World Indoor Bowls: Paul Foster beats Greg Harlow to win fifth world indoor title

Foster is one world title behind friend Alex Marshall

Paul Foster won the World Indoor Bowls title for the fifth time after coming from behind to defeat Greg Harlow.

The Scot beat his English opponent, who won the title himself in 2010, 7-11 11-1 2-0 in Great Yarmouth to become champion for the first time since 2011.

Asked how it compared to his previous wins, Foster told BBC Sport: "It certainly rates very highly.

"You have to go with your very first world title, so 1998 will always be the most memorable one."

This latest victory means Foster - who won in 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2011 - is one behind six-time champion Alex Marshall, but he insisted that catching up with his Commonwealth Games gold medal partner was not something he thought about.

"Everybody knows he is my best mate," he said. "When he's in tournaments, I want him to win unless he's playing me and vice versa.

"It's always the media saying 'Alex has six and you've only got four', but it doesn't concern me and it sure doesn't concern Alex either because there's a lot of guys out there wanting to win a first world title and I've been very fortunate to get five.

"So that means nothing to me. He is still the man."

Greg Harlow had beaten Foster in the final of the Scottish International Open

Harlow, who was seeded two places above Foster and had beaten him in the final of the Scottish International Open in Perth in November, took control of the first set when scoring four at the third end.

Asked what he was thinking after going a set behind, Foster replied: "Help!

"I didn't think I played that badly in the first set. I dropped a bad four for me, a great four for Greg.

"He came out of the traps so fast, I was just hanging in and it ended up the four was the killer.

"Greg was always in control and every bowl he played was top notch and it's the best I've seen him play in a long time with his first bowl and putting me under pressure, because not a lot of people do that.

"Greg's a class act. After the first set, I just dug deep and I was pleased with the way I played."

After opening the second set by scoring two, Foster only allowed Harlow a single in the next end as he levelled the match.

The sixth-seeded Scot's increasing accuracy continued into the tie-break and Harlow lamented: "I was delighted to make the final but obviously disappointed not to come away with the trophy.

"Obviously I was playing well in the first one. I was going along nicely and was hoping for more of the same in the second, but Paul had other ideas."