DEVON DESTOYER ON TOP OF THE WORLD
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- Created on Monday, 11 January 2010 08:05
- Published on Monday, 11 January 2010 08:05
Devon's Ian Bond and former world champion Andy Thomson clinched a dramatic victory over two-times champions Billy Jackson and David Gourlay in the Potters Holidays World Bowls Pairs Championship final at Hopton-on-Sea, Norfolk.
Winners of the World Bowls Tour title at Potters Leisure Resort two years ago, Englishmen Thomson and long-time partner Bond were behind until the final stages of the second set when Thomson steered the pair into a best-of-three ends tie-break after winning the set by three shots.
After taking the first end and leading in the second, Londoner Thomson and 'Devon Destroyer' Bond watched in shock as Scot Gourlay, a long-time former world number one, delivered a stunning bowl to force the tie-break into a third end decider.
But, after the Scot again played a near impossible shot to save the end, Thomson lined up to deliver his last bowl - and powered the jack and his own bowl into the ditch to make it almost impossible for Gourlay to respond.
"David would have had to draw his last bowl to leave it hanging over the ditch to win," admitted the exuberant new champions after their unlikely 4-9, 8-5, 2-1 victory.
"That was surely the greatest bowl I've ever played - it was without doubt the most important," said 54-year-old Thomson.
Bond added: "David produced unbelievable bowls throughout the game - and even with his final delivery almost drew the shot."
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