A BELEAGUERED, but determined-looking squad of Guernsey bowlers, turned up at Victoria Park in Royal Leamington Spa yesterday. They arrived still unhappy about the result of their appeal on Tuesday evening, but still focused on improving their lot at the women’s world championships.

But it did not happen.

If being denied a notable victory over defending triples champions, New Zealand, was not bad enough, the fact that it pushed them down to the bottom of the group league table, added to their woes.

A grim-faced June Finigan, Guernsey’s team manager, reported that the gloom had not lifted after a disappointing morning defeat for Gwen de la Mare, Jean Simon and Jacqueline Nicolle, who went down to Swaziland.

‘We started so well,’ said Finigan. ‘The girls were 9-0 ahead after four ends and still 14-4 up at the halfway stage.’

But a disastrous count of six on the 10th end brought the Swazis back into contention, and after taking the lead for the first time with a five on the 14th end, the Africans pressed home to a 21-18 victory.

Something was needed to lift Guernsey’s spirits and Eunice Trebert and Anne Simon hit the right note after lunch, when they beat Rosarina Sommani and Songsin Tsao from Thailand, 19-16 in the pairs.

The Guernsey duo were already guaranteed their place in the quarter- finals, but they were keen to knock Australia’s Maria Rigby and Karen Murphy, off the top of the league table.

Trebert and Simon led 7-1 after five ends and a five on the eighth put them 12-6 in front, but they could never stamp their authority on proceedings.

The victory, albeit by only three shots, installed Guernsey at the top of the table and set them up for an interesting quarter-final with Welsh hopes Caroline Taylor and Betty Morgan.

By contrast, the triple have to settle for playing off with Zimbabwe, the Isle of Man and Portugal for places 25 to 28.