Jackson loses World Pairs final

Jackson (r) and Gourlay won the World Indoor Pairs title in 2006 and 2007

Lincoln bowls player Billy Jackson has missed out on winning the World Indoor Pairs title after defeat in the final at Potters Leisure in Norfolk.

He and partner David Gourlay lost 9-7 8-8 to Kelvin Kerkow and Mervyn King.

Jackson told BBC Radio Lincolnshire: "It was disappointing to lose but the quality of the game was outstanding.

"We'll be back again next year. In the last four years we've won twice, reached the semi-final and been runners-up so that's not a bad record."

After losing the first set, Jackson and Gourlay came agonisingly close to winning the second to take the match to a tie-break.

Jackson said: "We were one shot up going into the final end so all we had to do was score.

"Mervyn put a bowl within an inch of the jack so we had to try and remove it, and David missed by a quarter-of-an-inch so we drew the set and lost the match."

With the pairs concluded, Jackson's attention now turns to the singles in which he is the number 12 seed.

After a first-round bye he faces Welshman Richard Morgan in round two on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile Spalding's Graham Smith takes on eighth seed Andy Thomson on Monday evening after brushing aside South African qualifier Thinus Oelofse 16-0 10-5 in round one.