Arbroath ace Darren Burnett has achieved his lifetime’s ambition by winning the world indoor singles bowling championship.
Burnett, who had hit top form to beat Greg Harlow and Stewart Anderson, then accounted for world No 3 Rob Paxton in the semi-finals before taking on world No 4 Mervyn King at his own game and came out on top, 5-7, 10-8, 2-1.
With King holding shot with an inch-perfect, dead-length toucher on the first end of the tie-break, Burnett hit his target and sent the jack into the open, and it took an age for the umpire to decide that it was the Scot’s shot.
King levelled by winning the next end and the fate of the world title hung on a sudden death shoot-out.
Burnett’s first bowl, which stopped three inches short of the jack, remained in position to seal a famous victory.
Clearly in a daze after the final, Burnett said: “I’m totally in a dream. It’s an unbelievable feeling, because I’ve had my sights set on winning this title for several years.
“But, to be honest, I didn’t honestly think it was ever going to happen.”
He added: “I felt really nervous to be playing in my first world final I’ve won other ranking events, of course, but the world is different, and it took me a few ends to settle down.”
Paying tribute to his travelling support, a group of bowls fans from Inverness, who were referred to by the BBC TV commentators as the Tartan Army, Burnett said: “They were absolutely fabulous, and made up for the fact that most of the
spectators were, understandably, shouting for Mervyn.”
Burnett was also delighted to have his wife Linsey and daughters Isla and Evie with him.
He said: “They came down from Scotland for the final stages, and having them here made quite a difference.”
“Mervyn was more consistent than me on the day,” Burnett said. “But I hung in there and played some pressure bowls when forced to do so, and I think that made the difference but, from a television point of view it was a dream final, which went down to the wire.”