Leslie Ingram-Brown reports from Regina:"It came down to an extra end against Norway, but it will be Tom Brewster and his team who will take on Canada's Jeff Stroughton for the world title.
In the semifinal game at the Ford World Men's Curling Championship in Regina, Tom Brewster, Greg Drummond, Scott Andrews and Michael Goodfellow faced Thomas Ulsrud's Norwegians who had beaten Sweden in the Page 3-4.
Brewster with the hammer had a controlled tap back for his two at the first. In the second Brewster hit and ran with his second and it was the turn of Ulsrud to find the tee for two.
In the third end a mistake by Ulsrud left the house open for Brewster to draw for two shots but on outside ice he was heavy and counted only one. In the fourth end Ulsrud attempted a split for two on a stone just biting the front twelve foot and on a measure counted only one shot.
Scotland lay three in the fifth. Torger Nergaard drew to first shot but Brewster used a Norwegian stone to come across the four foot and push Norway's shot to the side to lie four. Ulsrud played a draw at back four weight and rolled round the Scottish counters to lie. Brewster drew but caught the only Scottish stone in the four foot in front of tee. Ulsrud put on a long guard. Brewster tried a long raise tap back, got the wrong angle, raised into the jungle around the tee and counted shot to make the score 4-3 at the break.
In the sixth, Norway lay two as Brewster attempted the double but jammed the back stone, rolling out, leaving Ulsrud to draw for two. The seventh and eighth were blanked.
Scotland was lying shot in the ninth. Norway ignored the open takeout and Ulsrud went for the draw behind the guard and was long, leaving Brewster to draw for two shots and a 6-5 lead into the tenth end with Norway holding the hammer.
It came down to skips' stones in the tenth. Scotland lay first, Norway second. Brewster played a raise on his own stone to remove the Norwegian counter to lie two. Ulsrud drew round the guard to lie shot on the tee but left about sixty percent in the open. Brewster played an attempted freeze but stayed just wide and sat open in front of his own stone at the back of the four foot. Ulsrud has to hit on the nose for two shots and the game. He hit as perfectly as possible but on a measure it was into an extra end.
In the eleventh Andrews flashed his guard takeoff with his second stone. Nergaard drew round the guard. Drummond raised double on the Norwegian guard and shot, and lay behind his own shooter. Nergaard drew the four foot but still lay mostly open. Drummond hit and rolled to the open side of the house. Ulsrud tapped back the first Scottish stone on to the second and lay directly in front of the Scottish stone. Brewster hit and went but Scotland is still shot at the back of the four foot.
With his last stone Ulsrud went for the draw round the guard and was six inches heavy. Scotland did not need to throw their last stone and were in the final! Tom, Greg, Scott and Michael will play Canada in the final at 17:00 local time tonight. Norway will play Sweden in the Bronze Medal game."
The event website is here. Mike Haggerty's reports are here.
LINESCORE
SCO: * 20101 00020 1 = 7
NOR: 02010 20001 0 = 6
The photo is courtesy of Leslie Ingram-Brown
