What a pair

Drawn Pairs quarter-final this evening. Played over eighteen ends. Our opponents are good Club players. Cracking start, four on the first end. They pull back. A four, then three, just before halfway and we're back in the lead, 12-6.

We continue to battle it out. Such an enjoyable pairs match. On every end the two leads are bowling close to the jack. We skips are swapping shot bowl with abandon.

Looks like we're almost home by end sixteen. A three means we're leading 18-16 with only two ends to play. If we can win the next it should all be over. But they gain three. We're 18-19 down and fighting for survival!

End eighteen. They're lying with two close bowls. The opposing skip rolls another one in. My drive knocks one out. Next shot just misses. My third disturbs the head enough to give a clear sight of the jack and the chance of a draw. Really need one of those magic last deliveries. Just curves inside a short bowl and pushes the jack a couple of inches. Shot bowl! Phew!

Drawn at 19-19, we play an extra deciding end. Yet again we're down to two close bowls. Manage to roll my third up to the jack for shot bowl. My opposite number knocks me out. We're again one down and it's my last bowl.

It's a long jack. Can't afford to be short. Play with plenty of weight. So many bowls near the jack, if I fail to knock their shot bowl out I'll probably take the jack or get a wick. Manage to nick my bowl lying second, edging it a few inches on to the jack. Shot bowl! Their final delivery is wide. We win 20-19!

Very glad of the lesson I learned from Friday's lost semi-final. Really dim in the latter half of this evening's match. Used primary aiming points throughout the match to great effect.

Certainly the most enjoyable pairs match I've ever played. Really high level of play. Engaging throughout. That's now four semi-finals and one quarter-final to play. Just need to reach at least one final! Here's the scorecard.