BRILLIANT play by a York bowls international earned a remarkable spontaneous tribute from the other players this week.

Shots which Michelle Mooring, from Clifton Moor, played when representing England in the Under-25 international series against Wales and Ireland at Belfast were so superb that the others on the rink all bowed down to her in admiration.

Skipping one of the England rinks against Wales, the 23-year-old Bert Keech club member pulled the last end out of the fire to give England a 23-15 triumph.

England lay two shots down on the end, with about six inches between two Welsh woods and the jack. Mooring delivered a magnificent first wood right between the two Welsh ones, took the jack with her and ended up laying against the jack. This was the shot which triggered the other players to acknowledge the feat.

The Welsh skip Catherine Taylor tried to fire Mooring's wood out of the way but missed and then Mooring played her final wood perfectly and from being two down she had snatched a two shots win for her country.

England won the match by 84-64 and then went on to clinch victory in the Under-25 tournament by beating Ireland, with the rink skipped by Mooring winning 32-9.

Mooring, a Nestle employee, has represented her country numerous times in the past four years and has won most of her international games.

Updated: 09:46 Saturday, January 25, 2003