Bowls: Nelson-Marlborough pairs contest final

An all Nelson-Marlborough final will decide the pairs title at the national women's championships in Dunedin today.

After a weekend of upsets and some superb bowls, the composite team of Jenny Fleming of Motueka and Picton's Sandra Robertson will play another pair of similar standing from the same region, Barbara McGregor, of Nelson's United club, and Picton's Moana Cross.

For Robertson, there could not have been a better way to celebrate her 52nd birthday than a ticket into the final and the scalps of last year's beaten semifinalists Judy Heeman and Ronnie Crone 21-10, along with the Riverside combination of Glenys Whiteman and Bobbie Beattie 20-11.

Fleming is the only one of the four with previous finals experience, having partnered Heeman two years ago in Hamilton when they went down to the mother and daughter combination of Millie and Marina Khan.

The other finalists, McGregor and Cross, spoiled the chances that player of the tournament to date, Millie Khan, had of lifting the pairs title for the third time, outplaying the Khans 19-14.

It was not an easy path into the final after that either, when they faced an in-form Milford pair of Gail Dick and Gail Bagnal. However, despite a tense start in the opening ends, McGregor and Cross ran away to a 20-15 victory.