Merrien's domination all in vain

ALISON MERRIEN deserved to win the Taylor Bowls World Champion of Champions title, but she won't be bringing home the trophy from Moama in New South Wales. The Guernsey number one was agonisingly edged out in the final by Swaziland's Liz James who was a touch embarrassed to lift the title.

'Alison bowled better than I did over the whole match and deserved to win, but I'm over the moon,' said James, who made her debut at world level in 1981.

Merrien went so close.

'I'm obviously very disappointed because I should have won it in the second set, but I'm pleased with the way I played and delighted to have reached the final,' said Merrien last night.

She added: 'This event is marvellous, because it's for national champions, people who have played their way through and therefore it is open to everyone. I'm thrilled that I've already qualified for next year's championships.'

The day began with real hope that Guernsey might achieve a world-class double, with Gary Pitschou still going strong in the men's singles.

But those hopes were dashed by two African countries, who did the double.

While James beat Merrien 4-9, 7-5, 2-1 in the women's final, Douw Calitz from Namibia got the better of Scotland's Darren Burnett 5-10, 9-3, 2-1 in the men's showpiece.

Earlier in the tournament, Pitschou had beaten Burnett.

The 29-year-old Guernsey woman opened brilliantly against James, who admits to being 30 years Merrien's senior, scoring a three and a two and winning the first set at a canter

Her experienced opponent hit back to lead 5-1 in the second set, but the Guernsey champion stayed in touch with some deft play and seemed to be heading for the tie she needed for victory, when she closed to 6-5 after eight ends.

Indeed, her first bowl on the ninth end (the last end of the set) finished only inches from the jack, and set her up nicely for a 6-6 tie.

But the Swazilander chopped one of her own bowls into the head, dislodging the jack and taking the shot to save game and take the set.

Matches that finish at one-set-apiece are settled by best-of-three-ends tie-breaks, which might be exciting for spectators and television, but are nerve-wracking for the players.

Again, Merrien made a bold bid for glory, winning the first end quite easily.

She built up a good position on the next end, before promoting her opponent's bowl towards the jack with her third delivery.

James took advantage by drawing another shot and Merrien's last bowl - a despairing drive - was deflected harmlessly off her own short bowl, leaving James holding the shot.

On the sudden-death decider, Guernsey's champion was holding shot when James stepped on the mat to deliver her last bowl.

The Swazilander got a good contact with bowls in the head and stayed in the vicinity to set up a match lie.

After careful consideration, Merrien decided to put her faith in firepower and drove hard at the shot bowl, missing the target by a fraction of an inch.

As for Pitschou the Guernseyman found himself 1-5 adrift after three ends and was never really in it in that first set, but matched his Namibian opponent all the way in the second and seemed to have drawn the winner on the ninth end.

Trailing 4-6, he had already drawn two shots and his last bowl came to rest leaning at an angle, seemingly ready to fall in towards the jack.

After the prescribed 30 seconds following the last bowl coming to rest, the marker propped the bowl and a measure revealed that he had not quite made it.

But, if the bowl had fallen in, he would have taken Calitz into a tie-break.