Merrien brushes aside title-holder

ALI MERRIEN was yesterday praised to the hilt by the beaten world indoor champion.

The Guernsey woman finally got round to showing off her considerable skills at Potters Leisure Resort in Norfolk and in doing so ended the dream run of Welsh-born Australian Ceri Ann Davies in the quarter-finals of the World Bowls Tour women's singles championship.

The 11-6, 9-1 scoreline says it all.

The Guernsey star controlled matters from start to finish, prompting her talented opponent to say: 'Ali was brilliant and would have beaten most of the men on today's form.'

Davies, the defending champion, had retained the mixed pairs title with David Gourlay on Sunday and was riding high coming into the match.

But she found herself brought down to earth by a scintillating performance in which Merrien played all the shots.