a lot of work to be done. Yes. I mean, you -- he laid
:07:04. > :07:08.good that last end. He's slightly changed his hand which I think is a
:07:09. > :07:11.good move. He's starting to play a little bit better and that
:07:12. > :07:13.highlights how well he's played but, Robert, such a talented player, he
:07:14. > :07:48.could come back into this yet. Robert needs to keep working hard,
:07:49. > :07:52.keep going for singles all the way and get it to end seven if you're in
:07:53. > :08:05.touch and you've got a good chance. That's number two. It stood up. It's
:08:06. > :08:09.given Alex a bit of a shot here. Alex has so much confidence on the
:08:10. > :08:13.forehand side that I wouldn't be surprised to see him trying to draw
:08:14. > :08:28.this. The running bowl is on but the way he's drawing, he'll feel
:08:29. > :08:33.confident he could draw. I think he's over the weight. Yeah, there he
:08:34. > :08:38.goes. The line was perfect but the problem here for Robert is if he
:08:39. > :08:44.leaves these two, they can be taken out. But the back position is not
:08:45. > :08:48.clever. It's all Alex. I think I'd be trying to still draw another
:08:49. > :08:52.here. If Alex hits it, the jack's liable to go a long way away. I'd be
:08:53. > :08:56.trying to draw a third shot here. Yeah. I'm with you on that. I think
:08:57. > :09:03.it's better to just pack the head and hope that he gets a good turn on
:09:04. > :09:17.it. He has got the last bowl in this end. Tried to draw another on the
:09:18. > :09:22.backhand side. That's not bad. Well, it's a protector if Alex was
:09:23. > :09:26.thinking about running on the forehand, it's really not there now.
:09:27. > :09:32.It's certainly pretty close for three. But I think it's only the
:09:33. > :09:48.two. I think so. Well, it's close for third. Just a draw from Alex.
:09:49. > :09:53.Well, he ran after his last delivery and was a yard through, so I think
:09:54. > :10:00.this still needs to stop. He's close to drawing this. Oh, he's played it.
:10:01. > :10:04.He's played it! Well, every question he's been asked here, he has the
:10:05. > :10:10.answer to it. And Robert must be thinking, "What have I got to do?"
:10:11. > :10:15.Well, here we go, Alex, once again, the same as the last end, three
:10:16. > :10:24.down, plays a brilliant final delivery, takes the shot.
:10:25. > :10:30.Some days there's not a lot Robert could do. He's played a great end
:10:31. > :10:34.again. Alex just played a great bowl. Well, he's given us a chance,
:10:35. > :10:39.a little touch on the jack would be good. Needs to hurry. He's got the
:10:40. > :10:44.bowl! Yes, he has indeed! Oh, well played. Well played, Robert Paxton.
:10:45. > :10:48.Great bowl. This was turning into one of the all-time great matches at
:10:49. > :10:50.Potters. Paxton still held a two-shot lead as they started the
:10:51. > :11:03.final end of the second set. Well, all credit to Robert Paxton
:11:04. > :11:07.fighting back in this match. He was really under the cards in the first
:11:08. > :11:10.set, 12-3, didn't play the last two ends. But he's come back very strong
:11:11. > :11:25.in the second. He's staying on the long jack
:11:26. > :11:30.length, Andy, and that's the length that Alex Marshall has been really
:11:31. > :11:33.doing a lot of damage. I think it's also Robert's favourite length but,
:11:34. > :11:36.I'd agree, sometimes if your opponent is just getting theirs
:11:37. > :11:40.slightly nearer than you, you should try to change it. But... Yeah, once
:11:41. > :11:57.again, it's Alex in first. I think the jack is on the T every
:11:58. > :12:01.single end. No variation. Yes. If any variation, it's been where the
:12:02. > :12:05.mat has been placed. I think this is short and that's not good. That adds
:12:06. > :12:10.pressure now because Alex will count two with this one. He should have
:12:11. > :12:13.been aiming for the same bowl as his last. He could rest on the red one.
:12:14. > :12:17.He just wants to keep matching the red bowls. That short one will also
:12:18. > :12:23.hamper any drive that he might need to get out of trouble. Exactly. So
:12:24. > :12:28.this is a -- he's fortunate here. This is a loose one from Alex.
:12:29. > :12:38.That's under. What's going on out there? One red. Very unusual. Well,
:12:39. > :12:43.I would expect Robert Paxton to draw the winner with this bowl.
:12:44. > :12:51.I know there's pressure out there, Andy, but these two guys have...
:12:52. > :13:00.Well, have been here so often, in particular Alex. This is very
:13:01. > :13:03.important for Robert. He has to, at the very least, beat the back red
:13:04. > :13:07.bowl. I tell you what, he's looking like he's heavy. I think he's going
:13:08. > :13:14.to catch the red. This is going to be good enough. Oh! Oh! Well, mmm...
