Israeli pushes Alison into a nervy tie-breaker

Saturday 12th April 2008, 9:30AM BST.

THE Merrien husband-and-wife team continue to experience contrasting fortunes in the World Cup in Australia.

While Alison took another, less confident step towards a place in the knockout stages at the Warilla Club in New South Wales, her husband (pictured) lost again and now needs to win his final three round-robin matches to stand a chance of going through.

Playing against the Malaysian Safuan Sai, Ian won the first set comfortably enough but then lost the second 6-5. The three-ends total score tie-breaker then went against the Guernseyman. He was one down in the head when he played a running bowl and, unfortunately for him, took out his closest bowl to go three down.