The first places for Norfolk at the national finals have been decided in the fours competition .

Sheila Malyon, Pauline Wright, Jan Dearman and Thelma Scarffe from Swaffham BC and Shirley Hunter, Janet Chapple, Elaine Cole and Lianne Mills from RG Carters were victorious in their semi-finals.

The team from Swaffham will face Devon B in the preliminary round at 2pm on Monday August 7 and Mills' quartet will play Sussex B at 9.30 the following day.

Played at RG Carters Bowling Club, the home quartet qualified in nail-biting fashion against Acle's Ada Sumpter, Marie Morton, Barbara Meeks and Jenny Kirby. Nip and tuck all the way through, the game ebbed and flowed. It was three all at five ends before a run of three ends put the RG Carters's team 7-3 up. But Acle responded and battled back to lead 9-8. The game continued in this fashion and at end 18 the scores were poised at 13-12 in RG Carters' favour. It was the team from RG Carters however, with the Cole and Mills mother-daughter duo at three and skip, who took the opportunity, a double and a single giving them a four-shot lead going into the last end.

But Jenny Kirby's team weren't done yet and as the skips changed ends Acle held the five they needed for the win. It wasn't to be, however, with Mills drawing third bowl with her first. While Kirby added another with her last to take it back to three in their favour, the final shot to take it to an extra laid just out of her reach, and the four from RG Carters celebrated their victory.

The second semi-final was again competitively fought. It is fair to say that the score card shows the team from Swaffham with their noses in front for most of the match, but with the Downham Market quartet consistently putting the pressure on in difficult conditions, the team from Swaffham with experienced duo of Jan Dearman and Thelma Scarffe had their work cut out.

The two teams will face each other in the county final held at RG Carters in early July.

Results: Ada Sumpter, Marie Morton, Barbara Meeks, Jenny Kirby (Acle) 15, Shirley Hunter, Janet Chapple, Elaine Cole, Lianne Mills 16. Pam English, Chris Kellow, Dot Evans, Pauline Farnham 16, Sheila Malyon, Pauline Wright, Jan Dearman, Thelma Scarffe 18.