Garioch Bowling Club's Jason Banks qualifies for World Indoor Bowls Championship
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Garioch Bowling Club's Jason Banks will feature at the World Indoor Bowls Championships in January, writes Mike Barron.
From January 6 to January 23, Jason will be at Potters Resort in Norfolk playing against the best from home and abroad.
In all £250,000 prize money will be played for in four different competitions, most of which will be televised.
Unfortunately, as only one of two ties, he came out in the draw in the preliminary round against fellow international Scot, Darren Weir, who at 22 was in the world singles in January.
Should Jason come out winner he has to face Englishman, Simon Skelton, a former World Mixed Pairs winner in 2011, and won the World Pairs title in 2015. At 39 he may not be winning championships, but he is still a very strong opponent.
Jason had tried to qualify at Stanley, Durham, but was knocked out early. Colin Banks just failed to qualify reaching the semi-final. He won at Nottingham last year, and because of a good run in competitions he has reached number 19 in the world.
Last week he was competing in Belfast on Thursday and Friday. With no flights on a Saturday to return to Aberdeen he had to fly to Edinburgh, where he was picked up by father Colin, and taken to Abbeyview Bowling Club in Dunfermline last Sunday.
There were 12 internationalists in a 48-player competition for a single place at the world championships in January. Both had a bye in the first round. Colin then met Gavin Smith and won 4-4 (half a point each) and 7-2 (one point).
Next came Stuart Thomson 7-6 7-3, which was an easy win. The draw they feared then came about – a match against Jason which he lost.
Jason in round two took on Dylan Robertson and was lucky not to have to play a tie as he won set one 8-3 but drew the second 8-8. He was down at the last end but drew well to tie the set.
Jason’s drawing in set one against world player Stuart Wyllie was outstanding and he won that 8-2 and 7-1.
Next came the match against his father Colin. Over the years they have had close scores outdoors and indoors at Garioch, but Jason upped his game to win 7-2 7-3.
Colin said he had played better in earlier rounds but praised Jason for his fine drawing. Jason said that neither had enjoyed the game.
There were two more rounds to qualify for Potters. The semi-final in Fife was against Colin Page (England) and Jason was in sparkling form winning set one 6-4, but this did not reflect the fact that Page was struggling in several ends.
He continued winning end after end. The expected challenge did not come from Page, who lost 9-3 in the second set.
Nerves may have affected his start in the final. He was up against Iain McLean, a fellow Scot, who has an outstanding outdoor and indoor international record.
He was the Scottish Singles and Triples representative in this year’s Commonwealth Games, won World Singles in Australia in 2015 and a bronze medal in World 4s championship in New Zealand in 2014.
Jason’s first set saw him lose easily 3-6. McLean was the better player drawing well from the start.
Jason is known for his determination and drawing ability. It was so different in the second, in that his backhand drawing was outstanding. The score did not reflect the set with Jason winning 5-4.
Next came the extra end. Jason’s drawing kept up and he won the end. He was through to the main draw for the World Indoor Bowls Championships.
