The final of the Clarence River District Mixed Pairs Championships was held at the club on Wednesday of last week with defending champions Joan Scadden and Graham Meany of Yamba up against Denise Burey of Maclean and Jim Johnson of Yamba.

The game was played in tremendous spirit with the two best teams out of the 37 entrants making their way to the final. A close encounter was anticipated but in the first set, it was Graham Meany who took control, not letting Denise or Jim stamp any authority onto the match. On every occasion that Denise and Jim looked to have a multiple score, Graham would seize the initiative through precise draw shots or pin-point accurate weighted shots.

Joan and Graham took the first set by ten shots to one. The second set was a much closer affair. Joan and Denise played outstanding lead bowls allowing both Jim and Graham to display the full range of their bowling arsenal.

However, it was Joan and Graham who took the set by the narrowest of margins, four shots to three, and will now move on to the regional finals with a spot at the State Titles their ultimate objective.

Don Freeman