Updates from Potters as Emily Kernick eyes World Title

Action from the Potters Resort is live on BBC 2 this afternoon as Solihull's Emily Kernick partners with World Number 5 Les Gillett as they aim to win their first World Indoor Bowls Mixed Pairs Title! Coverage starts at 1pm.

The event started on Friday with Emily and Les facing Katherine Rednall and Robert Paxton (both former winners of the event) in the Quarter Final. A dominant performance saw them win a fantastic contest 11-5, 11-5 and book their place in the Semi Finals on Saturday.

In the semi finals they faced Selina Goddard (New Zealand) and 3 time winner Paul Foster. The first set was soo close, with excellent bowls constantly getting around the jack. Emily and Les managed to knick the first set 8-7. This then gave them the confidence to push on in the second set, always keeping their opponents at arms length taking the second set 8-3 and winning the match 2-0.

In the final they face Chloe Wilson (Ireland) and former World Indoor Singles Champion Jamie Walker. This promises to be a fantastic game, so free your afternoon up and watch along with us live from 1pm.

All of the Solihull membership wishes Emily and Les the best of luck in the final.

World Singles Results

Solihull's Tom Holmes has won his first match on the portable rink at Potters, taking a 2-0 victory over World Number 15 Jason Greenslade (Guernsey) on Saturday.

Tom started confidently and played some precision bowls in the opening set, and had a little bit of good fortune on one end, to take control into the final end of the set leading 7-5. Jason with his last bowl managed to disturb the head and the jack, but could only pick up 1 shot. tom winning the set 7-6.

In the second set Tom again drew superbly leading 9-5 into end 8. Jason tried to shorten the jack length needing 5 shots in 2 ends to force a tie break. Tom's first bowl of the end sat right next to the jack, which Jason could not move. Tom winning the set 10-5 and the match 2-0.

Tom will face 3 time Champion and World Number 2 Stewart Anderson on Thursday at approx 3pm on BBC 2.

Emily Kernick faced Nicole Rogers in the Womens Singles Quarter Final on Sunday. Having played each other during the World Bowls Series event in Australia in December both players knew each other's game and everyone expected a close match.

We were treated to an excellent display of bowling from both players, drawing close to the jack time after time, as well as some excellent running bowls to turn the heads around.

Nicole lead all the way through the first set to take it 6-4. But Emily fought back in the second set to lead 7-4 after 7 ends. Nicole drew in for 2 with her last bowl of the 8th end, after a small touch off her own wide bowl, to make the last end a must win one for Emily.

Emily was holding the one needed for a tie break with 1 bowl each to come. Nicole drawing the shot with her last bowl under pressure.

Emily then match down played a runner into the head, disturbing the bowls, but unfortunately not the shot bowl. Tieing the second set 7-7. Meaning she lost the match 0.5-1.5 in sets. A fantastic game and performance by both players, it was a shame there had to be a loser.

Open Pairs

In the Open Pairs earlier in the week Ben Harris teamed up with Connor Chamberlain to take on Father and Daughter pairing of Colin and Carla Banks from Scotland.

Connor and Ben made the front running in the first set, leading 9-6 after 7 ends, but their opponents played some excellent draw bowls in the last 2 ends to pick up a 2 and a 1 to tie the set.

Into the second set Connor and Ben struggled to score, 1-6 behind after 5 ends, they needed to produce their best bowls to turn the set around. They always had good weight but struggled to get to the centre of the rink on this crucial end, resulting in ben playing a running bowl looking to move the jack with his last bowl. he hit the pack of bowls, but was unlucky to still drop 2 shots. The next end trying a difficult shot to move the jack a couple of feet for 3 the bowl just dipped under the head.

An excellent effort by both players to get this far, and im sure we will see them again on the portable rink.