Foster regains world bowls title

Paul Foster (left) wins his semi against Alex Marshall

Paul Foster won the World Indoor Singles Bowls Championship for the second time as he defeated Richard Corsie by three sets to one in Great Yarmouth.

Sunday's result ended Corsie's spectacular return to competitive bowls and prevented him equalling Paul Bryant's record of four titles.

Foster had to fight back from a crushing 7-1 reverse in the first set to win the next three, 7-3 7-2 7-4 to picket the £25,000 first prize.

Victory for 27-year-old from Irvine was his second in four years.

Dig deep

Foster thought it had been the best world championships yet and said: "Winning it for the first time was an experience, but this is something special.

"I was being outplayed during the first two sets, but I knew I had to dig deep and hang on in and hope a break would come.

"It did when I got the three in the second set to go 5-3.

"There's no doubt in my mind that was the end that swung things in my favour.

Real boost

"When I came here last week, my immediate aim was to get through to the quarter-finals.

"I always feel that's where the championship really begins.

Paul Foster has lifted his second title

"I had a couple of good wins coming back from two down to beat Hugh Duff and then beating Alex Marshall in the semis and that gave me a real boost."

Corsie said: "I have had an excellent week, but Paul has played excellent bowls in the final.

"I have shown I can still compete with the best and I know there's still another world title in me."

Corsie had been absent from the top of the game for four seasons and had dropped to No.14 in the world.

Heavy drives

But the Edinburgh 34-year-old showed remarkable form that culminated in a 3-0 victory over world number one David Gourlay in the semi-finals.

He looked to be carrying that on in the final as he won that first set so easily.

Foster paid heavily for nervously missing several attempts at heavy drives.

The Irvine man composed himself and gradually began to take command.

Amazing drive

A wide bias on his bowls had him in trouble when Corsie had lengthened the jack.

But Foster managed to do enough to stay in charge.

Corsie had one amazing drive that prevented Foster taking a match-winning four in the fourth set.

But it only delayed victory for the younger man.

First time in history

Victory for Foster was also revenge for his previous meeting with Corsie.

The Edinburgh man had won 7-6 in the fifth set of their meeting at the Glasgow Classic a couple of years ago.

Foster's victory came at the end of the week when Scotland confirmed its dominance of world bowls.

For the first time in the history of the world indoor singles, all four semi-finals places were filled by one country.