It may have played second fiddle to the mixed pairs final, but the 'open' singles match in which Norfolk's own Mervyn King edged home, 6-7, 7-5, 2-1, against the Scottish International Open champion Nicky Brett, from the City of Ely, was hailed as the best game of the Just Retirement World Indoor Bowls Championships so far.

Both players went through their wide repertoire of shots, drawing to the proverbial sixpence, but attacking when in trouble – and the outcome was in doubt right up until Brett's final delivery fell agonisingly short, and gave King his place in the quarter finals.

The win, of course, went down well with the Potters crowd, to whom Mervyn King is a very special local hero, but they appreciated Brett's skill, too, and gave the talented duo a standing ovation at the end of a classic encounter.

'Not bad for an old boy,' said the 48-year-old King, in his familiar Norfolk drawl. 'Can I go all the way this year? – Well, I'm in the last eight now, which means I must stand a chance.'

Reflecting the amateur nature of the sport, King will be back at work tomorrow at an estate on the north Norfolk coast. 'We've got some tree-felling to be done, but I won't be doing any of that before the quarter finals on Friday,' he assured his fans.

'I was slow to start, and was 5-1 down after six ends, but I got my game together, and thought I played really well,' King said.

'Nicky and I play together in the England side, and we know each other quite well, so it was a very enjoyable game to play.'

At the end of that first set, King scored a double and a treble, to take the lead at 6-5, and opened the last end with a back-toucher that looked good enough to give him the set.

Brett escaped brilliantly to hold the shot, and added the winner with a delicate draw with his last bowl, so King had his work cut out to level the scores by winning the second set.

It was cut-and-thrust throughout that set, with King, famed as a specialist drawing player, using force more often than usual, and it was a superb drive that took the jack through to the back of the rink that save the match, and win the set.

Brett won the first end of the tiebreak, King the second, and, on a tense sudden death third end, King drew an inch-perfect toucher that remained in pole position until Brett ditched the jack with a ruthless strike.

With room to draw, King finished close to the ditch, and Brett's last bowl ran out of petrol before it had completed its journey down the rink.

The morning game between world number three Rob Paxton, from Taunton, and Welsh wizard Jason Greenslade, the number 11 seed, was also a cracker, with Paxton drawing consistently, and Greenslade on target with most of his strikes.

Paxton won the first set, 8-6, but Greenslade looked on course to take him to a tiebreak when he stated the second set with two trebles – but Paxton steadied the ship, and managed to tie the set at 7-7, and earned his place in the last eight.

Standing between Paxton and a place in the semi finals is the winner of tomorrow's second round match between veterans Andy Thomson, 58, and John Price, who is 53, while King faces Jonathan Ross who beat Les Gillett 7-6, 8-4 in last night's match.

Results

Mixed pairs final: Laura Thomas (Wales) & Paul Foster (Scotland) bt Katherine Rednall & Andy Thomson (England) 10-8, 11-3.

Singles: Robert Paxton (England) bt Jason Greenslade (Wales) 8-6, 7-7; Mervyn King (England) bt Nick Brett (England) 6-7, 7-5, 2-1; Jonathan Ross (Scotland) bt Les Gillett (England) 7-6, 8-4.

Today's programme

Just Retirement WBT World Indoor Bowls Championships:

10am – Women's singles semi final – Rebecca Field (Eng) v Julie Forrest (Scot).

1pm – 'Open' singles – 2nd round – Stewart Anderson (Scot) v Robert Weale (Wales).

2.30pm (approx) – Women's singles semi-final – Katherine Rednall (Eng) v Ali Merrien (Guernsey).

7.30pm – Greg Harlow (Eng) v Darren Burnett (Scot).