23nd January 2010
Howard Harding

A trio of former champions bowed out of today's (Friday) quarter-finals of the Potters Holidays World Indoor Singles Championship to leave the way open for a brand new champion to emerge from the event's climax in Norfolk on Sunday.

In an eagerly-anticipated battle between Greg Harlow, the fifth seed from England, and Paul Foster, the No4 seed from Scotland, it was 2006 runner-up Harlow who prevailed - beating three-time champion Foster 6-6, 8-3 to become the only seed to reach the last four of the flagship World Bowls Tour event at Potters Leisure Resort.

Foster is the in-form player on the Tour after winning last month's Scottish International Open - and currently sitting at the top of the WBT's provisional world rankings.  But it was the 41-year-old from the City of Ely club in Cambridgeshire that set the early pace before Foster overtook his opponent, leaving Harlow to take a single in the last end of the first set to tie the set.

Foster was unable to claw back the lead throughout the second set - and failed to score the necessary four shots in the final end to tie the set before crashing out.

"That was very close," said Harlow, now in the semis for only the third time in 15 appearances.  "I think that was probably my best ever singles performance here at Potters - but I knew I needed to play well against Paul.

"He's the man in form - he's awesome," added the world No4.

Foster admitted that he was happy with the way he played:  "It was a great game - Greg and I always have close games.  But I just wasn't positive enough about some of my shots," said the 36-year-old from Troon in Ayrshire.

Harlow will meet fellow countryman Robert Paxton in the semi-finals after the 31-year-old from Exeter became the second qualifier through to the last four when he beat Irishman Jonathan Ross, the 16th seed from Belfast, 8-5, 9-8.

Paxton is making his third appearance in the event as a qualifier - and celebrating his second time in the semis since 2006.

"I thought my first bowls were good tonight," said the world No25.  "But, after playing green all the way through the championship, I now have to switch to red tomorrow!"

The other semi-final will feature two outsiders when unseeded Englishman Nick Brett takes on Scottish qualifier Stewart Anderson.  Brett claimed the scalp of 1996 champion David Gourlay, the sixth seed from Scotland.  

Brett, a club-mate of Harlow's in Ely, took the opening set by a six-shot margin - but Gourlay struck back to force a tie-break.  Brett controlled the first two ends, however, to score a 12-6, 5-6, 2-0 victory - his first over a world top-five ranked player.

"I played a pretty decent game - probably the best I can do," said Brett, ranked 20 in the world.  "It's fantastic to topple somebody like David.  This is the furthest I've been in any WBT event."

Anderson continued his giant-killing march through the event with a 13-0, 8-6 win over Welshman John Price, the 1990 champion - earning the first white-wash set of the championship, in only six ends!

It was the 24-year-old from Ayrshire who ousted record five-time world champions Alex Marshall, the world number one and his Scottish compatriot. 

"It's amazing - I never dreamed I'd get this far," said Anderson, after avenging his loss to Price, the world No18 from Port Talbot, in last year's first round.