Harlow wins maiden potters title
ENGLAND'S Greg Harlow beat Scottish qualifier Stewart Anderson in straight sets in the final of the Potters Holidays World Indoor Singles Championship to win the flagship World Bowls Tour title for the first time.
ENGLAND'S Greg Harlow beat Scottish qualifier Stewart Anderson in straight sets in the final of the Potters Holidays World Indoor Singles Championship to win the flagship World Bowls Tour title for the first time.
"It's what I've been playing for all my life," said Harlow after winning the flagship World Bowls Tour title for the first time.
The 41-year-old fifth seed from Ely made a great start against the young Scot who had become the first qualifier to reach the world final at Potters Leisure Resort after despatching a succession of higher-ranked players, including world number one and record five-time world champion Alex Marshall.
After Harlow took the first set by a single shot, it was nip and tuck throughout the second with Anderson twice taking the lead. But a significant turning point came for the Englishman in the eighth end when he scored a triple to move 8-3 ahead - and two winning ends later saw Harlow celebrating his 9-8, 10-3 victory.
"I felt my tactics of using a variety of short-length jacks were spot on today - I didn't want Stewart to get into the rhythm we'd seen him get into all week, and that worked,” he said.
"I didn't let him play the way he wanted to," explained Harlow, after exhibiting his now trademark cartwheel on the rink on the way to picking up his winner's cheque for �28,000.
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"I thought today was very workmanlike - I just grinded and grinded it out, and that's the way I planned it. But I don't think either of us dominated the game.
"Stewart has been sensational throughout the tournament.
"Winning this is the highlight of my career - it's what I've been playing for all my life, ever since I started," added the new champion.
"I'm going to be in trouble with my wife Kay for that - because she said 'whatever you do, you're too old to do a cartwheel'."
Anderson - who will hope that his remarkable Potters performance will elevate him to the world top 16, with automatic entry to all World Bowls Tour ranking events next season - was downcast afterwards: "I didn't put him under enough pressure with my first bowls," said the 24-year-old from Ayrshire who was bidding to become the second youngest player ever to win the title.
"I knew Greg would play short - but I was confident, but I've no complaints - Greg was the better player."