:13:15. > :13:17.Good enough, although there's still 14 inches I would say behind the
:13:18. > :13:21.jack, so there's still room for Alex to draw the winner. Yes. He's not
:13:22. > :13:29.out of the woods yet. I expect Alex to draw this shot. So would I. And
:13:30. > :13:48.then the preure really will be on Robert. He's looking good. Short
:13:49. > :13:52.bowl coming in. Yeah. That's in by some distance and it's the same bowl
:13:53. > :13:55.for Robert, only a little bit less weight. Last time he tried that, he
:13:56. > :14:01.dropped a yard shot. Well, the pressure is on this bowl from
:14:02. > :14:13.Robert. He needs to be within six inches. He's close. He's encouraging
:14:14. > :14:17.it. Do you think he's drawn the shot? Yes, he has. He's already
:14:18. > :14:21.starting to pump the air, pumping the air with the fist. He knew he
:14:22. > :14:25.was close. He knew he had a great, great chance. That last bowl will
:14:26. > :14:40.force Alex into playing a very hard shot. Kept it late. It was a
:14:41. > :14:44.brilliant bowl. Fantastic bowl. He knew that if he failed, he was
:14:45. > :14:48.probably going to lose the game. So Robert's shot bowl. I think what
:14:49. > :14:52.we're looking at here is... The problem is there's another front
:14:53. > :14:57.bowl actually at the top of the screen, that green one, a red one
:14:58. > :15:03.beyond that and that's very awkward to negotiate.
:15:04. > :15:10.Very difficult, I think, to score two here. Well, that... That's
:15:11. > :15:14.the... The top red one is the problem, Andy, because Alex would
:15:15. > :15:17.really love to get into that bowl, but he just has to shave the front
:15:18. > :15:21.one with perfect weight to do it. The backhand shot, he has to carry
:15:22. > :15:26.the jack and trail it across to the red. The forehand looks the favoured
:15:27. > :15:35.one. It will certainly be the forehand but I think this is... This
:15:36. > :15:39.is a low low -- low-percentage achievement target here. The front
:15:40. > :15:43.red makes it very hard to get around it. It is possible. He's got a
:15:44. > :15:47.strong, biased bowl and where he's standing on the mat is right on the
:15:48. > :15:54.front edge to help this bowl get back. It looks under. Yeah. I
:15:55. > :16:00.really... I'm not surprised, to be truthful with you. It's tie-break.
:16:01. > :16:04.Yeah. That was a very hard shot and Alex knew that, very difficult
:16:05. > :16:11.around it, all credit to Robert Paxton. I have to say, for fighting
:16:12. > :16:15.his way back into this match by winning the second set 7-4. That was
:16:16. > :16:36.a major effort. Well, tie-break. The rules change
:16:37. > :16:47.yet again. No accumulated shots. Just win the end. Still going for
:16:48. > :16:53.the long jack length. Alex hasn't changed this all game. To be fair,
:16:54. > :17:03.Robert's been quite happy to stay with it.
:17:04. > :17:09.This is forcing Robert on the backhand. He's not played many good
:17:10. > :17:12.bowls on this backhand. I can't recall him playing one, actually.
:17:13. > :17:21.Well, if anything, he's been dropping short on it. That's been
:17:22. > :17:32.where the problem is. He's always been under or high. You really want
:17:33. > :17:34.to be in first in a tie-break end. Trying to defend a really good
:17:35. > :17:38.touching bowl. I'm surprised, actually, with Robert. I thought he
:17:39. > :17:43.might have stayed with the forehand. Yes. He's been playing the forehand
:17:44. > :17:49.more in the second set. It does look backhand. As I say, I just don't
:17:50. > :17:57.think he's mastered the hand. There's still room on that forehand
:17:58. > :18:02.side. Robert's still sticking to it. I'm sure he'll prove me wrong and
:18:03. > :18:07.draw the winner. Well, he looks wide over this one. A bit of work to do
:18:08. > :18:13.to come out... Or to come back from that height. Here it comes. Needs to
:18:14. > :18:17.hurry. Oh, has he got enough? Maybe. Yes, he has. Got the shot. It's a
:18:18. > :18:21.jack-high bowl, though, and I think Alex will be tempted with this. He
:18:22. > :18:26.can use the bowl and get on to the jack. It depends how much weight he
:18:27. > :18:31.wants to use. A choice here for Alex - keep the draw on the forehand or
:18:32. > :18:35.be positive on the back? Well, I wouldn't be at all surprised if he
:18:36. > :18:39.tries to take the jack into the ditch. I think that's what he's
:18:40. > :18:46.playing, David. Bowl or jack. Yeah. Very positive. And he's in the
:18:47. > :18:52.area. Certainly is. Bowled in jack. Yeah. Perfect. It always looks good
:18:53. > :18:56.for bowl-in jack when you're jack high like that. You hit the bowl, it
:18:57. > :19:03.takes a lot of the weight off, just stuns it and you run through on to
:19:04. > :19:07.the jack. It's beatable. Yeah. As we see Alex's third delivery, uses the
:19:08. > :19:21.green bowl, trails the jack, finishes about probably 15 inches
:19:22. > :19:25.away. So this is drawable. Well, this is the one that Robert will
:19:26. > :19:29.want to do it with. He'll want to try and get very close to this if he
:19:30. > :19:38.can. He likes it. I'm not sure about the weight. That's all. It looks
:19:39. > :19:46.heavy. It looks heavy to me. Well, is he going to drop back? I don't
:19:47. > :19:59.know. It looks close. Oh, favour red. That was the one to do it with.
:20:00. > :20:04.You didn't want to play the last bowl. Absolutely. I'd expect Alex to
:20:05. > :20:09.beat the shot here and that creates a big problem for Robert. It's on
:20:10. > :20:14.the high side. I think Robert's still going to have room here. Yeah.
