Sunday, 12 February 2012 11:50

Greg Harlow Regains No1 Spot in the World Rankings Featured

Written by  Richard Maddieson

England's Greg Harlow has regained his place at the top of the World Bowls Tour ranking list. The reigning English indoor singles champion from the City of Ely club in Cambridgeshire was confirmed as the new number one following his runner-up spot at last week's Co-operative Funeralcare Welsh Grand Prix at Llanelli, the third and final WBT ranking event of the season.

 

He replaces Scotland's Paul Foster, who was beaten by Harlow at the semi-final stage in Wales, with the winner of that event, Scotland's David Gourlay, moving up from eighth to third at the expense of his fellow countryman Darren Burnett.

England's new world indoor singles champion Andy Thomson has jumped five places from tenth to fifth, with England's Robert Paxton, unseeded winner of the Co-operative Funeralcare Scottish International Open, is the one new face in the top 16 at tenth, with former world champion Billy Jackson, from England, making way for him.

After winning two matches in the three ranking tournaments this season, record five-time world champion Alex Marshall MBE (Scotland) now finds himself down at number 13 from seven, although with a 28 point cushion between England's Nicky Brett in 16th place and Jackson at 17th, the immediate threat to his position in the top 16, and that of Welsh pair Jason Greenslade and Robert Weale in 14th and 15th, is not quite as acute as in recent years.

Outside the top 16, the biggest move has come from Scotland's Wayne Hogg, whose quarter-final places at the Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines World indoor singles and the Co-operative Funeralcare Welsh Grand Prix, has jettisoned him from 93rd to 20th, although still some 39 points away from the top 16.

The leading overseas player at 22nd is South Africa's Craig Rimmington, who upset the odds at the Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines World indoor singles with an opening round defeat of Alex Marshall.

 WORLD BOWLS TOUR OFFICIAL RANKING LIST

1 (2) Greg Harlow (England) 172 points; 2 (1) Paul Foster (Scotland) 151; 3 (8) David Gourlay (Scotland) 143; 4 (3) Darren Burnett (Scotland) 140; 5 (10) Andy Thomson (England) 123; 6 (5) Mervyn King (England) 117; 7 (4) Mark Royal (England) 102; 8 (6) Simon Skelton (England) 100; 9 (12) Stewart Anderson (Wales) 94; 10 (18) Robert Paxton (England) 90; 11 (9) Jonathan Ross (Scotland) 89; 12 (16) John Price (Wales) 88; 13 (7) Alex Marshall MBE (Scotland) 87; 14 (13) Jason Greenslade (Wales) 86; 15 (11) Robert Weale (Wales) 85; 16 (15) Nicky Brett (England) 79.

17 (14) Billy Jackson (England) 51; 18 (17) Ian Bond (England) 50; 19 (20) Tim Stone (England) 44; 20 (93) Wayne Hogg (Scotland) 40; 21 (14) Brett Arkley (England) 39; 22 (33) Craig Rimmington (South Africa) 21; =23 (21) Brett Wilkie (Australia) and (27) Neil Furman (USA) 20; 25 (19) Kelvin Kerkow (Australia) 19; 26 (28) Ben Twist (Australia) 17; 27 (26) Andrew Ware (England) 16; =28 (22) Steve Glasson (Australia), (93) Lee Schraner (Australia) and (93) Peter Wong (Canada) 15; 31 Les Gillett (England) 14.

(Figures in brackets indicates their position at the start of this season)

Last modified on Monday, 13 February 2012 08:03