Bowls: Foster and Hogg progress in Llanelli

IT WAS another successful day for the Scottish contingent at the Co-operative Funeralcare Welsh Grand Prix, with Paul Foster and Wayne Hogg increasing Scotland’s tally to six going into the second round at Llanelli today.

Both dominated their games yesterday, dropping only three ends each to move through to their last-16 clashes tomorrow after comfortable straight-sets victories.

World No 1 Foster took on the only woman in the event and eased through 10-1, 8-4 against Hong Kong qualifier Tammy Thames, while Hogg, who also came through as a qualifier, scored a revenge 9-1, 10-4 win over No 13 seed Jason Greenslade, who knocked him out in the quarter-finals of the world singles at Potters last week.

Later, Foster said it will be hard to predict a winner at the tournament. He said: “The carpet is yards faster than it was at Potters last week and the speed is catching everyone out.

“For that reason this will be a difficult event to call. It’ll all depend on who catches the pace on the day”.

Hogg admitted: “My first bowls were the key to my result. I beat Jason to the jack on most ends and forced him into playing a lot of running shots.

“He was unlucky on a few occasions with breaks that went against him but that’s what happens in bowls when you’re chasing”.

David Gourlay, Darren Burnett and Jonathan Ross get the second round of matches under way today and all will be tricky encounters.

Gourlay meets No 15 seed Nick Brett from Cambridge, Burnett crosses swords with Port Talbot’s John Price, seeded 16, and Ross lines up against Simon Skelton, the No 6 seed from Nottingham.