Norfolk's ladies will hope to seek revenge on Cambridgeshire in the first round of the Johns Trophy at St Neots next weekend after a disappointing day at the office on Sunday, losing out by 10 shots in the double rink discipline.

The rink skipped by Christine Webb with Jayne Roylance, Jackie Devitt and Rebecca Field in support got off to a bad start, 8-2 and 14-6 behind, though a run of six shots unanswered between ends 14 and 17 put them back in the frame with four left to play.

On end 18 a chance for another count slipped away from them and two singles and a count of a double against left them trailing 19-14 with one to play.

A final two would make little difference to the final result and they walked off the green with a final score of 16-19.

The other rink of Louise Knights, Suzanne King, Jenny Kirby and Brenda Whitehead were neck and neck up to five ends before a promising count of three to take the score to 6-3 in Norfolk's favour.

However, they couldn't use the momentum and scores of four, one and three against them put the Cambridgeshire side in control which is where they stayed for the rest of the match – the telling blow on end 18 where they picked up a count of four followed by a three for the score to read 23-11.

The Norfolk four rallied at the end with a three and a two but it was an unassailable lead for the Cambridgeshire quartet with the scoreline finishing 16-23 against the ladies in red.

Norfolk will return to Cambridgeshire on Saturday to play the six rink Johns side.

Final results: R Field, J Devitt, J Roylance, C Webb 16, L Chapman, L Papworth, V Hughes, C Salisbury 19. L Knights, S King, J Kirby, B Whitehead 16, A How, C Locking, S Alexander, J Stephens 23.

North Cambs played their first county game of the season on Saturday at home to North Essex.

After 31 ends of bowls the teams had both scored 152 shots resulting in a draw. However, North Essex won four of the six rinks, giving them 13 points to North Cambs' nine points.

Due to a shortage of bowlers North Cambs are able to field only one team in the Adams Trophy competition and have had to withdraw from the Newton Trophy competition.