Freak golfing injury has stopped Yaxley man defending his World Indoor Bowls titles

Brett is a fixture at the Potters Resort (Hopton-on-Sea) event and in the 2020 championships lifted the mixed pairs crown alongside Marion Purcell and the men’s doubles event alongside his big mate Greg Harlow.

Brett just missed out on a unique treble when losing in the singles final to Robert Paxton

Pickings could have been rich for Brett again in 2021 as no overseas players have been able to travel over for a competition that starts today (January 11), but a golfing accident last month knocked him out of action.

Brett slipped during a round at Ramsey Golf Club and his right hand took the brunt of it, and this after he had shot four straight pars and was on track to go under 40 for the back nine. He will be in his cast for at least three more weeks.

“First bone I’ve ever broken,” Brett, 46, told the Times newspaper. “A nice big crack right across the top of my wrist.

“This was our only chance of competing in the last 10 months and after doing OK last year, it’s a double blow really. I’m trying to be glass half-full. There’s a lot of people worse off than I am. But I’m bitterly disappointed not to be playing and defending titles.

“No one’s really played. Some have been practising because they’ve got an elite pass, which lets them into clubs.

“But there’ll be some shocks from unseeded players. There are a few different pairs due to injuries. It’s not just me that’s missing.”

Brett will be commentating on the event for the World Bowls YouTUbe channel.

He was set to compete in his first World Outdoor Championship in Australia last year, but that has been delayed until September.

But Brett added: “I’ve got a feeling that is still too early for the event to go ahead.

“There are 16 of us in an elite squad, eight men and eight women, already building up for the Commonwealth Games in 2022, so that’s the next key focus depending on whether or not Australia goes ahead.

“I need to get the wrist back and healed. It’s going to be a longer healing process than I first thought.”

The World Indoor Bowls Championships run until January 24. BBC Coverage starts on January 18.