Ilminster's Angela Watkins and Mike Davies from Rooksbridge set off on another assignment on Saturday, when they officiate at another televised bowls event – the WBT Welsh International Open in Swansea.

All eyes will be on Cotswold star Neil Chandler, who qualified from the PBA play-offs in Bristol in September, and has the task of taking on world runner-up Robert Weale, from Wales, who is guaranteed to have the home crowd behind him.

Chandler, a 36-year-old bank manager from Stroud, hopes to follow in the footsteps of his clubmate Steve Knight, who defeated Weale on his way to the quarter-finals of the world indoor singles championship at Potters last winter.

Billy Jackson, the new world champion, from Lincoln, who is curiously still only No 10 in the provisional WBT list, launches his bid for the Welsh Open title this morning, when he takes on Phil Skoglund, a police officer from New Zealand.

Gloucestershire, who face Berkshire in the quarter-finals of the women's inter-county championship at the Cotswold club in Stroud on the same day, could benefit from a scheduling blunder on the part of their opponents.

Berkshire agreed to play when one of their leading clubs are engaged in the semi-finals of the national mixed inter-club championship.

Seven or eight players, including at least four international stars, have chosen to play for their club, so Berkshire will be fielding a weakened side.

Gravell's WBT Welsh International Open, Swansea – First round draw (seeded positions in brackets): Mark Royal (1) (England) v Herbert Kwok (Hong Kong); Ian Bond (9) (England) v Hirendra Bhartu (Canada); Simon Skelton (15) (England) v Paul Taylor (Wales); Jason Greenslade (5) (Wales) v Aron Sherriff (Australia); Andy Thomson (8) (England) v Andrew Kelly (NZ); Kelvin Kerkow (11) (Australia) v Moshe Ayoun (Israel); Billy Jackson (12) (England) v Philip Skoglund (NZ); David Gourlay (4) (Australia) v Barry Pickup (USA); Greg Harlow (3) (England) v Steve Glasson (Australia); Les Gillett (13) (England) v Rob Chisholm (England); Jonathan Ross (14) (Ireland) v Lewis Moore (England); Mervyn King (7) (England) v Stuart Milligan (South Africa); Paul Foster (6) (Scotland) v Ashley Clipston (England); Robert Weale (10) (Wales) v Neil Chandler (England); John Price (16) (Wales) v Mark Dawes (England) or ANO; Alex Marshall (2) (Scotland) v John Candlish (Scotland).