Les Gillett becomes World Indoor Bowls champion following tense final

Melton and District indoor Bowls Club's Les Gillett became the World Indoor Bowls champion on Sunday after beating seven-times winner Paul Foster.

"It is a great achievement," the 51-year-old told BBC Sport.

"I am proud of myself. I don't think either of us played our best, but it is a different beast in the final and I hung in again."

Les who has been playing bowls from an early age, has been taking part in the world championships competition for some years, but had never managed to get past the quarter-finals in his previous attempts and, at one stage, dropped out of the top 16 ranking players.

Through hard work and determination he fought his way back to become ranked number six in the world with his ambition to reach the semi-finals this year.

Les took on Jamie Chestney in the quarter-finals, losing the first set by 10 shots to 1 but coming back to win the second set by 8 shots to7 and winning the tie break by 2 shots to 1.

Les then took on Alex Marshal in the semi-finals, winning 10 shots to 1 in the first set and 8 shots to 7 in the second set.

The final was always going to be a tough game against Foster, who was looking for his eighth world championship title.

Les, with his superb draw shot ability, won the first set by 8 shots to his opponent's 7.

Paul, in the second set, took an early lead which Les never was able to recover.

The game went to a tie break and Paul took the first end and Les the second end.

With both players feeling the pressure, Paul having the first shot on the last end put in a magnificent bowl within a few inches of the Jack.

Les fired and removed Paul's bowl.

Paul again put a superb shot in near to the jack before Les again fired and missed.

In an attempted to cover the back position, Paul put a bowl in that was too long and ended up in the ditch.

Les fired again and this time took Paul's bowl out which was next to the jack.

With neither player having anything close to the jack after three bowls it was a matter of who could draw a shot nearest to the jack with their last bowl.

Paul played first and his bowl went several feet past the jack.

Les, who is known for his great drawing ability with his back hand, got nearest to the jack with the final bowl of the competition.