:20:15. > :20:19.That's the shot bowl. Dropping in for the number one. That's the one
:20:20. > :20:30.to beat. But anything, absolutely anything off his last bowl and he's
:20:31. > :20:41.in. Red. Diane is still cheery. Well, I think Robert would be
:20:42. > :20:47.disappointed not to draw this. It seems right. Oh, actually, is it? It
:20:48. > :20:51.looks a bit on the narrow side. Has to negotiate the front bowl... Yeah.
:20:52. > :21:01.That's the problem. He was narrow. Oh, dear me. And that was a chance.
:21:02. > :21:07.That was a big chance. First round to Alex Marshall.
:21:08. > :21:10.Well, Alex Marshall started favourite and he's certainly
:21:11. > :21:13.favourite now after winning the opening end of the tie-break. Alex
:21:14. > :21:18.Marshall will have the last bowl in this second end and Robert, oh, dear
:21:19. > :21:23.me, he'll be... He'll be thinking about that last bowl for a while.
:21:24. > :22:29.He had a chance to take a 1-0 lead. He's adjusted the line. It's there
:22:30. > :22:33.but there's gaps and holes. You also feel as though none of the bowls,
:22:34. > :22:45.presently, will lie. There's still room.
:22:46. > :22:52.Is this the winner coming in? Just needs to hurry. That's all. It's
:22:53. > :22:58.very close. Yes. It's the number one.
:22:59. > :23:06.APPLAUSE One red. Yeah, well, no attacking
:23:07. > :23:15.option really here for Robert. Still seven or eight inches to draw. Just
:23:16. > :23:19.a drawing shot. It was a couple of feet the last time, Andy, but
:23:20. > :23:26.pressure tells. Certainly does. But I think Robert will be confident in
:23:27. > :23:30.drawing this. Can't afford to be too wide. You just don't get back. Wide
:23:31. > :23:34.and heavy. Yeah. I think he was actually trying to play a very
:23:35. > :23:37.slightly inside line to force the jack and the bowl. But he's got the
:23:38. > :23:43.back position in now and I think Alex has to take a chance here.
:23:44. > :23:51.Yeah. Alex will try to get a closer bowl. Well, he has got the last
:23:52. > :24:03.delivery if Robert does decide to attack it.
:24:04. > :24:13.Yeah. That's why he's just trying to get down to it. Well... That's good.
:24:14. > :24:17.Maybe made two. Yes. I think he has. I think now we'll see weight from
:24:18. > :24:25.Robert. It's forcing Robert into playing the weight shot. Just the
:24:26. > :24:30.one. One red. Well, the way of the angles of the
:24:31. > :24:34.ball, David, it's going to be hard to actually get this jack clean.
:24:35. > :24:39.Time out called. You'd expect Robert to his this target. However, it's
:24:40. > :24:44.not a good head. No. No, it's not. The ideal result for rbt would be to
:24:45. > :24:48.get on to the jack -- for Robert would be to get on to the jack here
:24:49. > :24:52.and run it all the way back to the position of his own bowl. What's
:24:53. > :24:55.also possible for him to get is, if he's in the inside, he'll get the
:24:56. > :24:58.split and the jack could bounce off the green bowl and back into this
:24:59. > :25:02.position. The only thing he can't afford to be is wide. Correct. I
:25:03. > :25:07.think he'll be positive. He's shaping up for a draw here. Shaping
:25:08. > :25:13.up for a draw. Oh, that is... Oh! That is incredibly difficult! Well,
:25:14. > :25:16.I don't know. I think the way the angles were, David. I think it's
:25:17. > :25:24.difficult to run at this. You know what? He's close. What a bowl here!
:25:25. > :25:26.What a bowl! Oh, that is amazing! Absolutely amazing!
:25:27. > :25:30.APPLAUSE Brilliant pressure bowl. Fantastic
:25:31. > :25:34.pressure bowl and Alex would normally just tap his leg when the
:25:35. > :25:39.opposition plays a bowl. He actually clapped that one. Yeah, good sport
:25:40. > :25:44.is Alex. But what a bowl from Robert Paxton! Quite right, Robert. What a
:25:45. > :25:51.shot! And now, Alex is in a position where the back bowl is against him.
:25:52. > :25:57.Time-out called. Alex has one time-out remaining.
:25:58. > :26:03.It has to be a forehand runner. 100%. I agree with that. The
:26:04. > :26:08.backhand runner takes the jack over away from the back bowl but, if it
:26:09. > :26:11.goes on the respot, the green will win it.
:26:12. > :26:15.The forehand, he's got a chance, actually, in the forehand to punch a
:26:16. > :26:19.front bowl right through and get it on the respot on the other side.
:26:20. > :26:23.Yeah. The bowl on the left-hand side of the screen, the red bowl, that's
:26:24. > :26:28.the target bowl, really. Absolutely. There's also the split and run
:26:29. > :26:40.either way. It will have to be a forehand weight shot.
