Bowls: Thomson errs indoors

ANDY THOMSON, the world indoor champion from England, saw his hopes of winning the Saga International Open in Preston end in disappointment yesterday when he lost in the final in four sets to the Scots-born Hong Kong player Mark McMahon. McMahon, 25, hit back after dropping the opening set to take the pounds 10,000 first prize with a 4- 7, 7-5, 7-3, 7-0, win.

McMahon, who was stretched by England's Mervyn King in Saturday's semi-final, said: 'It hasn't sunk in yet. I came close a few times in big indoor events without actually winning one. Now that I have, the feeling is just indescribable.'

The match turned in McMahon's favour mid-way through the third set with Thomson leading 3-1. The world title holder failed to get anything close to the jack on the fourth end and McMahon stepped in with a maximum four. Thomson never scored again as McMahon added singles on the next two ends to take the set 7-3, and then raced through the fourth with a run of three, two and two to wrap up the title.

Thomson said: 'I've no complaints over the match. Mark deserves his win.'