ALISON MERRIEN experienced mixed fortunes at Potters Leisure Resort in Norfolk at the weekend.

She powered her way impressively into the quarter-finals of the WBT world women’s indoor singles championship, but lost in the quarter-finals of the World Bowls Tour mixed pairs matchplay tournament.

‘I feel fairly confident because I had two good games,’ said Merrien yesterday.

‘Although Andy and I lost in the pairs, I felt I played well against my opponent, Debbie Stavrou, but Alex Marshall at skip destroyed us.’

What the Guernsey star did not mention was the fact that her skip, Scots-born England captain Andy Thomson, was seriously below par, and put up very little serious resistance as Stavrou and Marshall cruised home 9-3, 12-3.

‘In the singles, I played against a fairly inexperienced American [Lorraine Hitchcock] and I suppose I was expected to win,’ said Merrien.

‘But you still have to come up with the goods, and I was pleased with the way I played.’