Globetrotting Merrien sees winnings disappear

ISLANDERS picked up £375 each for their Guernsey Open Fours Tournament triumph but their globetrotting skip, Alison Merrien, says she has spent hers already. 'It's already spent probably on the next couple of trips,' said Merrien, who faces a busy couple of months.

As well as the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, she has a trip to Belfast and another for the British Isles in Newcastle, shortly after her return from Australia.

'We're back just two days and straight up there,' said Merrien after winning the Guernsey Open for a second successive year.

Merrien's side of husband Ian and Paul and Carol Ingrouille, came through 12 games and over 42 hours of bowls unbeaten, but the skip said it was all good practice for Melbourne.

'It was very enjoyable and nice to play some good teams. It was good quality bowls,' she added.

Merrien refutes any suggestions she bosses the others around.

'It's a team effort right down to my last bowl: it's a team decision.

'We all pitch in with advice.'

In the closing stages of the six-day event, Islanders had beaten fellow locals Chancers and got the better of Scorpions in a very close encounter.

Then on the final day they put in a very impressive performance to beat visiting side Alcopops 28-10 which set them up nicely for the final game with Celtic Warriors, the Welsh side who had held them in the qualifying stages.

Islanders led 8-6 at the halfway point and 10-6 an end later, although ultimately the 11th end was decisive as on a short jack the Warriors held six within close proximity.

Most skips would have drawn to try and cut down the score, but Ali Merrien was full of confidence and drove at the jack through a narrow channel and took it back 30ft into the ditch with her bowl sitting some eight inches away alongside it. That earned shot to the Guernsey side and as the Warriors changed tactics slightly to keep the score down and maintain their second place in the competition on shot difference, Islanders came out on top 17-14.

Chancers had secured a 17-13 win over Celtic Warriors on the penultimate evening with Nicky Donaldson's side dominating the final third of the game and surviving a last end scare when Ryan Mountstephen trailed the jack to try to make the three to draw the match.

The next day Chancers faced Scorpions and came out of that encounter with a 19-10 win to keep themselves in contention for the top spot.

Donaldson's side played well throughout the game and thoroughly deserved their win.

Richard Hill's side had finished their campaign at that point and despite not taking any points in the final section John Wallis, Dave Lock, John Martel, Ralph Deakin emerged with a lot of credit.

Hill's performances under pressure at skip were particularly impressive.

Chancers faced Alcopops in the afternoon and this developed into a very tight game with nothing given away by either side.

After 10 ends only 11 shots had been scored. However, nine of those were in favour of the visiting side.

Hagan and Axon continued to play well but they were backed up extremely well by Welshman Edwards and the Belfast resident Scotsman Merritt.

Chancers trailed 13-9 going into the last end and Neal Mollet, Dan de la Mare and Matt Le Ber bowled superbly to set the head up to make a possible count of four to win the game.

Merritt was slightly short with his first delivery, but Donaldson made no mistake and calmly drew another into the head to make three with a good chance of making four or five.

Merritt was again fractionally short and Donaldson's shot was still on.

He played it with confidence and with the bowl urged on by enthusiastic teammates it duly sat on the jack.

But, crucially, it sat on the back of the jack rather than the front and moved the jack a few inches forward.

A few inches backwards would have made four or five, but the opposite took it towards Merritt's final bowl and left them with only one and a brilliant match was lost by 13 shots to 10.

Chancers had to settle for third overall with Alcopops fourth and Scorpions fifth.

First prize in the consolation group was presented to Isle of Wight side Lucy's Lads by Deputy Mike O'Hara representing Sports Guernsey.

* The tournament was made possible through the generous sponsorship of HSBC Bank plc, Sports Guernsey, Randalls Brewery and Guernsey Annandale Tile Company (1980) Limited and the Guernsey Indoor Bowling Association are extremely grateful to them for their continued support.