World Bowls Tour

WBT Finally Goes Wild

After resisting the move for many years, the World Bowls Tour will introduce wild cards for its ranking events next season.

The season’s opening event, the Scottish International Open, in Perth from 6-13 November, will feature the world’s top 16, together with qualifiers from around the world – plus two wild card players.

A pair of wild cards will also be available for the 2011 Potters Holidays World Indoor Championship in Norfolk, from 7-23 January, and the 2011 Welsh International Open in Swansea from 29 January to 4 February.

Bond Survives Dramatic Final To Win World Matchplay Crown

England's Ian Bond, the world No7 from Devon, tonight turned the seedings of The Co-operative Funeralcare World Matchplay Championship on their head by winning the prestigious World Bowls Tour title at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield in his maiden appearance in the event for the world's top eight players.

The 37-year-old from Crediton recovered from a dramatic fightback by Welsh wizard Jason Greenslade, the sixth seed from Pontypridd, to win 9-5, 5-6, 2-0.

Debutants Bond & Skelton Celebrate World Matchplay Success

Englishmen Ian Bond and Simon Skelton celebrated successful debut performances in The Co-operative Funeralcare World Matchplay Championship with surprise victories over top seed Mervyn King and third seed Greg Harlow, respectively, in today's opening round of the World Bowls Tour event at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield.

The World Matchplay Championship, in its fourth year at Ponds Forge and being covered live on Sky Sports, features the top eight players in the world.

King Set To Extend WBT World Matchplay Reign In Sheffield

England's Mervyn King heads to Sheffield today to defend his title in The Co-operative Funeralcare World Matchplay Bowls Championship at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre.

But the world No8 from Norfolk (pictured) hardly had the best preparation for success in the World Bowls Tour indoor event - which features the top eight players in the world - after losing to his son Sam, a 21-year-old junior, in the last 32 round of the (outdoor) national pairs championship this week.

Sheffield Family Learn From WBT Star Simon Skelton

Top class bowler Simon Skelton visited Sheffield this week to give two generations of a local bowling family a master class for the launch of this year’s Co-operative Funeralcare World Matchplay Bowls Championship at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre on 17-18 June.

World No5 Skelton, the 38-year-old from Nottingham who is making his debut in the World Bowls Tour event which features the top eight players in the world, was encouraging the Fowler family to pass on their skills to their children and the next generation.

Potters Holidays Extend World Championship Sponsorship Deal

Potters Holidays, in an agreement with the World Bowls Tour, have extended their sponsorship of the World Indoor Bowls Championships. The new two-year deal, with an option for a further three years, not only offers a record winner's prize but also a potential commitment of more than Ł1 million over the next five years.

The new deal continues the association between the two parties which was originally made 12 years ago, in 1998.

Top Bowlers Heading for Cyprus Sun

Matchroom Sport are delighted to announce that the 2010 Premier League Bowls will be heading to sunny Cyprus where it will take place over three days at the superb Athena Beach Hotel in Paphos. Running from Tuesday 21st to Thursday 23rd September, the Premier League will take place on an outdoor rink for the first time.

King Covets Second World Matchplay Crown In Sheffield

Norfolk's world No8 Mervyn King heads to Sheffield next month to defend his title in The Co-operative Funeralcare World Matchplay Championship at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre.

The World Bowls Tour event, in its fourth year at Ponds Forge, features the top eight players in the WBT world rankings, led by top-seeded Englishman King, a former world indoor champion, and Scotland's new world number one Paul Foster.