:26:41. > :26:49.Yeah. Forehand runner. You know what? He's looking at this. Is it
:26:50. > :26:54.going to bend? He's not getting back. Oh. There was a chance if he
:26:55. > :26:58.got the outside edge on to the jack, but it's going to be a last-end
:26:59. > :27:04.shoot-out in this match. What a fantastic game. That last bowl by
:27:05. > :27:10.Robert Paxton was just unbelievable. Superb. Superb. I just thought the
:27:11. > :27:18.angles were bad, David. That's why obviously I reverted to just
:27:19. > :27:22.reaching through. But what a bowl! One-end shoot-out for a place in the
:27:23. > :27:46.World Singles Final. Diane waiting there. Nervously I
:27:47. > :27:54.suspect. Just a little. Every right to be. I think this year has been
:27:55. > :27:59.more tense matches -- there's been more tense matches, in many ways,
:28:00. > :28:04.Andy. We've had a lot of tie-breaks and a lot of last-end shoot-outs as
:28:05. > :28:09.they say. Oh, Alex has gone very short with this! Big change of
:28:10. > :28:13.length. Wow! That needs to be right on the T. Well, he did this with
:28:14. > :28:18.Mark Dawes in the second-round game. He changed the length of jack in the
:28:19. > :28:24.final end. Well, he's very good on the short jack, Alex. One of the
:28:25. > :28:29.best in the world. He is. At this particular distance. The rules
:28:30. > :28:32.change again on the third end. The players can nominate to destroy the
:28:33. > :28:38.end and they have to play it again in the same direction. They can
:28:39. > :28:42.nominate as often as they wish. But they're actually only allowed to
:28:43. > :28:47.destroy it once. APPLAUSE
:28:48. > :28:52.And what I mean by "destroying the end" is you push the jack out of the
:28:53. > :28:55.confines of the ring. The respots do not count. But if you don't
:28:56. > :29:00.nominate, and it goes outside the confines of the rink, the jack is
:29:01. > :29:06.put on to the respot position. And this is why Alex likes she's short
:29:07. > :29:08.Jacques. -- jacks. That's probably the worst bowl Robert's played.
:29:09. > :29:12.Well, it's a the worst bowl Robert's played.
:29:13. > :29:15.not as yet played. It's not foreign to them. They're used to playing a
:29:16. > :29:19.short length, but the jack has basically been on the T all game. So
:29:20. > :29:23.this is completely new end and it's the first one in here. That's still
:29:24. > :29:31.not close enough, I don't think. No. It's a good bowl. It's probably only
:29:32. > :29:37.a foot away or less. What Robert would give now for a front-toucher.
:29:38. > :29:43.Um, well, I'm not sure about this one. We'll just have to wait to see
:29:44. > :29:46.if it comes back from that wide line. Doing its best now.
:29:47. > :29:50.APPLAUSE That's the winner. Absolutely. I
:29:51. > :29:55.think the crowd have really given Robert a lot of respect coming back
:29:56. > :30:00.into this game. A lot of players would have folded under the
:30:01. > :30:08.pressure. Certainly have. Well, it's not easy. No, but you would still
:30:09. > :30:13.expect Alex to get this. Just a slight change on his weight.
:30:14. > :30:19.Just needs to put another ten inches on it and he will draw the perfect
:30:20. > :30:22.bowl. He's got the perfect line. Has he got the weight? I don't think
:30:23. > :30:26.he's running. He hasn't, but Robert's going to be forced into
:30:27. > :30:31.playing another good one because he can't afford to leave this. And
:30:32. > :30:35.either way, Alex Marshall, the defending champion, is going to have
:30:36. > :30:41.one bowl left to stay in this championship. We may see a different
:30:42. > :30:46.bowl from Alex on his final delivery, I think. But you're right.
:30:47. > :30:55.Robert needs another one in. Well, this has to be good. Must be good.
:30:56. > :30:59.Oh. Struggling for weight. It is. I don't know. I think he likes this.
:31:00. > :31:03.He loves this. Oh, I thought that was struggling for weight, but he's
:31:04. > :31:09.played it very well and Alex has got a shot on. It's not going to be
:31:10. > :31:15.easy, but it's still available to him! The players' lounge is starting
:31:16. > :31:20.to look very busy up there, Andy. Yes. Everybody looking for a view of
:31:21. > :31:30.this. Well, we've got a perfect view. Well, if there's anybody going
:31:31. > :31:34.to get out of trouble, it's this man. However, he's in trouble here,
:31:35. > :31:37.Alex Marshall. This is going to be difficult. Time-out called. Alex has
:31:38. > :31:51.no time-outs remaining. Well, a bowl on to there would be
:31:52. > :31:54.ideal, Andy. You know, it's not easy, this. Because I think the
:31:55. > :31:57.problem for Alex is, if he gets the bowl, he needs to stun on to the
:31:58. > :32:04.jack and run through to here with it. Well, he's not nominated a kill.
:32:05. > :32:12.I think this might have been worth a call here. Forehand misdirection?
:32:13. > :32:14.His favoured shot? Yes. I think I'd nominate a kill here, really. This
:32:15. > :32:27.looks hard to get the shot. Well, he's very interested. Very
:32:28. > :32:32.interested. Has he got past the front one? He's under. Oh, he's
:32:33. > :32:37.gone! What a great effort. A marvellous, marvellous effort by
:32:38. > :32:41.Alex Marshall to defend his title. Very generous applause from everyone
:32:42. > :32:45.for this match. Robert Paxton - how on earth did he dig that one out?
