Merrien rated one of the world's best

ALISON MERRIEN is up among the world's best. The experts are singing the Guernsey star's praises following her latest major title victory at the Heritage International Classic in the Republic of Ireland where she came out on top of a world-class field, leaving several big names trailing in her wake.

Renowned bowls journalist David Rhys-Jones has no doubts of her ability and status in the worldwide game.

'There is no official ranking list and there are an awful lot of very good bowlers around, but if she is at an event, she has got to be seriously considered as one of the top contenders. She has shown that she can beat anybody,' he said.

'The more I see of her, I think she is actually improving.

'The way she played when winning the World Pairs title last April with Neal Mollet when she skipped was phenomenal. She looked a complete player. She was playing against some of the best men in the world and was beating them.

'I wish she had been available to play in the World Outdoor Championships in August at Leamington - she would have certainly been as good as anyone there.'

Rhys-Jones believes much of Merrien's success comes from her aggressive approach, which differs from many other women bowlers who tend to be conservative players.

'Her drawing to the jack is so precise that she can put three or four bowls an end within an inch or so, but, more than that, she has got that rare ability of being an all-round player,' he said.

'She has got attacking flair so that if her drawing is slightly off, she will look to take out her opponent's bowl or kill the end. She plays the trail, the heavy bowl and the drive very well.

'She is a total all-rounder. She excels both indoors and outdoors, she can play all the shots; she's got everything.

'It is not just me saying all these things. She has got the utmost respect of all the players and officials. In Ireland, one of the top officials was saying to me that he cannot remember anyone to match her,' added Rhys-Jones.

On her return to the island, Merrien was her typically modest self and said that it was just a good week for her.

'It's all on the day really. It is either working for you or it's not and it was working for me this time.

'I was hoping to get through to the quarter-finals and anything from there was a bonus. There were some big names there so it was nice to win it,' she said, before adding that it was a timely boost before she departs for Australia to compete in the World Champion of Champions competition.

'The greens should be running similarly over there to how they were in Ireland so it was good preparation. I am feeling more confident now, but it is still a case of taking it game for game.'

Merrien admitted that 'she would love to' go one better than last year when she finished runner-up in Australia, although in Rhys-Jones' mind, she deserved the title 12 months ago.

'In my book she won it because she outplayed her opponent in the final but she was beaten by the format,' he said.

'Having a third-set tie-break is exciting and dramatic, yes, but it is cruel and, more than that, it is unfair. You can win the first set 25-0 and then still play well in the second set but lose it by a single shot and you are into a three-end tie-break where anything can happen.

'She was robbed last time.'