Two Norwich Cup games went to the wire with final sessions deciding the issues at both Thorpe Marriott and Hevingham. Harling Rec of the Breckland League were the visitors at Thorpe Marriott with the home side starting as firm favourites to progress into the quarter-finals. The first session was shared with Sheila Redwood, Andy George & Richard Perkins winning 7-6 for Marriott and Chris Jones, Nigel Battley & M Tarrent winning 8-5 for Harling. The second session saw Sylvia & Tony Turner in great form winning 11-1 in their pairs game but Val Hester & Matt Cunningham replied with a 7-4 win for Harling on the other mat. The third session failed to separate the teams as Jenny Walker, Mandy Marshall & John Jarvis reeled off an 11-4 win for Thorpe Marriott but the visitors kept the match level on points as M Tarrent’s triple won again this time by 8-6. Going into the final session of pairs level on points, but 10 shots up, Thorpe Marriott looked likely to emerge as winners if they could win on one of the mats but Harling had other ideas. The visitors finally broke the deadlock as Jill & Colin Hayman beat Janet Pinchen & Mick Harris 6-4 and Val Hester & Matt Cunningham beat Sylvia & Tony Turner 8-6 to earn themselves a place in the quarter-final draw. At Hevingham the home side again started as favourites against a visiting Horsford BC side that had struggled to contain Hevingham in their recent Bure Cup cup-tie. Gill Bunn, Alan Bunn & David Sharpe of Hevingham opened in blistering form with a 20-1 win but Barbara Ayers, Terry Raisbury & Ray Ayers kept the game level on points with a 9-7 win for Horsford BC. The second session was again shared with Pat Williamson & Marjorie Hall winning 9-7 for Hevingham and Piero Cognetti & Paul Isgate winning 6-4 for Horsford. The third session saw Horsford BC shake the home side by moving into an 8-4 points lead with Dennis Seaton, Ernie Mills & Janet Seaton winning 10-6 and Ray Ayers’ triple winning their second game of the night by 13-7. On shots though Hevingham held a seven shot advantage so knew that a win on both mats, something that had eluded them all evening, would be enough to see them through. Both Hevingham pairs this time achieved a great start to pull away from their opposition with Pat Williamson & Marjorie Hall winning by 14-4 against Piero Cognetti & Paul Isgate and Teresa & Selwyn Goldsmith winning 12-0 against Christine & John Bugg. Horsford BC can be pleased with their performance on the night but will be disappointed to have fallen at the last hurdle while Hevingham breathed a sigh of relief to pull this one out of the fire.
Jill Hayman of Harling
Marjorie Hall of Hevingham