28th January 2010
Howard Harding

His triumph in Sunday's final of the Potters Holidays World Indoor Singles Championship in Norfolk not only made Greg Harlow world champion for the first time, but it has also pushed the Englishman to the top of the latest provisional World Bowls Tour World Rankings, issued today by the World Bowls Tour. 

Runner-up in 2006 and appearing in his 15th championships since 1996, the 41-year-old from Ely in Cambridgeshire held off the challenge of Scottish qualifier Stewart Anderson in the final at Potters Leisure Resort - watched live by millions of BBC TV viewers - to secure the sport's most prestigious title in straight sets. 

The win earned Harlow (pictured) his sixth WBT title - equalling the record set by Scot Paul Foster after winning the Scottish International Open in Perth in November. 

Indeed Harlow tops the rankings one point ahead of Foster, whom he beat in the quarter-finals at Potters after producing "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 new world champion. 

Welshman Jason Greenslade rises to three in the new list, ahead of England's Mark Royal who slips to four.   

Stewart Anderson, the 24-year-old WBT newcomer from the Auchinleck club in Ayrshire who followed his semi-final finish in Perth by becoming the first qualifier to make the world final at Potters, leaps into the rankings at 18. 

John Price, the distinguished Welshman who slipped out of the top 16 last season, rises to 14 after reaching the quarter-finals at Potters.  Nick Brett, Greg Harlow's club-mate at the City of Ely club, moves up to 16= after making it through to the semi-finals. 

Australian Ben Twist and Welshman Jarrad Breen, the two teenagers who brought a youthful flavour to the 2010 championships in Hopton on Sea, are both making their debuts in the rankings at 28.  Twist, 19, from Brisbane, dismissed England's tenth seed Ian Bond to make the last 16, while 17-year-old Breen shattered the hopes of England's world No2 Mark Royal to make the event's third round.

Latest Provisional Rankings