Monday sees the first third round matches of the World Indoor Singles, with the mouth-watering prospect of Paul Foster versus Darren Burnett ready to leave the Potters crowd drooling, for the right reasons this time.
But first up is another decent clash as Australia meets Scotland on the portable blue rink.
Kelvin Kerkow v David Gourlay
These two seeds possibly had the easiest passages through to the third round, but now this is where it gets serious with both players fancying their chances of booking a quarter-final clash with either Jarrad Breen or Nick Brett.
Gourlay won this title way back in 1996, before going on to win the International Open three times, as well as the Welsh and Scottish Masters, which was his last ranking title success in 2002. He's also had countless losing trips to finals and in a strange sort of way he is bowls' nearly man. The fact he hasn't won a title on the Tour for nearly eight years is an astonishing fact considering how much natural talent he has.
He emigrated to Australia a few years and that coincided with his barren spell, but he returned to his native Scotland last year and at the World Matchplay in the summer, he admitted he was enjoying his bowls again and was looking to get back on the winning trail. He reached the final of that tournament to suggest things were back on track, but a subsequent first round defeat to Stewart Anderson in the Scottish International maybe meant everything was not going to plan after all.
Gourlay also has something to prove following defeats in both the Men's Pairs and Mixed Pairs finals in the past week, with a case of seconditis rearing its ugly head again.
As for Kerkow, he has been a mainstay of the top 16 for the past few seasons now, but has never made the impression at Potters he should have for a player of his undoubted class. He won the Welsh Masters a good while ago now and has struggled to really make his mark on the world stage, although he did win the World Pairs title here in 1996.
The Aussie, who made headlines in the 2006 Commonwealth Games when he whipped his shirt off in celebration and ran across the green after winning gold, exited at the second round stage at the recent Scottish International Open, but gave Paul Foster a massive fright in defeat. If he re-produces that sort of display then he could get the better of Gourlay, but I think the Scot will just have the edge and he looks the one to back at 4-7 with Skybet.
Verdict: Gourlay to edge this, but it will be close.
Paul Foster v Darren Burnett
This match has quality in abundance with two of the best players in the world prepare to cross swords, despite the seedings suggesting otherwise. Foster is a known class act, but Burnett has been kicking around the fringes of the top 16 for several seasons and finally came to prominence when winning the International Open in 2008.
The Scottish policeman was just brilliant in the previous round in seeing off 13th seed Les Gillett and to see 'Razor' virtually throw in the towel midway through the second set just underlined how dominant Burnett was.
His recent record against Foster, though, has not been great, losing to him on the Tour as well as twice at Potters in April in the Premier League, first in the group stages and then in the final, but he lost both by the narrowest of margins and that shouldn't put anyone off from backing him at 13-8 with Boylesports.
Foster is truly a class act, winning the Premier League crown and Scottish International Open in 2009, and has been world singles champion three times as well as winning countless other titles in his career. He is the best player in the world, but he struggled to get past Welsh qualifier Richard Morgan last week and admitted he was lucky to progress and there were signs then that maybe he's not quite firing on all cylinders.
The same cannot be said for Burnett and the Arbroath copper is an arresting sight at such attractive odds – the bookies have got it so wrong by going so big on Burnett and pricing up Foster at 4-9. No way should Fozzie be so short against a player who is clearly his equal, 10-11 would have been more appropriate. But why not make Boylesports pay for their generosity and get on the 13-8.
Verdict: This will be a cracking match, one which Burnett can sneak.
