Just four days after his 40th birthday, Englishman Greg Harlow will step back onto his favourite bowls rink in the world when he begins the defence of his title in the Co-operative Funeralcare World Matchplay Championship.
The World Bowls Tour event - featuring the top eight players in the WBT World Rankings - will take place at the Ponds Forge International Arena in Sheffield, for the second year, from 10-11 July.
Greg Harlow has enjoyed significant success on the WBT's unique portable rink in Sheffield. The world No2 from Ely in Cambridgeshire arrived at last year's inaugural event following three successive victories in the WBT International Open at Ponds Forge.
In the 2007 Co-operative Funeralcare final, he beat the then world champion Mervyn King 10-8, 4-10, 2-0 in a dramatic climax to extend his unbeaten run in the Yorkshire city.
Harlow, one of few WBT players who only competes indoors, reached the semi-finals of last week's PartyCasino.com Premier League Bowls at Potters Leisure Resort in Norfolk.
In a repeat of their first round clash twelve months ago, top seed Harlow will face experienced England captain Andy Thomson in the opening round.
His predicted semi-final opponent is Welshman Jason Greenslade, the world No4. But the fourth seed will first have to overcome Paul Foster, the in-form Scot who became the first Premier League champion last week.
Favourite Harlow is expected to meet Scotland's record five-time world champion Alex Marshall, the No2 seed, in the final.
Englishman Mark Royal is the only player making his World Matchplay debut in Sheffield next month. The 33-year-old from Stowmarket in Suffolk - the youngest player in the field - enjoyed a sensational 2007/08 WBT season.
Ranked 13 in the world a year ago, left-hander Royal reached the final of the Scottish International Open in December, then claimed his maiden WBT title at the Welsh International Open in Llanelli in February to record a massive jump to No6 in the world list.
Action from the event will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, followed by recorded highlights.
1st round draw:
[1] Greg Harlow (ENG) v [8] Andy Thomson (ENG)
[4] Jason Greenslade (WAL) v [5] Paul Foster (SCO)
[3] David Gourlay (AUS) v [6] Mark Royal (ENG)
[2] Alex Marshall (SCO) v [7] Mervyn King (ENG)
Play gets underway at
Official website: www.worldbowlstour.com Watch all of the action live - and re-live the excitement of all matches as replays, downloads and on DVD - on www.247.tv
Thanks to Howard Harding