Pitschou into final

GARY PITSCHOU has qualified for the final of the WIBC world indoor bowls men's singles championship, for the second time in five years.

Yesterday, Pitschou, 48, who was runner up in 2007, hit top form to take the scalp of the defending champion, England's Graham Smith, who was hoping to win the title for the third time on the trot.

Mastering the tricky Islwyn club green in the Gwent town of Pontllanfraith, Pitschou sent the classy Smith hurtling out of the competition, dispatching him in straight sets 9-4, 9-8, in the quarter-finals.

Pitschou started brilliantly with a full house of four shots on the very first end, and fairly dominated the first set, but a tiebreak appeared on the cards when Smith edged in front in the second set.