Czech Republic - Scotland, men. Important match for the next World Championship.
Midway through the first end, in which we are without an advantage, we are slightly better than our opponent. Two of ours in the ring, playable by the opponent, but not exactly easy. Mark is very accurate so far and young Muirhead freezes our stone, which is just over the tee line and we go for it. I guess we're no better and Smith sends a second better stone into the rings - as far as I can see. it's on the other side and even the binoculars don't help. Luke tries a double, but the one better stays there and the Scots make up an easy double. 0 : 2. 2nd end: Our corner guard goes sideways a lot, so dealing with two Scottish ones isn't easy. After our attempted roll, one Scot ends up teeing off four feet in the bottom left quadrant. The Scots add a second on the tee line to the other side and we have to worry a little bit. After our good roll, the Scot misses, but we barely make the circles. The next development gives us a chance for a deuce, but it requires precision work. Now, for example, a perfect hit and roll in front of the second scotch stone. At the very end we have a double for two, but it's not easy. Well played. We're two up. 2-2. The Italian is up 1-0 on the ace, but the Swede will try a stone on three. And he's succeeding. 3. end: The Scot has a good freeze on the center line. We're clearing the corner guard, but we're just switching. After a good comeback by scott, we play clear again. This time, it's fine. Waddell is long with his draw and we're going to get rid of the scotch stone. Mark succeeds, even with the small bonus of untapping the aforementioned freeze. Muirhead doesn't play it well and Mark easily kicks out and stays. We have two and the Scots play a double. And they hit it well. Luke plays a hit and rolls to the edge. We don't know if he's there or not. Smith wants to freeze, but it doesn't quite work. We play stay and Smith plays clearing to zero. 2-2. 4th end. One corner guard and they'll play behind him. They're in and we play a clear corner guard, although it almost looks like a double attempt. the yellow stone in the circle remains and the corner guard in red is added in exchange. Scot plays a come around out turn, and successfully so. (Update: the Italian gets a 4 and loses 1 : 7 - good news for us - sorry). A good double attempt by Czech ends with a yellow stone moving across the circles. One Scot is in the open space and the other is just coming in behind the corner guard. Lukas is picking and choosing what play to make. Good hit, but roll out. scotch again plays behind the corner, though now he doesn't have to, giving us a chance. Not a good idea. We live at least for a big complication for Smith. we play soft peel. The desired roll hasn't come, it's a stay and we're hoping to roll Scott out of the circles. It's a stay and we're down 2 : 4. 5th end: The corner guard fails to roll completely and Drummond tries a roll too, but it's just a stay. Now we do. It's better, but not perfect yet. We're chasing each other around the circles a bit, but it's not unplayable for anyone yet. It's open behind the guards and we're playing come around. Nice one, Mark. The Scot didn't fit and we can play two in the circle. We're really in for two. The Scot is playing stay when he wanted to roll. We can try to roll behind the other corner guard for a chance at three. It's a roll the other way and we're gonna get Smith a double. You don't turn down an offer like that. We play clear and it's really for zero.rn
Just an update: Italy are down 3 to 11. 6th end: The Scot is off the tee. We have a nice corner guard. After the stones of the ones, there are three guards one stone in four feet - Scottish. One of the guards is gone and we try a double. it's just a stone in front of the circles and now we have two red guards and the Scot plays his guard to them. Honza (Jenda) plays a great run back and there are three rocks in front of the circles in such a bunch. The scot has got a perfect shot behind them. Mark's freeze is wonderful and Muirhead is on the nine with his draw. Mark plays a run back and narrowly misses. Update: The Italian has folded. We have both teams at the next WCJ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Actually, I don't know if it was clear that two teams are dropping in the men's event because the Russians will be at the next WCJ. That's why we needed the Italians to lose to the Swedes for sure. Meanwhile we didn't fit in the gap between the guards to knock out Scotland's best stone. The Scotsman had to choose which side to guard. We are playing run back and excellently!! It's our two and it looked very nice too. The score is 4 : 4. 7th end. But now Muirhead comes back with a roll out. We're scrambling for one stone on the side in the circles. There are only skip stones left. Luke will play his second stay and Smith will want a blank. And he's got it. Still 4 to 4. 8th end: We've got a pair of guards and behind them is a Scots stone on the 4ft edge. Similar to the Scot's stone to the front circles comes our very nice come around to the tee. The Scots get ours out nicely though and now have three in the circles. We play stay the only one that is visible and unless Waddell plays a roll, we may have him there already. Mark rolls out and Muirhead plays a draw to the side. The way he planned it would help, but it's longer, and that's not helping. We're taking a time out. See photo - the situation before our time out. Even Scot takes a time out after we play something different than what the coach came up with. We tried to drive, but we moved the guards to different angles, and not all bad angles. But we miss the angle raise attempt completely. Smith plays another into the circle and we're looking at five or six. We're playing draw for everything. We're behind and the Scot now has one. A beautiful double means five and the Scots win 9-4.