Home   Sport   Article

Garioch's Carla Banks shows her form at the World Indoor Bowls Championship


By Contributor

Easier access to your trusted, local news. Subscribe to a digital package and support local news publishing.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!

The Garioch's Carla Banks, in the World Ladies Single Championship semi-final, must be reliving the eighth and ninth end in the second set, having won the first against Alison Merrion of Guernsey 9-4.

Correspondent Mike Barron takes up the match: "Being 6-5 up, with two ends to play, Carla lost two shots in end eight, and tragically, in the final end lost a further four to lose 6-11.

"The fear was that in the sudden death i.e win two of three ends, she would be upset by this “disaster”.

"But no, she won the first end, lost the second, and in final end was lying match shot, when Merrien, with a running bowl, took Carla out of the head, and won with her last bowl."

Merrien, in the final, was “smashed” by Katherine Rednall of England, who won 13-2 and 14-4.

Her running bowls in this match missed the head so often, while against Carla, her final bowl did the trick too often.

Merrien had beaten Carla in the one other time they have met previously but so nearly lost this time.

As Mike explained: "Set one in the semi showed Carla’s drawing ability.

"At end five the score was 4-4 and then some outstanding play from Carla, resulted in her scoring 1,3,1 shots to see the set finished at eight end.

"The second set started badly, but Carla only lost by a single shot.

"End three she scored three shots followed by 1,1,1 to be 6-2 up but then came the fight back from Merrien and Carla lost by a single shot at end seven to be 6-3.

"Now came the eigth where she was a distance from the jack to score 6-5.

"The last end finished tragically with Carla losing four shots after a strike from Merrien and Set 2 finished 6-9.

"Now for the third end “sudden death”.

"End 1 Carla drew to Jack but still lost, she drew to the jack again and Merrien failed - Score 1 end each.

"The final end Carla was a yard past the jack, then one foot short, her third was on the jack as was her next.

"Lying match down Merrien fired and took jack to one of her own bowls.

"Lucky? - That’s bowls!."

In the Quarter-final, Carla got off to a flying start, against Kerry Packwood of Wales, taking 2,1,3,1 to be 7-0 up before losing a shot at the fifth .

"She was drawing so well and lost only two ends of eight, finishing 10-3," he continued.

"The first three ends of Set 2 were close but then she lost shots.

"From ends three to seven she lost 1,1,2,3 shots.

"Packwood was drawing better at this stage and finished with a further three shots.

"There was no need for the last end.

"Now for the three end shoot out and Carla immediately found her form again, drawing to the jack with two of her four bowls in end 1.

"Score 2-0.

"The second end saw Carla reach the jack and Packwood, with her final running bowl missed, and Carla was through to the semi-final."

Carla, in her second tournament (who was runner up in the mixed pairs, with Robert Paxton, current World Singles Championship in 2021), was beaten by Scottish National coach, David Gourlay who had Katherine Rednall of England as his partner.

The quarter final match was close with the final end of first set going to the final end, when Gourlay took two shots for a First set score 6-8.

The start of the second set was a disaster with narla and partner losing four shots and they never recovered.

The match was lost going down 9-3 at th seventh when a miracle was required.

Sadly while getting one shot to make it 9-4 the match was lost.

At 22 years of age, Carla can be pleased with her performances, and no doubt, while disappointed, said afterwards: “ I am happy to be here, at Potters, and getting as far as I did I will learn from the experience”.

Derek MacKay, President of Garioch Indoor Bowling Club, commented: “Being on TV, Carla’s quality and sportsmanship was there for all to see.

"We are proud of her performances.

"Congratulations!”.


Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More