Hammered Merrien is still in with shout

AFTER two straight wins there was disappointment for medal hope Alison Merrien, who lost her unbeaten record in her Commonwealth Games women's singles group this morning. The Guernsey star was unlucky to come up against Lorna Trigwell at her dazzling best.

Ian Schuback, the former world indoor singles champion, now a Channel Nine commentator and technical adviser to Bowls Australia, said he had rarely seen anyone play as well as the South African star, who won at a canter, 11-3, 10-3.

'Alison didn't play that badly, but I didn't give her a chance,' said Trigwell, who was runner-up in the world outdoor singles championship at Royal Leamington Spa two years ago.

All is far from lost for Merrien, however, because her opening win over Scotland's Margaret Letham could see her through - assuming she disposes of the unknown Samoan, Dolly Maessen, in her last group game tomorrow.

A straight sets victory for the Guernsey star would make sure of a place in the knockout stage, and, if Trigwell should account for Letham tomorrow, Merrien will have an even better chance of qualifying for the quarter finals.

'I don't feel all that disappointed, because Lorna played so well,' the Sarnian said.

'That's the way it goes sometimes - she's a world-class player and she was on top form. Now it's up to me to make sure I make it into the last eight.'

Matt Le Ber, Guernsey's representative in the men's singles, had a bye yesterday, but returns to the green tomorrow to complete his group programme against the 19-year-old Canadian, Ryan Bester, who won the world outdoor pairs in 2004 and the Asia Pacific singles title on Melbourne's Darebin greens in 2005.

The Guernsey triple completed their campaign last night, when they were desperately unlucky not to beat a strong Scottish trio, Colin Peacock, Colin Mitchell and David Peacock.

The Merriens - brothers Alan, Ian and Paul - seemed to have the first set sewn up at 7-2 after five ends, but the Scots scored a four, a double and a single to lead 9-7, before the Guernsey team levelled at 9-9.

Having let the first set escape their grasp, the Guernsey trio more than matched their famous opponents for the first five ends of the second set, at which stage they led, 8-6 - but the relieved Scots scored six shots over the last four ends to win, 9-9, 12-8.

A win would have put Guernsey top of the classification group, but the loss leaves them in third place and 15th overall.