Merrien straight into her stride

GUERNSEY bowlers won four out of six group matches on day one of the inaugural Heritage International Classic in the Republic of Ireland. Eight local qualifiers are pitting their skills against four players each from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Guernsey and Jersey, and a strong field is challenging for both men's and women's titles.

Alison Merrien was again outstanding, winning both her matches against top performers Linda Evans, from Wales, and Ireland's Phillis Nolan, dropping only one set along the way.

'I started out slowly against Linda, but found my touch in the second set, though it's always tense to have to contest a tie-break,' said Merrien.

'The whole place here is very impressive, though the green itself is a bit slower than ours at home and the lighting is not very bright,' she added.

After beating Evans, who won medals for Wales in the women's world championships in Leamington last month, 3-5, 9-2, 2-1, Merrien allowed Nolan, twice a winner of the British Isles singles title, only five shots, as she careered to a 13-2, 9-3 victory.

Neal Mollet had a comfortable 11-3, 8-2 win over another local hope, Frank McCartney, while Nicky Donaldson defeated Noel O'Connor, 4-8, 8-4, 2-0.

Donaldson, though, lost to John Roberts of Wales and England's Jo Morris beat Carol Ingrouille, 10-6, 15-1.