16th February 2010
Howard Harding

Scotland’s Paul Foster crowns a historic season on the World Bowls Tour by emerging as the new world number one, according to the WBT World Rankings for the 2010/11 season which are announced today (Tuesday).

Foster began the season in fine style, securing the Co-operative Funeralcare Scottish International Open title in Perth and becoming the first player to win a sixth WBT trophy.

Later, Foster walked away with two awards at the World Bowls Tour Awards at the 2010 Potters Holidays World Indoor Championships in Norfolk, honoured as the Players' Player of the Year and the Player of the Year.

But it was a second round berth in this month’s Gravells Welsh International Open in Swansea that clinched next season’s top ranking for the Scot – nine points ahead of Englishman Greg Harlow, the 41-year-old former world No1 from Ely in Cambridgeshire.

Despite winning three world indoor singles titles – in 1998, 2001 and 2005 – it is the first time that the 36-year-old from Troon in Ayrshire has attained the coveted ‘world number one’ title.

Greg Harlow began the year in sensational style by winning the Potters Holidays World Indoor Singles Championship for the first time in his 15th appearance in the championships since 1996.

However, it is England’s Simon Skelton and Scotland’s Darren Burnett who steal the headlines in the new list:  Skelton, 37, from Nottingham, celebrated his second successive appearance in the Welsh International Open final this month – and leaps nine places to a career-high fifth equal, a position in the top eight which ensures his presence in this year’s Co-operative Funeralcare World Matchplay Championship.

Dundee policeman Burnett makes his long-awaited debut in the world’s top 16 at No10 – jumping seven places.  The 33-year-old from Arbroath won his first WBT title at the 2008 International Open in Sussex as a qualifier – then battled through the 2010 Welsh International Open field as the 16th seed to win his second WBT trophy in Swansea.

A series of strong performances this season by John Price sees the Welsh veteran return to the top 16, ensuring his presence in all next season’s WBT ranking events.  The 49-year-old from Port Talbot celebrated his 25th appearance in the World Singles championship this year at Potters by not only reaching the quarter-finals, but also receiving a Lifetime Achievement award at the WBT Awards.