UPDATED: Marshall makes it to semi-finals

 

ALEX MARSHALL booked his place in the quarter-finals of the World Indoor Bowls Championships this morning with a hard-fought tie-break victory over New Zealand’s Martin Kreft.

Six-times singles champion Marshall, of Tranent, took the first set 8-3. It was a cagey opening, with the players tied 3-3 after six ends before the county man showed his class.

In the second set, the Kiwi stunned the Potters Holiday Resort crowd by taking four shots from the first end then a further two in the second.

Six shots down in the set, Marshall stormed back with some superb bowls in the next three ends to, remarkably, be 8-6 ahead. 

But it was Kreft who held his nerve and, a single at the last end, won him the set (10-8).

In the tie-break, Marshall took the first two ends for victory.

He will play world number 2 Les Gillett in the last eight tomorrow (Friday).

The win takes Marshall, who has been playing a lot of his bowls in Australia recently, back into the world's top 16.

Marshall’s East Lothian team-mate Billy Mellors, of Aberlady, plays his second round match, against England’s Nick Brett, today at 3pm.