Once again, Catalonia's tournament wizardess Clara Roca waved her magic wand and hey presto! a full squad of 28 players took to the lanes. Just three German players booked on the squad were still somewhere in no man's land, probably stranded at some distant airport, so hopefully they can be accommodated tomorrow when four squads are scheduled to bowl.

We're also wondering if Osku Palermaa is going to make it in time, too. He's currently among the leaders of the Dubai tournament and that doesn't wind up until Friday night. Maybe he'll get here on Saturday morning if that darned French strike comes to an end.

With Luz Adriana Leal's 1366 currently atop the leader board the pressure is on to score high, but there are few signs of players reaching that pinnacle on this squad so far.

England's Dominic Barrett, fresh from his fine win in Poland last week, his second tournament title so far this year having clinched the Irish Open last month, looks to be in control. Also seemingly bowling well is Mads Sandbaekken, the talented Norwegian leftie.

There's an old saying in bowling about picking up every pin you can and not attempting almost impossible splits. That proved a point in the same pair of lanes tussle between Barrett and Denmark's Mik Stampe as it came down to just one pin difference between the two for the squad lead at the end of the six game stint, that single pin in favor of Barrett, 1307 - 1306.

To be fair, though, Stampe was on a perfect game in the sixth but was robbed with a stubborn 4-pin in the eleventh frame, that denied him a certain slot in Sunday's final rounds.
"It didn't feel as though I bowled that well today," remarked Barrett. "Getting off the plane, a day's tra velling, haven't bowled for a few days as my thumb is a bit sore. some days you just don't feel your best.

"i maqnaged to get the job done, so have to take that as a positive. I didn't read the lanes quite right at the beginning. I'm pleased I won the squad but there is definitely more to look forward to tomorrow.

"I've changed my game a little bit this year. I went to the States to bowl the High Roller and spent some time with the Storm guys. They gave me some advice and through the last few weeks I have been working on that. It's been paying off as I'm a lot better positioned, getting out of the ball a lot cleaner and I'm reading the lane a lot better. That's allowed to use more tools and become more versatile."

Also, two points back of Stampe was England's prolific 300-shooter John Wells. Had he started with a better game than 178 the riches of Sunday would have been his.

Action continues Friday with four squads to be staged each four hours from 09:00 local time. The same schedule will also run through Saturday with no desperado squad.

STANDINGS AFTER SQUAD 4: