Ali is closing in on world title

GUERNSEY'S newly-crowned sports personality of the year Alison Merrien is just one win away from lifting yet another world title.

Yesterday morning at Potter's Resort in Norfolk, she defeated England's Carol Ashby 9-4, 7-8, 2-0 in the semi-finals of the WBT women's world matchplay singles championship.

Looking flushed as she entered the press room at the east-coast leisure resort after her superb victory, an excited Merrien said: 'I came here with the aim of reaching the semi-finals, so everything from now on is a bonus.'

Merrien, who drew well and was tactically in charge, could hardly have played better in the first set, racing into a 9-1 lead after six ends, before dropping a double and a single to win the set at a canter.

'A player of Carol's ability and experience is always going to fight back and I was expecting her to challenge strongly in the second set,' admitted Merrien.

'At the same time, I lost control of the weight and although I had a chance to tie the set with my last bowl, I missed narrowly so we were in a tiebreak.'