Former Blackjack Shaun Scott was in scintillating form last weekend, teaming up with Southland builder and provincial representative Trevor Tomlins to take out the 40th Bowls Southland Charity Pairs title in Invercargill. 

Held over a weekend of November Nov 4th and 5th in fine weather in the deep south, 92 combinations took to the greens in a bid to add their names to a host of former champions for the prestigious annual event, in what was the biggest field to date, celebrating its 40th anniversary. 

Starting the weekend off in champion-like style, Scott took to the carpeted rinks at the indoor complex in Waverley to combine with Northend novice Glenn Williams to wrap up the top gong in the Invitational Split Sixes - a quick fire event that sees some of the top invited players team up with novice bowlers throughout Southland. With all pairings for the main event officially announced by Friday evening, the hunt was well and truly on to find this years best combination. 

Following five gruelling rounds of qualifying on Saturday, 16 contenders were left standing. Another three rounds of cut-throat qualifying saw the top pairing in each of the four sections advance to the semi-finals, with Scott and Tomlins left to face the all Southland pairing of Glenn Milne and Darryl Scammell in the grand finale. 

Scott and Tomlins proved too tough for local hopes Sheldon Bagrie-Howley and Bronwyn Stevens, while Wellington's Finbar McGuigan and Tapanui stalwart Kevin Broad met their match with Milne and Scammell in a thrilling encounter on the Invercargill green. 

The final bowl sent down marked an impressive four decades for the province, with the tournament raising more than $300,000 for local charities since its inception and gaining an enviable reputation for the work carried out in the months leading up to it. In other results, Southland's Craig Merrilees combined with Central Otago's Linley O'Callahan to take out the Consolation Final, while Bryan Coyle and Bob McAuley were victorious in the Plate division. 

Reigning Southland Men's Pairs champions Bryan Harvey and Brent Thomson ended a frustrating tournament, defeating Stu Dickson and Glenice Paisley in the Flight Final. 

The win marked Scott's maiden title in the event, while for Tomlins, the victory added to his first win with Jo Edwards back in 2009, joining the exclusive list of multiple champions in years gone by.

Results at a Glance Bowls Southland 40th Invitational Charity Pairs Invercargill, Southland 

Final: Scott, Tomlins bt Milne, Scammell; 16-11 

Semi-finals: Shaun Scott (North East Valley), Trevor Tomlins (Northend) bt Sheldon Bagrie-Howley (Gore), Bronwyn Stevens (Te Rangi); 15-5 Glenn Milne (Waihopai), Darryl Scammell (Gore) bt Finbar McGuigan (Plimmerton) Kevin Broad (Tapanui); 14-8