Merrien left wondering how she lost classic

GUERNSEY won six of the 10 area titles on offer at the Channel Islands Indoor Bowls Championships held at the Grainville Stadium in Jersey. But the big two, the men's and women's singles, both eluded the grasp of the Sarnian champions.

Alison Merrien had a titanic battle with Alison Camacho in the women's championship and looked set for victory when she led 16-9 after 13 ends, but Camacho enjoyed a purple patch over the next four ends to forge ahead by a single shot at 17-16.

Merrien scored a single, Camacho a double and then Merrien seemed to have paved the way for victory when picking up a three to lead 20-19.

However, it was not to be as Camacho picked up a hard-earned single to square the match at 20 all and on the final end drew a toucher that stayed against the jack and followed this up with another delivery that came to rest against the shot.

Merrien produced one of her top notch trademark drives and despite hitting the target perfectly, unbelievably managed to remove only one bowl from the head, leaving Camacho with the single that she required for victory.

Merrien could scarcely believe it: 'I still don't know how it didn't work.

'But I was pleased with the way I played and she got her own back on last year when I beat her.'

Donaldson met John Lowery in the men's event and after dropping a four on the first end of their contest, struggled to find the form that saw him through the Guernsey rounds to trail 16-4 after 11.

A three and a single on the next two ends raised his hopes, but Lowery finished the game off with a three and a double to emerge a 21-8 winner.

It was a good weekend for young Lianna Bichard who beat Lynsey Greechan, the 2003 world under-25 champion, in the women's under-25 final.

Bichard was not fazed, the slightest by her opponent's reputation and she piled in the shots to lead 14-7 after 11 ends.

The Guernsey girl continued to dominate the game, drawing like a machine and with only a couple of loose bowls all game led 19-9 after another four ends.

Greechan picked up a double and a treble, but Bichard was not to be denied and a double on the 18th end secured a fine 21-14 victory.

Daniel de la Mare stormed to victory in the men's under-25s, never looking back after leading young Jersey prospect Scott Ruderham 14-2 after nine ends.

De la Mare was drawing extremely well and putting the Jersey youngster under all kinds of pressure.

A mini revival saw Ruderham force his way up to eight shots without reply. However, de la Mare had done enough in the early stages and he ran out a comfortable 21-13 winner.

Bichard's second title of the weekend came in the women's pairs together with Merrien.

They faced Carol Allen and Gaynor Thomas and after 12 ends trailed 10-8.

But over the next six Merrien moved up a gear and 11 shots without reply secured a 19-10 lead and they eventually ran out winners by 20 shots to 14.

Merrien was full of praise for her young lead and is hopeful that together they can do well at the British Isles Championships in March.

'We've been playing a couple of years and this will be our third attempt at the British Isles. We want to improve on reaching the semi-finals last year.'

Steve and Michael Le Noury were swept aside 33-15 by the talented Jersey pairing of Lowery and Thomas Greechan in the men's pairs and another defeat was suffered by the women's triples team of Gwen de la Mare, Shirley Petit and Carol Ingrouille who went down 20-10.

The Guernsey men's triples had no such problems.

Alan Merrien, Daniel de la Mare and Paul Merrien beat Ruderham, Derek Boswell and Gus McKinnon and it was Merrien's men who emerged victorious 21-15.

Alan Merrien settled well at lead after the first couple of ends and led superbly.

Guernsey led 21-14 after 17 of the 18 ends and with a potential nine shots up for grabs, Boswell killed the last, leading to travel problems for the visiting players as the end had to be replayed and flights were missed.

But the Guernsey 'Mafia' team managed to restrict McKinnon's trio to a single on the replayed end and thereby secured a 21-15 win.

Guernsey won both of the fours contests, but the games were very close.

Wilma Le Feuvre skipped Gwen de la Mare, Shirley Petit and Sally Paul to the narrowest of victories over Mavis Le Marquand, Gaynor Thomas, Gina Le Long and Lynsey Greechan.

Guernsey led 10-7 after 12 ends but Jersey rallied to lead 17-4 after 18 of the 21 ends. However Le Feuvre's team held their collective nerve and managed the all-important three singles to square the match at 17 each at the conclusion of the game.

Le Feuvre played well all match and a watching Nick Donaldson was full of praise for her display on the last two ends of the contest.

'Wilma was brilliant over the last two ends, drawing to the edge of the ditch on the 18th to level the game and then on the extra end gently drawing an inch-perfect bowl to tip Jersey's shot bowl away from leaning against the jack.'

On each of these ends, Greechan resorted to the drive to get rid of the Guernsey skip's bowls, but missed by the merest fraction of an inch on each occasion and Le Feuvre's team held on to take the match and earn the right to play in the British Isles Championships as CI champions.

Donaldson recovered from his singles defeat and played extremely well as he teamed up with Neal Mollet, Mick Setters and Dennis Mollet to win a very competitive men's fours match.

Donaldson's team raced away to score 15 shots over the first six ends without reply.

With only five ends to go the Guernsey team looked comfortable with a 23-10 lead but McKinnon's team hit back bravely and the visitors had to settle for a 24-20 scoreline.