Oxfordshire's Les Gillett, the world No 6, launches his bid to win the 64,000 BUPA International Open indoor tournament in Sheffield today.

The 29-year-old from Chipping Norton is well aware of the danger lurking in the shape of his first-round opponent, 1999 English Champion of Champions Mark Royal from Ipswich.

Royal has been steadily climbing the bowls ladder since he won the English and British Isles Under 25s titles in 1996.

His clash with Gillett will be his debut in a major televised event.

Royal battled his way through a record field of 186 players at Blackpool in September to earn his place.

He is following in the footsteps of Gillett, who took the same route in 1997, advancing from the Blackpool play-offs into the BUPA Open at Preston, where he took the scalps of four world champions to seize the coveted crown.

"No-one knows better than me that Mark is a dangerous player. He has got here the hard way and arrives at this tournament with the confidence of those Blackpool wins behind him," said Gillett.

"I have the experience of playing in major tournaments as a plus-mark, but then lack of experience did not stop me three years ago so it might not stop Mark," he added.