Victory over multiple world champs Paul Foster and Alex Marshall sets Moray bowler Michael Stepney up for chance to reach World Pairs final
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Moray bowler Michael Stepney will be in action in the @Imagine Cruising World Indoor Bowls Championships pairs semi-finals.
Stepney has teamed up with Welshman Jason Greenslade at this year's competition and has already battled through two rounds, including one very notable success.
The pair began their challenge on Saturday, defeating Canadian duo Dylan Jacobs and Kody Olthof in a closely-fought first round clash.
The Canadians were on course for a shock win when they won the opening set 7-5.
Stepney responded by reverting to lead after the first set, with Guernsey-based Greenslade taking over as skip. The tactic seemed to work as they comfortably won the second set 11-4 and kept the momentum going into the tiebreak, which they won 2-0.
That victory earned Stepney and Greenslade a quarter-final against legendary pair Paul Foster and Alex Marshall, who have won the world pairs on several occasions as well as numerous global honours in the sport.
In a top quality match, Stepney found form and led 6-1 after four ends on the way to an 8-3 opening set success with Greenslade.
They trailed 5-1 in the second before storming back to 6-6 and a last leg decider, which Foster and Marshall edged to take the game into another tiebreak.
The first two ends of the tiebreak were shared and this time Stepney and Greenslade claimed victory after Marshall's final bowl failed to disturb their opponent's holding shot.
Stepney and Greenslade next face English pair Perry Martin and Jamie Walker this afternoon for a place in the final.
Stepney also begins his challenge in the world singles tomorrow when he takes on England's Sam Tolchard.
