Merrien is mixing it with the pros
POTTERS Leisure Resort in Hopton-on-Sea, Norfolk, is bracing itself for the arrival of Guernsey's Alison Merrien, who has earned an invitation to compete in the World Bowls Tour women's match-play and mixed pairs championships.
POTTERS Leisure Resort in Hopton-on-Sea, Norfolk, is bracing itself for the arrival of Guernsey's Alison Merrien, who has earned an invitation to compete in the World Bowls Tour women's match-play and mixed pairs championships. High-flying Merrien, who has won world titles at the World Indoor Bowls Council code, has at last received a call-up to the professional circuit and will be sharing the stage with such stars as England duo Carol Ashby and Ellen Falkner.
She will have two chances to impress and her hopes are high after having been paired with new MBE Alex 'Tattie' Marshall in the mixed pairs.
The likely looking pairing will meet defending champions Ashby and Welsh star John Price in the quarter-finals this afternoon.
If they can get over the first hurdle, Merrien and Marshall will meet either Rosa Gandara (USA) and David Gourlay (Australia) or Noreen Stratford (New Zealand) and Ian Bond (England) in the semi-finals on Sunday.
Merrien will be pleased to have a run-out in the pairs before she faces Debbie Stavrou - part-time manager of the Funky Fish night-club on Brighton seafront - in the first round of the women's match play singles tomorrow.
Victory over Stavrou would set Merrien up for a quarter-final on Monday with Stratford, a Scottish-born Kiwi, whose brother, Norman Morrison, was the first Scot to run a sub-four-minute mile.
Controversy rocked the event on Wednesday when it emerged that overseas competitors in the women's events were expected to meet the cost of their travel to Norfolk.
While it is accepted that UK players should meet their own costs out of their modest first-round loser's cheque, overseas players in the main events - the gender-free singles and pairs - have their flights paid for by the WBT.
Confirming the situation, Nigel Oldfield, the chief executive of the WBT, said: 'A few years ago, there were no events for the women, but we have worked hard to increase opportunities for female members of the PBA.'
He added: 'We invite them, but they don't have to accept - if they choose not to, it's entirely up to them.'
