Grey, but dry, skies welcomed 20 pairs of bowlers to compete for the John Groom of Bungay Four-Wood Pairs competition.

Divided into two qualifying groups each pair would play three matches to decide who would play in the grand and third-place final. After two games in the first qualifying group three pairs had won both their games. The group-topping Costessey Crown duo of Kath Arthur and Steve Tayt dropped two shots on their final end against Bungay’s Bob Plumb and Jim Caplin but held on to win by one.

With both the second and third-placed pairs losing their last game it meant three other pairs had a chance of a runners-up spot and a place in the third-placed final. Once shot difference had been taken into account it was the other Crown duo of Ray and Jackie Lutkin who headed to the final by 16 shots.

Three pairs won all three of their games in the second qualifying group with the Bungay duo of Richard Allen and James Gosling topping the group with a shot difference of plus-24. Second place fell to the debutant Diss pair of Ian Dunnett and David Harrison, who despite being 10-3 down with five ends to play, eventually won 15-10 to give them a shot difference of plus-14.

They edged out the Norwich Union duo of Trevor Burton and Ian Bishop by just a single shot. Disappointed not to reach a finals spot were the Leiston-Bungay duo of Grenville Wright and Jack Newnham who won their second game 36-8, but had lost their first to the Diss pair 10-7.

Dunnett and Harrison were in control of the third place final as of the third end when they picked up three shots to lead 4-1 and then a further six shots in the next two. The Lutkins could only muster three shots to Dunnett’s five over the remaining five ends to give the Diss duo third place.

Allen and Gosling led the grand final 6-4 after seven of the 10 ends, but Arthur and Tayt drew level. On the next end Arthur’s lead wood could not be dislodged from an end winning position so she and her partner went into the last end one ahead. Skip Tayt drew shot with his first wood, which Allen was unable to beat, to give the Crown pair the title by eight shots to seven.

Bungay’s Dominic Belisario thanked all those who helped organise the competition. The next tournament is the CA Payne sponsored triples on Sunday July 12. Entry forms are available from Ian Gosling 01986 892982 or via the club’s website at bungaybowlsclub.co.uk. Elsewhere, Bungay beat Risbygate by four rinks to one to progress to the last 16 of the Quinton Bowls where they will meet Stowmarket Rookery.