Thomson reaches final at last

Bowls

The world indoor champion, Andy Thomson, who has fallen in three previous semi-finals, yesterday sealed a final meeting with the defending champion, John Price, in the CIS Masters in Coatbridge. Thomson edged out the Scottish champion, Paul Conlan, in three sets.

The Englishman took the opening set 7-3 in eight ends but the 25-year- old Scot, who defends his title today, needed just three ends to square the match. After dropping a single on the first end of the second set, Conlan scored successive counts of three and four for a 7-1 win.

Thomson then started well in the decider, with three shots on the opening end, followed by three singles, to take him within one of victory at 6- 0. He wrapped up the set two ends later at 7-1.

Price had earlier coasted to his fifth final in seven years in the event, with a 7-1, 7-2 victory over the Commonwealth gold medallist, Richard Corsie.

The Swansea player, who also won the title in 1991, forged a 65-0 lead after four ends. Corsie responded with a fifth-end single but Price wrapped up the set with a double on the next end. The Welshman then scored doubles on the opening two ends of the second set before Corsie came back into contention with singles on the third and fourth. Price, however, went on to wrap up victory with further singles on the sixth and seventh ends.

Results, Sporting Digest, page 27