:32:46. > :32:48.What a wonderful performance by Robert. It was an amazing game. No
:32:49. > :32:55.doubt about that. Just the most wonderful match we
:32:56. > :32:59.have witnessed, one perhaps worthy of a final here at Potters. The
:33:00. > :33:01.crowd absolutely loving every minute of it.
:33:02. > :33:05.APPLAUSE Alex, first of all, I imagine you
:33:06. > :33:09.haven't played that well and lost a match in a long time. Yeah. Quite
:33:10. > :33:15.right. I was very happy with the way I played. Probably the first set
:33:16. > :33:18.I've ever played in my life under a lot of pressure but I always knew
:33:19. > :33:22.Robert would come back and he did that. I thought a big change in the
:33:23. > :33:26.game was the sixth end when Robert put his last one in and he failed
:33:27. > :33:31.and his other bowl turned in for shot. Big credit to Robert. He came
:33:32. > :33:35.back strongly and played well. And the pride in defending your title,
:33:36. > :33:40.you must take a lot out of it. Definitely. I was happy with the way
:33:41. > :33:43.I've performed in the last two weeks. I can't take nothing away
:33:44. > :33:48.from Robert. He was sensational and I wish him all the best for the
:33:49. > :33:53.final. Very noble. Very noble indeed. Robert, the first set,
:33:54. > :33:59.obviously Tatty was in flying form. Can I ask you from the second set to
:34:00. > :34:02.the end of the tie-break, have you played better than that in your
:34:03. > :34:08.career? I played good one bowls to be honest. Alex was dominating the
:34:09. > :34:13.heads and I was playing and getting myself out of trouble which has to
:34:14. > :34:17.play tomorrow. I feel like I'm half-robbed Alex to be fair. That's
:34:18. > :34:20.the way I feel on the green. Alex was superb and he's come here to
:34:21. > :34:25.defend his title and he's the best player the world has ever seen and
:34:26. > :34:26.to get across him in a semifinal is fantastic.
:34:27. > :34:30.APPLAUSE That's true. Everyone acknowledges
:34:31. > :34:35.what a great player he is. But have you to remember today is your day.
:34:36. > :34:39.And you produced wonderful bowls. The crowd absolutely enthralled from
:34:40. > :34:43.start to finish and it does mean you're in your first world final on
:34:44. > :34:50.Sunday. How good does that sound? CHEERING
:34:51. > :34:54.Yeah, very good. I mean, obviously, there was all the hype last year
:34:55. > :34:57.after the mixed pairs and the open pairs and so to come back this year
:34:58. > :35:01.and get a chance in the singles and reach the final, it's... Pretty
:35:02. > :35:05.good. A lot of people are excited about what's going to happen
:35:06. > :35:08.tomorrow. But from a players's perspective, having gone through
:35:09. > :35:11.what you've done today, what happens in the next 24 hours? How do you
:35:12. > :35:15.prepare for that after playing so well today? Just put in a bit more
:35:16. > :35:19.time in the green. I change colour tomorrow. I turn to red. I'll put in
:35:20. > :35:23.a couple of hours on the green tomorrow. And tonight and tomorrow
:35:24. > :35:27.morning and prepare myself and just relax for the final tomorrow
:35:28. > :35:29.afternoon. That was quite simply an outstanding match and
:35:30. > :35:32.congratulations to Robert Paxton on reaching his first final of the
:35:33. > :35:35.World Singles. But who would he play? It would be either David
:35:36. > :35:42.Gourlay or Nicky Brett. David Gourlay was hoping to get his
:35:43. > :35:47.hands back on this trophy for the first time since 1996. His opponent,
:35:48. > :35:50.Nicky Brett, seeded two, was in the semifinal for the second time in his
:35:51. > :35:54.career. We join the match at the start of the sixth end with Gourlay
:35:55. > :36:08.leading 4-3. Greg Harlow is now in the commendary box along with David
:36:09. > :36:13.This match has been going just over 20 minutes and these guys are
:36:14. > :36:16.powering through the sixth end. They're just not going to waste
:36:17. > :36:20.time. Obviously, with a shot clock, it's
:36:21. > :36:35.hard to dictate the pace of the match.
:36:36. > :36:51.Nick not totally happy with the backhand in this direction and
:36:52. > :36:59.decided to change. Not happy with this one either. Back's turned on it
:37:00. > :37:03.already. Yes, at club level I think it's important that a player watches
:37:04. > :37:07.the bowl to see where it finishes and they can make the adjustment.
:37:08. > :37:11.But at this level, the guys will turn their back if they don't know
:37:12. > :37:19.where... If they know there's something wrong. Well, David just
:37:20. > :37:25.going through and, um... Second shot. I think he would have liked
:37:26. > :37:30.that one to be closer. I think he would but he's also conscious not to
:37:31. > :37:35.make a target. How deadly Nick is with the runners. Better line here.
:37:36. > :37:43.Yes. He just needs an edge to bring his bowl right back. Second bowl.
:37:44. > :37:47.David might change on to the forehand. It all depends how
:37:48. > :37:53.confident he's feeling at the minute. The backhand is his favoured
:37:54. > :37:55.side. Yeah, it is. Just draw another shot. About 14 inches to count.
:37:56. > :37:57.Certainly looks good. shot. About 14 inches to count.
:37:58. > :38:10.could be number one. He's using bowls with a crescent
:38:11. > :38:15.grip. And that's the one he's really looking for. Big decision for Nick
:38:16. > :38:20.here. I'd take a few extra seconds if I was him before playing this.
