COMMONWEALTH GAMES: King philosophical after dramatic bowls defeat

From James Toney, Sportsbeat, in Delhi

 MERVYN King's day job as a pest controller would have kept him busy as he battled with flying insects and swooping birds of prey at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

But in the end it was those pesky South Africans that denied him lawn bowls gold.

King has twice been close to the podium in Manchester and Melbourne but his silver medal was still tinged with disappointment.

Along with partner Stuart Airey he looked to have forced a tie-break heading into the final end of the second set, only for his rivals to pick up six winning shots with their last delivery.

Four years ago the script was similar, with King's South Africans rival pulling off a flukey shot to advance to the final.

"I've been so close before and if someone had said we'd win a silver medal, we'd have taken it," said King.

"The greens are so changeable. I've played 14 games on here and I still don't know what the bowls are going to do.

"Given all of that, I'm really pleased but, of course, a little disappointed as well.

"We've had insects down our neck and up our trouser legs. It's been really hard and I would have been pretty busy here, if I'd brought my gear out!

"I've never played in conditions like this but you need to put it out of your mind and focus."

Scottish bowler Willie Wood has made the headlines for appearing at his eighth Games aged a spritely 72.

King, a three-time world indoor champion, is just 44 but insists he needs time to consider another medal bid in Glasgow.

"I don't know about 2014 - it's a long time away," he added.

"I need to start spending some time with the family because there is so much traveling involved in bowls. I need to sit down and have a break first and make a decision after some consideration."

Elsewhere, Amy Monkhouse and partner Ellen Falkner, both 31, stayed cool under the pressure to beat strongly-fancied Malaysians HJ Ismail Nor Hashimah and Khalid Zuraini in a tense tie-break.

"It's not sunk in yet, it's just an incredible feeling to know that all the hard work for the last two years has come to fruition and we're standing here with gold medals," said Monkhouse.

"The Malaysians beat us in the group games and we are the only team to beat them in the tournament and that is a real achievement for us.

"Throughout we've been consistent. I don't think there has been a single game when we've been outbowled."

Monkhouse won pairs bronze, under her maiden name of Gowshall, at her first Games in Manchester and collected the same medal in the triples four years ago.

But her partnership with best mate Falkner secured a golden upgrade - with a narrow quarter-final win over Namibia, followed by an impressive win over highly-ranked Australians Lynsey Armitage and Natasha van Eldik.

"We've been friends since we were 17, all through university, first jobs, marriage, everything. So it means so much more to win this together," added Monkhouse.

"We've had 13 games in the last few days and I don't think people realise how much hard work that is. We've been out on the green for maybe six hours a day, sometimes in the heat of the sun, and it really tests your fitness.

"We've been doing lots of cardiovascular work and going to the gym to stay trim and keep the weight off, so we perform to the best of our ability.

"It's been hard but it's been worth it."

Follow all the action as it happens from the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi