King on Commonwealth Games list

Norfolk's top bowling exponent Mervyn King of the Gallow club at Fakenham, who is bowling as well as ever, seems to have encountered more than his fair share of grief this winter season.

Despite rediscovering the sort of form that brought him two English singles titles in the 1990s and saw him win the world indoor singles title in 2006, he failed to win a title in the nationals at Nottingham.

King's omission from the England team for the recent home international series in Belfast raised eyebrows across the bowls world, and brought an official explanation from the English IBA Press and publicity officer Darren Critchlow: “Mervyn King has asked for the record to be put straight about the international trial and subsequent series in Belfast.

“Mervyn King notified the selectors prior to the Senior International trial that he would not be available to play in the International Series in Belfast. He felt that there was therefore little point in attending the trial as he could not be available for the series.

“The selectors wish to point out that Mervyn was not dropped from the team but was not selected simply because he was not available to play. He continues to be a credit to his country and bowls in general.”

King is on the shortlist of players from which England's outdoor team for next year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi will be chosen. He will be needed at a 'training-and-bonding' session at the Erewash club in Long Eaton later this month - at the same time that he was planning to defend his WIBC world indoor mixed pairs title with wife Suzanne.

“That's obviously disappointing,” said King. “It would have been nice to defend the world title, but, to be fair, the dates of the Commonwealth Games session were fixed for the last weekend in April before the WIBC scheduled their world championships for Swansea.

“It's getting more and more difficult to reconcile bowls assignments with work commitments,” he said.