At the Five Bells 10 pairs took part, and in the preliminary games Vicky Cacchioli and Cyril Grainger (LMWMC) accounted for Tracy Reeve and Doedy Munson (Edwardstone Wild Horses) and Chip Millins (Saracen's Head) and Miro Reparsky (Six Bells) beat home pair Terry and Shane Smith 1,110-440.

In the first round Charlie Townsend and Melvin Tilbury (Eight Bells) got the highest score of the evening – 1,830 – beating Della Whymark and Kenny Cox (Edwardstone White Horse). Another Eight Bells pair, Graham Rolfe and John Raine, then had a very close game with Mick Harris and Tony Tassell from the Wheatsheaf, the latter scoring a last-ball 200 to edge home 1,380-1,310.

Cacchioli and Grainger couldn't continue their earlier good form and suffered defeat at the hands of James Pipe and Janet Bush (Edwardstone White Horse), but Millins and Reparsky took full advantage of having played a game to beat Ken Drake and Gavin Jones (Saracen's Head) 1,320-180.

The first semi-final paired Tassell and Harris with Pipe and Bush, the White Horse duo just coming out on top 1,030-960. Millins and Reparsky's good run came to an end in the other semi as they succumbed to the good play of Townsend and Tilbury.

The Eight Bells pair continued their high standard of play in the final, and a break of 550 by Tilbury set them on the way to victory and an appearance on finals night.

At the LMWMC one pair pulled out through illness, leaving 10 to fight it out. In the preliminary round Nigel Collings, with a 770 break, and partner Joe Gallagher (Wheatsheaf) beat Melvyn Willis and Marge Rose (Edwardstone Wild Horses) 1,390-860.

Another Wheatsheaf pair, Rob Sheridan and Keith Walpole narrowly went down to holders Mick Andrews and Ian Furlonger (Saracen's Head) and then Frank Dobson and Kevin Footman (Hells Bells) top-scored for the evening, beating the LMWMC pair of Geoff Gooday and Pat Parmenter.

In the first round Gallagher and Collings continued to make progress, overcoming Steve and Carol Ratcliffe (Edwardstone White Horse). Andrews and Furlonger were proving hard to beat, and just got the better of Malcolm Groome and Terry Parker (Five Bells) 1,000-970.

Another close game saw Del Atton and Pete Lillie (Five Bells) make it through, beating Dobson and Footman 1,290-1,250.

In the first semi-final a clash between pairs in form, Gallagher and Collings and Andrews and Furlonger saw the latter pair make smooth progress, winning 1,590-760. In the second semi the lack of a first round game because they had received a bye, proved too much for Graham Saunders and Brian Bullett, as they were out played by Atton and Lillie, who won 1,690-140.

The Five Bells pair then kept their nerve in the final and stopped opponents Andrews and Furlonger reaching their second consecutive finals night with a convincing win.

Tonight sees the singles knock-out continue at the Eight Bells and Saracen's Head, starting at 8.30pm.