Norfolk’s bowlers made a great start in the National Singles Championships at Melton Mowbray when they all qualified through the group stages. Norfolk Singles champion Gary Best of Bob Carter won Group 15 on shot difference ahead of Josh Towey of the West Mids with an 18-8 win against Towey in his opening game proving crucial. Best’s only defeat was a 10-5 reverse against Hampshire’s Ben Pay. Gary Best’s Bob Carter teammate Jason Woods ran away with Group 2 with wins of 14-6, 12-6 & 14-4 and looked in superb form. Wymondham’s Chris Mann lost his opening game 12-7 to West Yorkshire’s Darren Cookson but recovered well to qualify for the knock-outs as runner-up in Group 11. Hempnall’s Neil Davidson opened with a 17-4 win against Dorset’s Graham Rabbetts followed by a 12-6 win against Tony Galor of Hertfordshire in Group 5. Despite a one shot loss against Mitchell Young of Essex in his last group game he still topped the group on shot difference. The first knock-out round saw two Norfolk bowlers eliminated. Chris Mann was beaten 10-3 by North Yorkshire’s talented Bronagh Toleman, one of only two lady bowlers to reach the last 32 stage, while Jason Woods went down 9-4 to West Mid’s Josh Towey. Gary Best continued his push for the title with a 12-7 win against Devon’s Paul Pomeroy while Neil Davidson powered past Surrey’s Debbie Johns with a terrific 13-0 scoreline. The last 16 round knockout round saw Carter star Gary Best’s run come to an end as he was beaten by just 8-7 against Ryan Knight of Gloucestershire. Neil Davidson though continued his quest for glory by beating Oxfordshire’s David Wiggins 10-5 and moved into the quarter-finals and a match against Mitchell Harvey of West Mids. Unfortunately that was as good as it got for the Hempnall star as he slipped to a 9-5 defeat. In the semi-finals Mitchell Harvey lost by 14-5 to Gloucestershire’s Ryan Knight while Cheshire’s Adam Smith beat Bronagh Toleman 11-6. In the final Knight beat Smith 10-8 to claim the title that he previously won in 2015.