Ahead of the third round of the World Indoor Singles, with ties commencing on Monday, Scottish qualifier Stewart Anderson has been hardened into 5-1 favouritism for the event despite being landed with a draw against five-time world champion Alex Marshall, who was the ante-post joint-favourite, along with Paul Foster.
Cumnock-based Anderson, who shot to prominence by reaching the semi-final of the Scottish International Open has been in fearsome form thus far at Potters, beating Fred Fong 9-7 14-1 and 15th seed Mark McMahon 8-6 11-5, but Marshall will be by far the toughest opponent he has faced in the event.
It's been a season of woe for Marshall, who has slipped down to ninth in the provisional rankings – from top spot – but he looked to have discovered the zest for the game again versus Tim Stone when brushing the Norfolk bowler aside to set up a clash with the player who punters are clamouring to back.
Personally I would be worried if I was an Anderson backer as I wouldn't want my man to be having such a tough game at this stage of the tournament as he is still very inexperienced on the portable blue rink and is up against a player who has proved to be the best performer ever at Potters.
It's been an eventful fortnight so far, with nine seeds eliminated at the second round stage, but in fairness only four of those seeds were really on the end of giant-killing acts such is the quality of bowlers outside the top 16, with the likes of Anderson, Darren Burnett, Nick Brett, John Price and Steve Glasson.
My original fancy for the tournament, Greg Harlow, can still be backed at 8-1, but if he gets past surprise Australian package Ben Twist, then he will progress to a meeting with either Foster or Darren Burnett and the finalist from the top half of the draw will surely come out of that trio. Harlow has beaten Foster on the previous two occasions they have met, at last summer's World Matchplay and the 2008 Scottish International Open, although he suffered a mauling at the hands of Burnett in the Premier League at Potters back in April.
2008 International Open champion Burnett also reached last year's Premier League final – where he lost to Foster – so has ability in abundance and his general quote of 14-1 looks a big price. The 20-1 about former world outdoor champion Glasson is also a big price given that he has already dumped out of form Mervyn King out of the competition and looks to have a nice route through to the semi-final.
The names of Anderson and Marshall dominate the bottom half, but Boylesports' 25-1 about Cambridgeshire bowler Brett is a possible each-way route as he looks to have a great chance of reaching the quarter-final, where he will play either David Gourlay or Kelvin Kerkow, players he's well capable of beating. And then who knows?
