Sarnian pair 'worry' English
GUERNSEY duo Sid Le Maitre and Ian Merrien pushed England's Mark Bantock and Robert Newman all the way in the quarter-final of the Atlantic Rim pairs championship in South Africa before settling for a respectable 20-16 defeat.
GUERNSEY duo Sid Le Maitre and Ian Merrien pushed England's Mark Bantock and Robert Newman all the way in the quarter-final of the Atlantic Rim pairs championship in South Africa before settling for a respectable 20-16 defeat.
'There were several instances towards the end of the game that could have tipped the balance and I think the English pair were a bit worried at times,' said Bowls Guernsey chief executive Garry Collins.
'I was really proud of them.'
Le Maitre and Merrien (pictured) made the worst possible start, conceding two fours and a double over the first three ends.. But a marvelous fightback saw them take the lead at 13-11, with successive doubles on the ninth and 10th.
A single put them 14-11 in front after 11, but the England pair hit back with two trebles and a single to regain the lead at 18-14, and despite the best efforts of the Sarnians, Bantock and Newman got home 20-16.
Needing three to tie on the last end, Merrien needed to trail the jack and came close with a couple of his deliveries, but an England single put the gutsy Guernsey duo out of the contest.
