Scottish policeman needs just one more win to emulate bowls legend

Scotland’s Darren Burnett closed in on the legendary David Bryant’s record of four British Isles indoor singles titles by winning for a third time in Llanelli.

The 28-year-old Arbroath police officer became only the third bowler, after Andy Thomson (1991/1992) and Jonathan Ross (2002/2003), to successfully defend his crown when he defeated Thomson 21-15 in the final.

Burnett, who saw off challenges from Welsh wizard Robert Weale and Ireland’s Paul Daly on his way to a much-anticipated shoot-out with the former world No.1, raced into an 11-3 lead after eight ends. Thomson, born just a few miles away from his opponent in St Andrews, reduced the deficit to 11-6 before Burnett counted a maximum four shots and then three to go 15-6 in front. Thomson bravely rallied but it was the Arbroath ace’s day and he held on to win 21-15.

Burnett later admitted: “Obviously it means a lot to beat a top class player like Andy in a major final. I knew I was on a hat-trick and that only David Bryant had matched and bettered that but it wasn’t really in my mind. Obviously I would love to emulate his achievement but I’ll have to win my national singles again and as the lads from all the countries will testify that is very difficult to do.”

Burnett also became the first Scot to successfully defend the title.
When finals day dawned, the question on everyone’s lips was, ‘could England complete a clean sweep of all five titles having won through to every final?’ In the end they won three with successes in the junior singles, pairs and fours.
Norfolk’s highly-rated teenager Jamie Chestney fulfilled expectations by winning the junior singles with a 21-16 final win over Cardiff’s David Axon after seeing off challenges from Scotland’s Derek Oliver and 15 year old Irish youngster Conor Gilmore

In the pairs, Nottinghamshire’s Brett Morley and Duncan Robinson emerged as 25-20 winners over Scotland’s Mike Stepney and Norman Barker. The English duo fought back from 12-5 down after seven ends to lead 19-16 after 16 ends. However, the men from Elgin in the far north edged back in front, 20-19, after 18 ends before Morley and Robinson reeled off a single, a double and a treble over the last three ends to take the honours.

In the fours, Ely’s new world No.1 Greg Harlow skipped Nicky Brett, Andrew Ware and Chris Falkner to a repeat of their 2005 triumph, edging out Ireland’s Neil Booth, Andrew Kyle, Trevor Robinson and Jonathan Miller 20-19 in a nailbiter of a final. Going into the 21st and last end the rinks were locked together on 19-19 but the English four just prevailed.

History was made in the triples, meantime, when the Channel Islands won a first British Isles Indoor title. Jersey’s Thomas Greechan, Jamie McDonald and Will Waymouth upset the odds as well as the English triple from Lincoln comprising Billy Jackson, Andy Richardson and Danny Brown by winning 15-10. They took command after the fifth end counting ten shots for an 12-3 lead on the completion of 11 ends and stayed in front for a famous victory.

At the semi-final stage, the Channel Islanders defeated the Irish triple featuring teenagers Conor Gilmore and Gary Kelly with ‘golden oldie’ Ronnie Milliken, while the Lincoln boys edged out Scotland’s George Sneddon, Joey Strickland and Des Hagart by the narrowest of margins, 12-11.

Results
Singles
Darren Burnett (Scotland) beat Andy Thomson (England) 21-15
Pairs
England (B Morley & D Robinson) beat Scotland (M Stepney & N Barker) 25-20
triples
Channel Islands (T Greechan, W Waymouth & J McDonald) beat England (B Jackson, A Richardson & D Brown) 15-10
Fours
England (G Harlow, N Brett, A Ware & C Falkner) beat Ireland (N Booth, A Kyle, T Robinson & J Miller) 20-19
Junior Singles
Jamie Chestney (England) beat David Axon (Wales)
21-16

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It’s a real case of more the Merriern as Alison triumphs
But English bowlers claims three British Isles titles

Gernsey’s Alison Merrien regained the British Isles Women’s Indoor singles title after a gap of four years at South Shields in April as England dominated the action winning three of the five categories.

However the former women’s world indoor singles champion from the Channel Islands missed out on a double triumph when she and Guernsey colleagues Anna Brehaut, Carol Ingrouille and Angela Bartie were beaten 25-14 by Scotland’s Evelyn McGarvie, Maureen Morrison, Sandra Rennie and Lil Duncan in the final of the fours.

In the singles final against England’s Carol Ashby, Merrien led 11-3 after eight ends, but the Eastbourne-based ‘bowls babe’ rallied and fought back to tie the contest at 17-17 after 18 ends before two doubles gave the Channel Islander the title she last won in 2002.

Merrien later admitted: “I am delighted to have won the singles again, particularly so soon after losing out in the quarter finals of the Commonwealth Games. I really wanted to return from Australia with a medal but this is more than a little consolation.”

Elsewhere, English challengers went on the rampage with Theresa Darnell-Langton and Patricia Smith winning the pairs, while Ellen Falkner, Sarah Seymour and Michelle Barlow emerged victorious in the triples as Gemma Broadhurst prevailed in the junior singles.

In the pairs, West Berkshire aces Darnell-Langton and Smith were 25-10 winners over Betty Morgan and Jenny Davies of Wales while City of Ely triple Falkner, Seymour and Barlow eased to a 28-7 win over Scotland’s Cathy Houston, Anne Marie Fletcher and Ina Morton aided by a count of eight shots on the fourth end which saw them lead 14-0 even at such an early stage.

Erewash star Broadhurst won the junior singles with a 21-18 victory over Kerry Packwood of Wales. The talented youngster from Nottinghamshire led 15-6 after 14 ends before her Welsh opponent narrowed the gap to 16-13 after 20 ends. However, a maximum count of four on the 21st end ensured Broadhurst maintained the initiative and eventually won 21-18.

Results
Singles
Alison Merrien (Guernsey) beat Carol Ashby (England) 21-17
Pairs
England (Theresa Darnell-Langton & Patricia Smith) beat Wales (Betty Morgan & Jenny Davies) 25-10.
Triples
Eng (Ellen Falkner, Sarah Seymour & Michelle Barlow) beat Scotland (Cathy Houston, Anne Marie Fletcher & Ina Morton) 28-7.
Fours
Scot (Evelyn McGarvie, Maureen Morrison, Lil Duncan & Sandra Rennie) beat Guernsey (Anna Brehaut, Alison Merrien, Carol Ingrouille & Angela Bartie) 27-15.

Junior Singles
JGemma Broadhurst (Eng) beat Kerry Packwood (Wales) 21-18