After bagging an 11-1 four-timer at the Gravells Welsh Open yesterday for
puntinplay followers, we can get motoring with
NICK BRETT again today, with the Peterborough ace a solid 4-5 shot to see off Aussie Brett Wilkie.
Brett, who still looks over-priced for the title at 12s with bet365 and Betfred, was very impressive against Jason Greenslade (who won the Welsh Singles title on the blue rink on Monday) yesterday and maintained his form that he showed at Potters last month.
His opponent today, Wilkie, was also a seed basher, dumping out Les Gillett in a routine performance and is a dangerous opponent, who has form on the World Bowls Tour, but such is the way Brett is playing I cannot see anything other than a win for the Englishman this afternoon.
In a rare all-seeds second round clash, I expect PAUL FOSTER to again get the better of Ian 'Devon Destroyer' Bond in what is a repeat of their Scottish Open final encounter.
Ayr's Foster won on a tie-break on that occasion and he looked in supreme form against fellow countryman Gary Hutchison in round one and is 4-7 with bet365.
Bond had a routine success against 71-year-old Israeli Osman Adem, although the septuagenarian pushed him all the way in the first set before Bond cruised through the second. The Devon player may have his backers at 17-10 with Betfred, but Foster is the better play and I'm backing him to progress.
I tipped TIM STONE at 7-4 to beat Kelvin Kerkow on Monday and the Norfolk ace came through with flying colours against an admittedly jet-lagged Aussie and he looks too big a price to miss at 6-4 to send another seed crashing when he faces Mark Royal this morning in a Norfolk v Suffolk battle.
Royal may be the world's number two, but he's endured a terrible run, winning just one match all season – in the first round here against teenager Jamie Hanlan – and I can't quite believe he has been installed as low as 4-7 with some firms to win this match.
He struggled at times against Hanlan and that is a worry for followers of the Stowmarket star considering how poorly Hanlan has fared on the Tour this season after winning one of the two Tour cards.
Stone reached the second round of the World Indoor Singles after a very useful opening victory against Potters regular Graham Smith before coming up against a rock-solid Alex Marshall and I have seen enough of the Norfolk bowler to convince myself to back him at 6-4 with Betfred this morning.
That just leaves Mervyn King against South African Bobby Donnelly, who enjoyed an amazing victory over David Gourlay. The 47-year-old from Gauteng looked down and out and totally outclassed against the Scot after losing first set 9-0.
He then trailed 6-1 in the second as Gourlay cruised towards the finishing line, but the South African turned the match around in three ends after picking up a full house, clinched the set by one shot and then won both ends of the tie-break to leave his well-known opponent shell-shocked.
Donnelly is 85-40 with Betfred to beat King today and that could be worth a small interest if he can repeat the does, but I have my doubts, although the 4-9 about King looks a bit skinny. In effect, Donnelly won only six out of 19 ends against Gourlay and more often than not that will not be enough.
