WORLD number four Mark Royal heads the high class field assembled for the second Dexion Westlecot Open this weekend.

Stowmarket-based Royal, 37, was a beaten semi-finalist in the 2011 world singles championships, and again lost in the semi-finals with Andy Thomson in the 2012 world pairs at Potters recently.

He has won two Welsh Grand Prix events in the last four years and last month stormed to the English Indoor Bowling Association Champion of Champions title in Hayling Island with a 21-6 victory over Moonfleet’s Dave Smith.

The sponsorship again by Dexion, a local firm based in Dorcan, has helped to boost the prize fund to £2,000 with a handsome top prize of £1,000 going to the player who emerges victorious from the 64 strong field on Sunday evening. .

Royal will be a strong favourite to win the top prize but tournament organiser Neil Smith, with his vast contacts on the indoor scene, has managed to attract a very high class field who are all capable of lifting the grand top prize.

The field of 64 this year, besides Royal, includes the likes of England international Stuart Airey - silver medallist Commonwealth Games Delhi and fellow bronze medallist Graham Shadwell.

This year there are three ladies are competing including England’s Debbie Stavrou, who is the reigning World Mixed Pairs Champion and former Ladies World Matchplay champion.

Back to defend his title is former England international Danny Denison (Torquay United) while a strong Welsh representation are led by Ross Owen.

The first round draw has thrown up some intriguing ties for two of Wiltshire men’s top indoor bowlers, Andy Moore (Christie Miller, Melksham) and Wayne Snook (North Wilts, Chippenham).

Moore, who just missed out on winning the £1,000 top prize last season when beaten in the final by Danny Denison, has been paired against Royal, while Snook will face reigning champion Denison.

Play will be continuous on Saturday and Sunday from 8.30am with all matches played over two sets of seven ends with a three end tie-breaker if needed.

There will be plenty of seating available for spectators Admission to the event is free while programmes cost 50p with food and the bar available on both days.

  • WESTLECOT will be aiming to win the Top Club Championship and claim only the club’s second national indoor team title in Torquay this weekend.

Their only other team success since the indoor section opened 29 years ago was in the 2002/03 season when the ladies were victorious in the Mason Trophy - Over 60s Double Rinks - when easily defeating Cheshunt in the final.

In fact the Westlecot Indoor Club have only notched one other national success which came in 2004/05 when Jean Bird, Joyce Laming and Wendy Anderson beat a trio from Colchester in the Over 50s Two Wood Triples Championship final.

Despite the lack of titles the club has seen representatives miss out in no fewer than four other national finals.

This weekend Westlecot are hoping to double the club’s lone team success in Torquay and scoop the Top Club trophy.

Westlecot play Norfolk in the quater-finals,which begin on Friday, and will be hoping to make the final which will be played on Sunday.

This season has seen a complete change in fortunes in the Top Club competition for them as in the first two years of the new event they crashed out in the opening round.

But this season they have beaten Oxford City and County 12-4, Oxford and District 10-6, Foxhill 14-2 and then clinched their place in the last eight at Torquay this weekend with a tight fourth round victory over Moonfleet (Weymouth) on shots difference.

Kevin Embling and Wendy Anderson both performed superbly as they recorded big wins in their two wood singles to gain two points each.

But both the mixed pairs and mixed triples teams lost on the last end, enabling Moonfleet bagged four points each time.

However, Westlecot’s victory was secured easily as their mixed fours team registered a big 26-7 success to pick-up four points and tie the match eight points all. But with a vastly superior overall shots aggregate score of 98-61 Westlecot progressed to the quarter-finals.

Westlecot make one change for the visit to Torquay, Kevin Embling dropping out from the side which beat Moonfleet because he is unavailable due to work commitments.

Squad member Denis Holborow comes in to replace him.

RESULTS v MOONFLEET Two Wood Singles - Men: Kevin Embling beat Keith Wyman 20-8. Ladies: Wendy Anderson beat Linda Bryson 19-8.

Mixed Pairs: Ellen Bolland & Ian Jefferies lost to Kath Desmond & Martin Puckett 19-21.

Mixed Triples: Rosemary Nichols, Chris Cheesley and Tom Walkley lost to Margaret Hooper, Chris Cox and Warren Smith 14-17.

Mixed Fours: Maureen Rogers, Josie Lloyd, Rod Holborow and John Thomas beat Irene Martindill, Sheila Baker, Pete Read and Mike Gale 26-7.

Score: Westlecot drew 8-8 but won on shots.

TOP CLUB QUARTER-FINAL DRAW March 23-24 at Torquay Leisure Hotels Ipswich v Torquay United; Norfolk (Norwich) v Westlecot; Swale (Sittingbourne, Kent) v Lincoln; Bournemouth v Barwell (Leics).

The final will be played on Sunday, March 25 at 2pm.