NEXT week’s Dubbo Masters Pairs tournament at the Sporties Club won’t be lacking for star power with Alex Marshall, the man described as the ‘Roger Federer of lawn bowls’, hitting town for the event.
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Scotsman Marshall is the biggest name in the sport, having won a record six indoor world titles, multiple outdoor world titles and several Commonwealth Games gold medals as well.
He was also awarded Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2007 for his services to the sport.
Marshall headlines a field that is arguably the best ever assembled for a tournament in Dubbo, with Australian star Aron Sherriff and Northern Irishman Jeremy Henry also taking part in the event, which will have $26,000 worth of prize money up for grabs.
“It’s a massive thing for us to have this calibre of player taking part in the event and we’re really looking forward to it,” Sporties bowls co-ordinator Mathew McIntyre said.
“Alex Marshall is the biggest drawcard in lawn bowls anywhere in the world. If you had to compare him to anyone it would be like saying Roger Federer is coming here to play tennis.
“He won gold in the pairs and fours at the Commonwealth Games last year, and Aron Sherriff won bronze for Australia in the singles.
“Jeremy Henry won three World Cup singles events in a row as well, until he lost his title recently, so we can say we have some of the world’s best players at our club next week.
“I think there’s something like five or six current or former world champions playing in the tournament.”
Henry lives in Australia now is based at the Warilla club, while Marshall is playing out of the same club during his four-month Australian stint.
But the pair will be rivals next week as Marshall will line up with Dubbo’s own bowling wunderkind Jono Davis.
“It’s a massive thing for Jono to get the chance to play with a guy like Alex. It’s going to be great for his game,” McIntyre said.
“Aero Bowls sponsor Alex and myself, and they called to say he was out here and available to play but he didn’t have a partner for the event.
“We thought it would be terrific to give Jono the chance and it will be awesome to see what Alex can bring out of Jono on the greens.”
Despite the recent inclement weather, McIntyre said the facilities at Sporties were looking and playing great.
“It had been pretty dry up until that couple of days of rain we got last week but Paul McKenzie has done a great job with the greens,” he said.
“I think we will put up conditions that will give the bowlers an opportunity to play some good bowls, and with the calibre of guys we have playing it will make for some good entertainment for any spectators that want to come by and have a look.”
The Masters Pairs will be played over five days from May 4-8.