:38:21. > :38:22.Lots of choices. He'd fancy the drive but very dangerous in case he
:38:23. > :38:42.gets his own. Is he going to get a good result? He
:38:43. > :38:49.is. Unbelievable result! Great strike! Brave strike. Fantastic
:38:50. > :38:55.result. Well, these shots, if you're in the target area, that's great.
:38:56. > :38:59.But it all depends on what the result is. Well, a little bit of
:39:00. > :39:08.acknowledgement there. But I don't know, he was bang on target. Bang on
:39:09. > :39:14.target. That result was wonderful really. And left David in a heap of
:39:15. > :39:21.trouble. Not only has he got two shots, David's only got one bowl in
:39:22. > :39:26.the head. I think he's going to have to play the backhand and hope to get
:39:27. > :39:39.second, try to avoid the green bowl. He can't afford to run at this.
:39:40. > :39:46.Only chance to get shot is to come between the second green bowl and
:39:47. > :40:04.David's own red bowl. Very, very small gap.
:40:05. > :40:10.Massive turn around. Two down to two up. He's in the lead. That's the
:40:11. > :40:25.sort of bowl that can change matches.
:40:26. > :40:39.Strange gold game, really. Nick's worst end. First three bowls were
:40:40. > :40:42.not particularly close but fantastic strike, fantastic result with his
:40:43. > :40:45.last. He'd be delighted to come out with a double there. He's started
:40:46. > :41:29.with a better opening bowl. David hasn't played too many short
:41:30. > :41:33.bowls with his first delivery because he's good at the
:41:34. > :41:41.get-out-of-trouble shot, the runner. And that bowl is not going to help
:41:42. > :41:54.him for later in this end. Well, here comes the correction. Has he
:41:55. > :42:10.got enough? Ooh. Not quite. Gap on the last bowl is four inches.
:42:11. > :42:20.Four inches to get in. He's slapping his thigh but anything behind is
:42:21. > :42:33.good, Nick. Nothing wrong with that finish. Well, David running down to
:42:34. > :42:41.the mat. Might try to open this up, backhand. There's always that risk,
:42:42. > :42:49.Greg, of punching his own bowl out. Sticking with the draw for now. It's
:42:50. > :42:55.just the one shot. Probably looking to get to the secretary green bowl
:42:56. > :42:59.and set in. Can he get down and in? Oh, he's drawn it. Oh, what a great
:43:00. > :43:04.bowl that is. Fantastic bowl. That was pressure. Didn't want to lose
:43:05. > :43:09.the shot this end. He would have been two down. With two the go. But
:43:10. > :43:15.that's a wonderful draw shot and that brings Nick's back bowl into
:43:16. > :43:19.play. Don't think there's much in the forehand for him, but a
:43:20. > :43:28.controlled weight on the backhand bowl on the jack's worth three.
:43:29. > :43:44.That's what he's gone for. Very close. He's going get the two reds!
:43:45. > :43:54.Oh! Oh! Wow! Well, that's virtually a set-winning shot that one.
:43:55. > :44:01.The bowl on the jack was worth three, Greg. But that's just a
:44:02. > :44:05.massive turnover. Yes, absolutely. I mean perfect
:44:06. > :44:09.shot, perfect result, again. David's in a heap of trouble here. I don't
:44:10. > :44:13.know how he's going to get out of this one. Because the front bowl has
:44:14. > :44:17.taken the shot away. He needs to get the other bowl, the number one shot,
:44:18. > :44:21.on the edge. Win it on the respot if he can get the outside edge. That's
:44:22. > :44:26.what he'd be going for. He's going to get two away and a bit of jack
:44:27. > :44:30.movement. He got the shot back. Oh, well done. This is great stuff.
:44:31. > :44:35.Fantastic end. Good hits, good draws, good results and that was
:44:36. > :44:42.very, very impressive. The Scotsman back on level terms. He went on to
:44:43. > :44:50.win the first set 7-6 and held the one-shot lead going into the final
:44:51. > :44:54.end of the second set. Last send -- last end, second set,
:44:55. > :45:00.David Gourlay can afford to lose a single but no more than that. If he
:45:01. > :45:12.loses a double or more, we're into the tie-break and Nick Brett knows
:45:13. > :45:16.exactly what he has to do. It's amazing, Greg, just one bowl that
:45:17. > :45:22.Nick Brett was away from almost securing the second set to go 8-2 in
:45:23. > :45:38.front. And David Gourlay played the perfect runner.
:45:39. > :45:49.Needs a good opening bowl here. He's got it. He's found it.
:45:50. > :45:57.APPLAUSE Four-inch gap.
:45:58. > :46:03.Well, it's a feast of bowling here for the large crowd. They've been
:46:04. > :46:09.really enjoying this. It's been a brilliant match. Now, it looks a
:46:10. > :46:31.little bit quick. Nick's certainly on an excellent
:46:32. > :46:37.road. Definitely coming in for number two. Perfect! Absolutely
:46:38. > :46:40.right on it. That's the one that David Gourlay was looking for. Is it
:46:41. > :46:52.a toucher? Didn't see the marker going in to
:46:53. > :46:56.put the spray chalk on it which I think means it's just short. David
:46:57. > :47:00.Gourlay will be attacking this. Time-out called. David has one
:47:01. > :47:06.time-out remaining. It's a set lie. He may as well come
:47:07. > :47:12.into it. Definitely going to be a forehand drive.
