Gunnedah duo Dylan Eather and Scott Thorning survived a late scare to be crowned Zone 3 Open Pairs Champions.
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The Gunnedah Services & Bowling club pair edged out Wee Waa's Todd Cowan and Justin Knight - who were part of the team named Zone 3 Open Fours champions earlier this year - to take out the regional final at South Tamworth Bowling Club.
Eather and Thorning got out to a six-shot lead midway through the match but a four-shot end to Wee Waa late in the piece got them within one.
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At this point, Thorning had a sense of dread run through him.
"The last few times I've played Justin, I think he's beat me by one or two and I thought it was going to happen again," Thorning said.
"He's one of the best bowlers going around the zone at the moment."
However, the Gunnedah duo bounced back immediately and went on to win 20-16.
It means the pair will have to extend their trip to Ettalong Bowling Club this year where the state finals will be held.
Eather and Thorning had already booked a trip to Ettalong after they combined with Scott's son Tim to win the Zone 3 Triples Championship in April.
"It's good. You're giving yourself a chance," Thorning said of progressing to the finals.
"I won it [state championship] with Nathan [Wise] in 2014 in the pairs so maybe it might come again - you never know."
Meanwhile, the Zone 3 Senior Pairs Champions were South Tamworth's Steve Graham and Ken Lachlan while Peter Seagrott and Tim Austin from Tamworth City were crowned President's Reserve Pairs Champions.
The three winning sides will all compete at the state finals to be held at Ettalong on August 20-29.
ZONE 3 FINALS RESULTS
Open Pairs
Dylan Eather and Scott Thorning (Gunnedah Services & BC) defeated Todd Cowan and Justin Knight (Wee Waa) 20-16
Senior Pairs
Steve Graham and Ken Lachlan (South Tamworth) defeated David Samuelsson and Rex Skuthorpe (Lightning Ridge) 24-20
President's Reserve Pairs
Peter Seagrott and Tim Austin (Tamworth City) defeated Danny Seaton and Paul Brown (Lightning Ridge) 22-12