In what has proven one of the closest-fought events yet, four teams remain locked on equal points in the Men’s Pairs after day one - while the Hinuera pairing of Debbie White and Bev Corbett have edged ahead as overnight leaders in the Women’s Pairs.

Hosted at the Browns Bay Bowling Club in the North Harbour, day one of the National Club Championship Pairs has concluded with all to play for heading into the final two rounds on Sunday.

The experienced Hinuera pairing of Bev Corbett and Debbie White lead the pack unbeaten after
three rounds. Photo courtesy of Fairfax Media.

In fine weather conditions for the most part, opening rounds saw Manurewa’s David Clark and Roger Andrews, Whangarei’s Trevor Reader and Steve Smith, Masterton’s Ian Monaghan and Paul Manning and Stoke pairing Peter Hodson and Jimmy Pugh all register two wins from three starts - with only several differential points separating the leading pack.

However, with the charts being so close, differential is unlikely to play a key part in deciding this year’s champions, as round four sees all four teams going to-to-toe with one another, with Clark and Andrews taking on Monaghan and Manning, while Hodson and Pugh will tackle Reader and Smith.

In other results, the Johnsonville brothers Logan and Brady Amer have endured a torrid start to their campaign, incurring three losses, while the promising duo of experienced campaigners Bill Clements and Trevor Ludlow have narrowly kept their title hopes alive securing one win opposite Reader and Smith.

Stoke's Jimmy Pugh, right, watches on as skip Peter Hodson sends one down in a thrilling must-win encounter opposite Masterton's Ian Monaghan and Paul Manning, left. Pugh and Hodson edged out the winners by a solitary point, 15-14.

Meanwhile, the women’s field has seen former event winners White and Corbett post an unblemished record among some fiercely talented pairings, including impressive victories over former Blackjacks Amy McIlroy and Kirsten Edwards of Stoke, and former New Zealand Development representative Sarah Scott and partner Rachael McDowall of North East Valley in rounds two and three, 19-16 and 21-6 respectively.

Despite their loss, Scott and McDowall continue to remain in close contention, alongside Wanganui’s Dianne Patterson and Lesley Bourke - with both pairings tallying two wins heading in to day two’s action.

Important fixtures will see Patterson and Scott go head-to-head in round four, while White and Corbett will be hoping to continue their winning ways as they line-up opposite Hawkes Bay pairing Robyn Pritchard and Diana Wood, who have yet to chalk up a win - though a win for the Napier duo in tomorrow’s opening round has the exciting potential to throw the field wide open heading into the final round.