Stowmarket’s Katherine Rednall has failed in her attempt to defend her Just Retirement Ladies Indoor World Bowls title, losing one-and-a-half to a half, 14-5, 9-9, to Wales’ Laura Thomas at Potters Resort, Norfolk.

Thomas got off to a flying start in her bid to become the first Welsh woman to win the title, laying three on the jack as Rednall struggled initially with the pace of the rink.

The Stowmarket product tried to draw her fourth effort but fell short, giving her opponent a three start.

Rednall hit back in the second with a double, having tightened her length up and went shorter with the jack distance on the third end and immediately put pressure on her opponent with two excellent efforts.

However, Thomas issued a statement of intent, with an aggressive lay and eventually overturned Rednall’s one-bowl advantage with her final effort, a forehand shot that touched the jack.

Thomas led 4-2 after three ends and immediately put pressure on Rednall in the fourth, but the Suffolk bowler responded with a toucher with her second effort, just as the pressure was beginning to grow.

Such was the quality of that second wood, that Thomas could not find a way through, Rednall reducing the deficit to 4-3.

Thomas took three in the next end, despite two good bowls by Rednall, the Welsh player exploiting the gap in front of the jack and then seeing her opponent’s final wood speed through the gap when a little less pace was needed.

Thomas led 8-3 after seven ends and increased her lead to 10-3 after eight, but it could have been worse for Rednall who saved a shot with her last wood, firing off one of the 2012 British Indoor Bowls Council Champion’s winning woods.

Rednall was in desperate needs of points with three ends left but had to settle for a double, her third wood just staying out of contention.

Rednall left some space with her lead wood on the ninth end and Thomas quickly exploited that with two lying woods. Rednall’s third effort just failed to hit the mark and she opted to play backhand with her final effort but her bowl went agonisingly through the gap, leaving Thomas one on.

With two ends to go, Thomas led 12-5 and wrapped up the first set, 14-5, after Rednall’s fire at the jack left Thomas lying two.

SECOND SET

Rednall started the second set playing much tighter, while Thomas’s first couple of efforts fell far too short, and the 19-year-old began with an impressive double on the first end.

Her first wood on the second end was a good length, but any kind of gap was being exploited by Thomas who crept in to lay the winning wood. However, Rednall is a determined player and gave her opponent a taste of her own medicene, drawing on to the jack to lay one.

But Thomas was on another level and finished with a toucher to take a single on the second end.

Rednall began with two short bowls on the third end and blocked her path somewhat to the jack, allowing Thomas to put three on the jack. Rednall pulled one back but sent her fourth bowl long as she struggled for consistency.

The, a turning point. Rednall suddenly began to find her line and length, while Thomas suddenly felt the pressure. Rednall, lying two, with the opportunity to finish with a third, took it to lead 5-3.

Rednall looked odds-on to add to her total with another single on the next end but, lying inches away from the jack, she left her fourth bowl short and Thomas found the inspiration to sneak in and take one point.

Rednall hit back and led with two challenging bowls on the next end but such was Thomas’ form, she had the confidence to fire the two winners off and sit one on of her own instead. Rednall’s retort with her last effort was to play a draw that fell just short, Thomas levelling the set at 5-5.

Thomas had an answer for everything, while Rednall was not in the same blistering form as last year, when she won the same event, and took two on the seventh end to lead 7-5.

Rednall stormed back into the game with arguably her best end of the game, Thomas trying to attack the jack and then failing to draw with her final bowl as the game was levelled at 7-7.

The Suffolk teenager then took the lead 8-7, as more rhythm began to creep into her game and started the next end with a good first bowl that immediately asked questions of Thomas.

Rednall failed to put on a good second bowl, Thomas creeping in, but made up for it with her third as the end went one way then the next. She finished the end with another single to lead 9-7.

However, it was not to be and Thomas took a treble on the final end to prevail.