World Indoor Bowls 2014: Rebecca Field to defend title

The World Indoor Bowls Championships' youngest ever ladies winner Rebecca Field will return to Potters to defend the title she won last year.

The 24-year-old from Norfolk overcame veteran Alison Merrien in a tie break in last year's final.

"It's been an odd year. Everybody's been out to beat me, which is a bit strange," she told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"I'm feeling confident and I know if I play as well as last year I've got as good a chance as anyone."

The competition in Great Yarmouth starts on 10 January with the men's world pairs and finishes on 26 January with the men's singles final.

Suffolk teenager Katherine Rednall, the daughter of England international John Rednall, will be making her world indoor debut.

The Stowmarket A-level student, who turns 18 next week, will have to adjust to the shorter length of the greens at Potters, as well as combining the competition with study.

"It's difficult because I have to get the right balance. I have had to take my physics textbook with me to bowls," she said.

"It's a lot shorter than a normal green so you can't vary the jack length as much

"It will be quite strange being on TV but I'll just have to try and ignore it if I get that far."

Field is also used to balancing work with her sport and is optimistic of one day earning a living wage from bowls.

"We're getting there but there's a long way to go certainly," she said. "The vast majority of people who are on this blue carpet will have a day job and go to work at nine o'clock every day. My annual leave is used up to play bowls.

"Winning meant a lot last year. I've played bowls since I was eight and that's 16 years of hard work. It was nice to thank some people who have helped me do what I've done."