Those of you following
puntinplay's bowls advice these past few days will be quids in and as predicted, John Price defeated fellow Welshman Robert Weale on a tie-break on Saturday to reward followers at 11-8.
It's the World Mixed Pairs Matchplay semi-finals on Saturday – a tournament devised solely for Potters – with bet365 the only bookie offering odds, so here goes.
David Gourlay & Ceri-Ann Davies v Paul Foster & Debbie Stavrou
Both couples won through to this stage with the aid of a tie-break and bet365 cannot separate them, quoting both at 5-6 to progress to the final. But my money is on the Foster/Stavrou pairing to get the better of the defending champions who are bidding for a hat-trick of wins in this event.
Stavrou is the ladies world champion having beaten Guernsey's Alison Merrien in last year's final, while Foster is the number one ranked player in the men's game and for the first time he seems to have a quality partner in this event having been lumbered with some also-rans in the past few years.
There is no doubting the spark that exists between Gourlay and Davies, who have never lost a match together at Potters, but all good things come to an end and I just feel the presence of Foster will sway the match in his and Stavrou's direction.
Verdict: Foster and Stavrou will just have enough.
Alex Marshall & Carol Ashby v Mark Royal & Dee McSparran
Ashby, once dubbed the 'Babe of Bowls', won this title in 2006 with Welshman John Price and with five-time World Singles champion Marshall is 4-7 to reach another final, while their English/American opponents are the outsiders at 5-4.
On paper this looks a formality for the favourites given that Royal has been on a poor run in the singles, while American lady McSparran is something of an unknown quantity. That said, though, the USA's top lady bowler has already opened eyes with a shock win over England international Stephanie Crates in the first round of the World Ladies Matchplay Singles, while she and Royal were surprise victors in their clash with the quality pairing of Mervyn King and Alison Merrien.
McSparran only took up the sport in 2004 and she's proved a natural, but a game against a legend such as Marshall could be a match too far for her. Marshall rolled back the years with a blistering performance against Tim Stone in the second round of the Men's Singles and he could win this encounter on his own, never mind the fact he's partnered by a quality performer in Ashby.
Verdict: Marshall and Ashby to coast through.
