The first of the Cornwall Short Mat Bowls County Championship competitions was played at Carnmoggas with 50 players taking part in the County Two Wood Pairs, writes Nicholas Truscott.
The pairs were drawn into six groups – one of five and five of four – with the group winners and best two runners-up qualifying for the finals on Sunday, March 12.
Group One was topped by Tony Jago (Withiel) & Steve Smith (St Newlyn East) with six points +24 shots, second in the group were Mark Payne (Penzance) & Howard McCormack (Penlee) with 4 +12.
The day’s top scorers were in Group Two where Sandra & John Worton (St Newlyn East) scored 6 +40, second in the group were Austen Runnalls & Steve Williamson (Luxulyan) with 4 -2.
Group Three saw three pairs finish on four points, with two Landrake pairs tied on 4 +9, the top spot going to Phil Searle & Alan Holden thanks to their 10-5 win against club mates Graham Reeve & Neil Gribble. Christine & Paddy Spear (Saltash Kernow) were third with a -1 shot difference.
John Read & Martin Boraston (Duloe) topped Group Four with 6 +21 ahead of Karen Watson & David Cole (Saltash) on 4 +15 which earned them the second runners-up spot.
Group Five saw three pairs finish on four points, with Nigel Nicholls & Ray Jeffery (Newlyn Trinity) top with a shot difference of +20 ahead of Rita Hancock & Mike Webster (Blisland) +3 and Graham Bickle & John Worth (Dobwalls) -1.
Group Six was topped by Dennis Shorthouse & Richard Kerr (Landrake) with 5 +21 ahead of Peter Hore & Elise Daniell (Holmans) who took the first runners-up spot with 4 +25.
This weekend, four Cornish bowlers travel to Norway to compete in the Short Mat Players Tour Norwegian Open in Skien.
The competition takes the usual format of group stages played through Saturday and Sunday morning followed by a knockout competition on Sunday afternoon and into the evening.
The quartet are Peter Hore, David Studden, Nigel Nicholls and Elise Daniell.
The last weekend of this month will see the County Fours played at Carnmoggas on Saturday, October 29, and the County team travel to Exeter on Sunday, October 30 to face Devon.