:47:13. > :47:17.He's right down the middle. What's he going to get? All the way
:47:18. > :47:24.through. He wants the green bowl to go into the ditch and it just makes
:47:25. > :47:29.it. But there's a lot of room. Green bowl is taken away. One to red at
:47:30. > :47:37.the moment but it's a distance away. You would certainly expect Nick to
:47:38. > :47:44.beat it. Difficulty for Nick is no matter where he puts this, if David
:47:45. > :47:49.was to drive the bowl off, match is over. I think David will play a draw
:47:50. > :47:56.no matter where it finishes to be honest. He really should. Unless he
:47:57. > :47:58.feels confident. How close is Nick going to get?
:47:59. > :48:12.Close enough. Very good. Well, this is an interesting test, isn't it?
:48:13. > :48:20.Fascinating game. It's one of the two that Nick Brett needs. This is
:48:21. > :48:26.not easy. Obviously, he would love to draw the shot but, if not, get as
:48:27. > :48:31.close as he possibly can for a good second. Force Nick to play a
:48:32. > :48:36.cracking last bowl to take it to the tie-break. Well, this is all about
:48:37. > :48:42.weight now. The line's good. Has he got enough? That's the question. Has
:48:43. > :48:49.he got enough to get there? I don't think so. I think it's one to green.
:48:50. > :48:56.I think Nick will be trying to draw within two feet to win the set.
:48:57. > :49:02.Exactly. Anybody want to play this for me? I don't think so. You would
:49:03. > :49:09.still... You'd still bet that Nick will get this. Time-out called. Nick
:49:10. > :49:15.has three time-outs remaining. These are the pressure bowls. Got to get
:49:16. > :49:23.this in to stay in the World Championships. Looks very confident.
:49:24. > :49:27.Looks happy with the delivery. He's chasing up now. Is it going to make
:49:28. > :49:35.the distance? Oh, it's not! He's under it by the looks of it to me. I
:49:36. > :49:42.think it's just the one. Close. Oh, that's interesting. It just petered
:49:43. > :49:46.away a bit but Nick's got a good eye and he'll not mess about with this.
:49:47. > :49:50.If he thinks it's close, then fine. But if he thinks it's against him,
:49:51. > :49:57.he'll shake hands. Oh, he's asking for a measure. I don't think it was
:49:58. > :50:01.a confident ask but... It's always hard to tell, Greg. The TV angles
:50:02. > :50:05.are hard to tell and they're standing above it and they can't
:50:06. > :50:10.tell and, as you say, Nick's got a good eye. If it was red, he'd hold
:50:11. > :50:15.out the hand. He would. He's a very honest player, they both are. But
:50:16. > :50:21.it's also the drop into the ditch as well. Goodness me. Can't be any more
:50:22. > :50:29.tense. I wouldn't want to be doing the measure! No! I would absolutely
:50:30. > :50:31.trust those two guys and the players will be looking to see where this is
:50:32. > :50:44.going. Well, I think it's green. I think it
:50:45. > :50:53.might be green. David hasn't moved in. Oh! My goodness me! He's just
:50:54. > :51:01.made it! By a fraction! Oh, David Gourlay had one foot into the world
:51:02. > :51:04.final. And it's been snatched away. Nicky Brett forcing a tie-break by
:51:05. > :51:09.the narrowest of margins. He went on to win the first extra end. We
:51:10. > :51:44.rejoin the action at the start of end two.
:51:45. > :51:53.Well, it's been 20 years since David Gourlay last won the world title,
:51:54. > :51:58.1996, and he's still fighting hard in this one. I believe it was at his
:51:59. > :52:04.first attempt. It was. And I believe... Is he the first or the
:52:05. > :52:09.last player outside of the 16 to win it as well I think? I think since
:52:10. > :52:23.then, all the winners have been from the seeded positions. Great bowl
:52:24. > :52:29.from Nick. Famous last bowl to beat Tony Alcott, after coming in in the
:52:30. > :52:33.qualifier, 100-to-1 outsider 20 years ago. He needs that same sort
:52:34. > :52:41.of bowl now. I think it's just slipping past.
:52:42. > :52:49.Oh, Nick. This is just... That's a perfect second delivery. Gone for
:52:50. > :53:01.the respot. Well, see how close he gets to it. Oh, it's very good.
:53:02. > :53:06.David might have to think about playing this off.
:53:07. > :53:13.Not allowed to destroy the end, of course, until the third end of the
:53:14. > :53:21.tie-break. The first two ends, the jack goes on the re spot yeah. Going
:53:22. > :53:27.for the runner. He was force the into this. Oh, he's in so much --
:53:28. > :53:30.forced into this. Oh, he's in so much trouble now, he really is,
:53:31. > :53:44.because the respot is not available. Nick's got a choice, really. He
:53:45. > :53:47.could either block David's draw. I think I would go into there and hold
:53:48. > :53:52.the second shot so David hasn't got a drive to take the bowl out. And,
:53:53. > :53:55.you know, staying away from it at the same time. Yeah, the last thing
:53:56. > :54:05.he wants to do is make a target. That is for sure.
