4th February 2010
Howard Harding

England's Ian Bond recovered from a set down to beat next season's world number one Paul Foster in the second round of the Gravells Welsh International Open to reach the quarter-finals of the final World Bowls Tour ranking event of this season at the City and County of Swansea Indoor Bowls Club in Swansea. 

Fourth seed Foster, the Scot who reached the quarter-finals in the last four WBT events, led throughout the first set and was poised at three-all in the second. 

But Bond, the 36-year-old 13th seed from Crediton in Devon, won the next four ends to draw level - then maintained his momentum by taking the first two ends of the tie-break to record a 4-9, 8-3, 2-0 victory. 

The 'Devon Destroyer' will bid to reach the Welsh semi-finals for the first time in nine attempts since 2002 when he faces Welshman Robert Weale in Thursday's quarter-finals. 

Two other Englishmen followed Bond through to the last eight when Norfolk duo Tim Stone and Mervyn King survived their second round encounters. 

Stone, a qualifier from Norwich, maintained his giant-killing run in the event when he toppled third-seeded compatriot Mark Royal, the world No2 from Suffolk, 8-3, 12-6. 

Ninth seed King, the 2006 world champion from Fakenham, defeated South African qualifier Bobby Donnelly 10-5, 10-2. 

There will be Australian interest in the last eight after Queensland qualifier Brett Wilkie beat Englishman and fellow qualifier Nick Brett, the world No20 from Peterborough, 10-6, 7-3. 

Wilkie, the 35-year-old world No23 from Pacific Pines, is making only his second appearance in the event since making his debut in 2003.