???? ????? ????? ?????? ????????????, ?? – ?? ????l ????, ???????? ?????? ??????? ????, ????????, ???????? – Day four wrap – Six players remain unbeaten in singles

Seven out of seven for from left: Andy Kyle (Ireland), Ross Owen (Wales), Stewart Anderson (Scotland) and Jason Evans (South Africa) in the men’s singles

Four men and two women remain unbeaten in the singles at the World Bowls Indoor Championship being staged at the magnificent Aberdeen IBC, Scotland.

All four players who topped their sections in the men’s event – Ireland’s Andrew Kyle (World Bowls Series’ ranked 157), Wales’ Ross Owen (WBS 23), South Africa’s Jason Evans (WBS 37) and home favourite Scotland’s Stewart Anderson (WBS 15) returned winning scorecards from their seven matches, while in the women’s the same achievement was chalked up by Alison Merrien MBE (Guernsey/WBS 23) and Tayla Bruce (New Zealand/WBS 18) – both of whom endured nervy last group games to grasp their success with Merrien, last year’s immediate past president of the Indoor International Bowls Council, pipping Esme Kruger (South Africa/WBS 8) on a tiebreak and Bruce squeezing through on a tiebreak against England’s Emily Kernick (WBS 80).

Owen and Anderson also have the kudos of not having lost a game in the tournament – singles and mixed pairs.

Anderson is also one of three former winners are still in the hunt for singles glory – Kyle, victor in 2016, Anderson, champion back-to-back in 2018 and 2019, and Merrien, a four times winner – her last success being in 2019 in Merthyr Tydfil when Anderson was also triumphant.

Locked in for tomorrow’s quarter-finalists are the section winners – in the men’s event Scotland, Ireland, South Africa and Wales and in the women’s – Malaysia’s Emma Firyana Binti Saroji, who will be looking to retain the title her colleague Nor Farah Ain Abdullah (WBS 1) won last year in Guernsey, Australia’s Kelsey Cottrell (WBS 3), a quarter-finalist in 2023, who suffered a shock last group game defeat to Namibia’s Diana Viljoen, who had previously not won a game, plus Merrien and Bruce.

Surprisingly, Abdullah failed to qualify from her group, as did bronze medallist Linda Ng from Canada (WBS 85).

But silver medallist Connie Rixon (Malta/WBS 53) still maintains her hopes of going one better than 12 months ago. She finished second in her group to progress to the playoffs.

Those players who finished in positions two and three in each section qualify for the play-off round with the line-ups as follows:

Men’s: Mark McGreal (Isle of Man) v Dominic McVittie (England/WBS 104); Jack McShane (Australia/WBS 3) v Peter Bonsor (Spain); Keanu Darby (New Zealand/WBS 92) v Ian Merrien (Guernsey) and Muhammed Haiqal Bin Azami (Malaysia) v Anthony So (Hong Kong, China/WBS 183).

Women’s: Claire Anderson (Scotland) v Rachel MacDonald (Jersey); Sophie McGrouther (Scotland) v Caroline Whitehead (Isle of Man); Connie Rixon (Malta) v Esme Kruger (South Africa/WBS 8); Emily Kernick (England/WBS 80) v Lauren Gowen (Wales/WBS 56).

Tayla Bruce (New Zealand) and Alison Merrien MBE (Guernsey) returned 100 per cent winning scorecard in the women’s singles

The singles was particularly momentous for the Isle of Man which has seen both representatives – McGreal and Whitehead qualifying – especially when you consider the island only has one indoor green and Whitehead is predominantly a crown green bowler.

In an action-packed day, following the singles, the mixed pairs play-offs took place.

Scotland’s Claire Anderson and Stewart Anderson knocked out Ariana Mowat and Jan Sinnema (Scotland/Netherlands) 11-6, 11-5; Ireland’s Zoe Minish and Andrew Kyle ended the hopes of South Africa’s Esme Kruger and Jason Evans 7-7, 9-5; Ian and Alison Merrien MBE, of Guernsey, came out on top against Kiwi’s Tayla Bruce and Keanu Darby 5-6, 14-2, 5-3 and Australia’s Kelsey Cottrell and Jack McShane beat Malaysia’s Muhammad Haiqal Bin Azami and Emma Firyana Binti Saroji 9-1, 7-5.

Interestingly, Merrien and Anderson won the mixed pairs in 2022, when they were paired together as defending champions, while Cottrell is also a former victor – her success being in 2023 with Aron Sherriff.

The quarter-finals draw was then made – England will play Australia, Cyprus face Scotland, Scotland/Israel take on Guernsey and in a clash of the Celts Wales play Ireland. Those games will take place tomorrow following the conclusion of the singles play-offs which will be played at 8.30 am. Live streaming begins tomorrow at 8.30, led by Commonwealth Games gold medallist Darren Burnett.

Since Sunday, 64 bowlers have been competing in the World Bowls and International Indoor Bowls Council co-sanctioned event.

In addition to the world titles – men’s and women’s singles and mixed pairs – the championship is a platinum event on the World Bowls Series calendar with much sought-after ranking points up for grabs, plus the winners of the men’s and women’s singles will also receive an invitation to compete at the World Bowls Tour World Indoor Bowls Championships at Potters Resorts in January 2026.

World Bowls Indoor Championship results can be followed at the World Bowls match centre: Results portal

Live scoring can be found at: Live scoring

For full player list, roll of honour and more event information, see programme book:  Programme