:54:06. > :54:13.He can play this forehand and be two feet, maybe three feet from the jack
:54:14. > :54:18.and still have a good pole. He's got the respot covered. Is it going to
:54:19. > :54:21.stop in time? I think it is. Yeah. That's exactly what he's looking
:54:22. > :54:28.for. Perfect. Perfect. He obviously can't see what we put on the screen
:54:29. > :54:31.but that's a wonderful bowl because it's forced David Gourlay into
:54:32. > :54:34.trying to wrest the bowl off. From being a fraction of an inch into the
:54:35. > :54:38.world final, David Gourlay is suddenly one bowl away from going
:54:39. > :55:00.out of the World Singles. The perfect draw to keep his World
:55:01. > :55:07.Championship alive. Well, he's playing the only shot
:55:08. > :55:12.available to him. Just going under. He's an inch under. Second tend and
:55:13. > :55:17.the match to Nick Brett. So Nick Brett, the world number one, has
:55:18. > :55:21.snatched success away from David Gourlay in the last three ends of
:55:22. > :55:28.this match. And wonderful, wonderful exhibition of bowls. 7-6 to David
:55:29. > :55:34.Gourlay, 7-6 to Nick Brett and Nick Brett takes the tie-break 2-0. World
:55:35. > :55:37.number one is through to the final of the World Singles.
:55:38. > :55:43.David, first of all, give us your thoughts on how you felt the second
:55:44. > :55:46.set ended up? Because it did look, for all the world, that you might
:55:47. > :55:53.have made it through to the final once again. Yeah, to be honest, I
:55:54. > :55:56.was like 99% sure that Nicky's bowl wasn't running and even when it was
:55:57. > :56:00.still coming and coming and I thought it was going to fall back
:56:01. > :56:02.and then when I looked at it, I think we both fancied my bowl.
:56:03. > :56:06.You're kind of thinking you're through and then all of a sudden you
:56:07. > :56:10.have to play a tie-break! I was going to ask you about that. At that
:56:11. > :56:13.point, not that it's easy to carry on, but there was a noticeable
:56:14. > :56:17.difference in your body language. How difficult is it to throw it off
:56:18. > :56:19.going into the tie-break? It was pretty difficult, I must admit
:56:20. > :56:24.because you're going from a position of thinking you're through, really,
:56:25. > :56:27.and then you've... You're back in a about thele again and Nicky played a
:56:28. > :56:30.great tie-break end and I didn't perform in the tie-breaks.
:56:31. > :56:34.Commiserations but a good effort up until that point. Nicky, first of
:56:35. > :56:38.all, when, as David said, you delivered that final bowl of the
:56:39. > :56:43.second set, did you think, as you released that, that you were still
:56:44. > :56:46.in this match? Can't tell you what I said.
:56:47. > :56:51.LAUGHTER But I thought it was short and
:56:52. > :56:55.tight, yeah. And at the moment, the measure was going on, what were you
:56:56. > :57:00.thinking? I was waiting for the inevitable one green to be honest
:57:01. > :57:03.because it didn't look as though I'd done enough, but I paid the markers
:57:04. > :57:07.more money. LAUGHTER
:57:08. > :57:12.In contrast to David in the tie-break, you were on... There was
:57:13. > :57:16.a spring in your step. You looked really confident at that stage. To
:57:17. > :57:19.be fair, David was far the better player and getting in the tie-break
:57:20. > :57:21.was a bonus for me to be fair. APPLAUSE
:57:22. > :57:26.I'd scratched around a bit. David's first two bowls were really good and
:57:27. > :57:31.mine, I wore a couple of sheepdogs out trying to find mine. So it
:57:32. > :57:34.was... I was just relieved to get in the tie-break. David played... I
:57:35. > :57:39.felt like wearing a Balaklava because I robbed him of a win. But,
:57:40. > :57:43.you know, fair play, David played well. I hung in and hung in and
:57:44. > :57:49.managed to sneak a measure at the end. So this is the line-up for the
:57:50. > :57:49.2016 World Indoor Bowls Championships
:57:50. > :57:58.final: After two wonderful semifinal
:57:59. > :58:07.matches, there's a plethora of candidates for the Shot of the Day.
:58:08. > :58:10.My Shot of the Day comes from the match with Alex Marshall and Robert
:58:11. > :58:14.Paxton. Brilliant game. Alex Marshall dominated in the first set.
:58:15. > :58:19.Cruised through it, nothing Robert could do. Fought back really, really
:58:20. > :58:22.hard in the second, won it and in the tie-break, second end, with a
:58:23. > :58:26.game lie against him, he plays the bowl which is absolutely perfect on
:58:27. > :58:30.the draw on the backhand. We all thought that he would actually play
:58:31. > :58:33.a running bowl, hit through and then draw with his next one, but Robert
:58:34. > :58:37.Paxton wanted to leave Alex Marshall in all sorts of trouble and that's
:58:38. > :58:42.exactly what he did and that's why it's my Shot of the Day. Corky is
:58:43. > :58:45.off to bed but I hope that you can join us on Sunday afternoon for the
:58:46. > :58:49.final. One way or another, there will be a new name on the trophy.
:58:50. > :58:54.Will it be Robert Paxton or Nicky Brett? You'll have to join us live
:58:55. > :58:58.to find out. We'll see you then. Bye bye.