WBT Ranked number 2 Les Gillett powered his way into Round 2 of the Imagine Cruising World Indoor Bowls Singles Championship, producing a procession of precision bowls to hold off Hartlepool qualifier David Bolt 10-5, 7-6.
53 year old Gillett from the Melton & District club stood all square with Bolt at 3-3 after four ends of the opening set, but back to back trebles saw him take a 9-3 advantage and he went on to take the set two ends later with a single that put the result beyond doubt.
Gillett - who won the World Singles title in a memorable final - drawing shot with the very last bowl against Paul Foster MBE in 2022, continued to deny Bolt in the second set, and despite a good fightback by the South Shields Viper bowler, he narrowly missed out with Gillett signing off as the winner 7-6.
Bolt later conceded "I never really put Les under any pressure and I never capitalised when any opportunity arose, so in that respect I'm disappointed".
Gillett waits for the winner of the current match between Canadian qualifier Dylan Jacobs or 2006 champion Mervyn King - with their 2nd Round game taking place at 10am on Wednesday 17th January.
Prior to that however, Gillett will line up in the Mixed Pairs tomorrow afternoon (12th January) at 3-45pm alongside Katherine Rednall against Wayne Willgress and Nicole Rogers.
RESULTS
DAY 7 / Match 1
Les Gillett (Eng/2) bt David Bolt (Eng/Q) 10-5, 7-6;
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