Elgin bowler Mike Stepney put up a brave fight as he bowed out in round two of the Imagine Cruising Indoor World Bowls Championship.
He was beaten 2-0 in the second round of the singles at Potters Resorts, Hopton-on-Sea in Norfolk by Lancashire hot-shot, and two-times singles winner, Mark Dawes.
In a tie shown live on BBC2, fans enjoyed a thrilling battle that some suggested would have been high enough quality to be a final as Dawes won it 6-5, 8-6, or 11 ends to seven overall.
The opening set was a close contest, which the Englishman edged 6-5.
It was nip and tuck in the second set and an outrageously inch-perfect shot from Dawes took the scoreline to 6-6 when it looked like the Scot was about to draw level and just that little bit of precision when it mattered most took Dawes over the line.
Moray bowler gave it all in tie
Stepney explained he gave it his best shot in a bid to cause an upset, but was outdone with some top-class winners from his opponent.
He said: “I threw everything at Mark. I was playing as good as I ever have done on the carpet, but Mark came out with the big bowls time after time and done what he had to do.”
Dawes, who now faces David Gourlay in the quarter-finals, was respectful of his friendly rival from Moray, praising his performance.
He said: “Mike probably played a little bit more consistent than me. I just managed to find two or three really big bowls. I got a couple of perfect results as well.
“We were both playing well, with Mike just edging it, but I just managed to find two or three big bowls, which is what you need fortunately.”
Stepney was a whisker away from being a pairs winner on Monday when he and Welshman Jason Greenslade lost 10-4, 9-5 in the final against England’s Nick Brett and Greg Harlow.
On Wednesday, Jason Banks from Inverurie will be in singles action at 1pm against defending champion Les Gillett.
Greenslade awaits the winner on Friday.
