MARK ROYAL: From lead to skip, make the most of your position

Post date: Jan 13, 2021 1:41:25 PM

He has also been going well in the current Covid-secure 2021 World Indoor Championships, currently being shown live from Potters on the free You Tube Channel and which will be shown on BBC from next week.

The event is proving a real fillip to bowlers unable to play their favourite sport - both socially and competitively - because of government restrictions for indoor bowls clubs. It is hoped club will be able to re-open when restrictions are eased in the Spring.

Mark is a regular visitor to Stamford IBC with his Potters Resort mobile shop and in the third of our occasional series, Press officer Bob Warters asked for his advice on different playing positions in a rink.

You are an experience bowler both outdoors and indoors and world ranked as an indoor singles player, competing in many tournaments. What advice can you give to new bowlers about securing the best position in a rink? Let's start with lead:

Everyone taking up the game should learn to play at lead - and stick with it for at least two years. It's a position that teaches you how to deliver the jack to a spot most advantageous to you and your rink and to draw to the jack consistently.

Good leads can win matches and tend to make good singles players, too. It's a very specialist position and at first, new players don't like it when their bowls get knocked out of a 'head' of bowls. But first to the jack - ideally just in front and/or just behind - will add so much confidence to a rink and set up a 'head' in your favour.

The position of No.2 in a rink of four players is much maligned as it is usually perceived as where the least experienced bowler in the rink tends to be placed. But that shouldn't be the case surely?

Personally I have never liked playing No.2; I much prefer to play lead and try to put my bowls on or very close to the jack. No.2 seems to me to be purely getting the lead out of trouble and keeping the scorecard up to date. But it can play a key tactical role, positioning woods to second guess the opposition skip and anticipating how the end will unfold.

The position of No.2 in a triple, however, is completely different. It serves as a deputy skip and must have all the skills, drawing, running bowls, killing heads that are building up against you as well as directing the head when the skip is bowling.

How is it best to develop as a No.3 in a rink?

It's a position for a dynamic player with designs on becoming a skip or for an experienced player helping to develop a young player with skip potential.

It ideally needs an assertive player with character who is demonstrative and can encourage and galvanise a rink. The No.3 will possess all the shots - draw to the jack, play positional back bowls to cover a dangerous situation but also be able to break up heads that are building against you. The No.3 traditionally does all the measuring so will need a cool head and a steady hand.

It's a well known saying that leads win games, but skips can save them. What is your view of the position of skip?

The best skip I played with for England was Noel Burrows, who also made a big name for himself in crown green bowls. Noel is now in his 80s incredibly and was last seen playing short mat bowls!

He was so good under pressure and, like Gary R Smith, was a great drawing skip.

A good skip will be good at reading the 'heads' as they build up, try to anticipate the opponent's next move and call the shots accordingly.

He or she will also make those around them feel good, encourage them and be cool under pressure. Skips might take the glory for a win but the good ones won't blame others, will be thick skinned and accept responsibility - and inevitably criticism - when they lose.

Finally what is your best advice as a practice routine?

Like most players at the top level I am not a great one for practice on my own. I prefer to play any competition even in domestic club leagues rather than solitary practice. However, if no alternative, I will play one set of bowls against my identical model in a different colour bowls ( I have both red and green) alternately and to a sets format (best of seven or nine ends).

I will challenge myself to different lengths of jack but if I lose concentration and my form starts dipping I will stop. If you are playing in your own, always practise with a purpose and always try to finish with a good end or at least a good bowl.

B.W.