FIVE teams and supporters from Salisbury Bowling Club were among 32 teams from all over the south of England taking part in this year’s Open Fours competition at Bembridge, on the Isle of Wight.

And, one of Salisbury’s teams came home with the honours after a nailbiting final which saw them triumph over a team from Gravesend.

The competition, spread over three days, has each team playing a minimum of three matches with a time limit, leading up to the quarter-finals, semi-final and the final all played on the third day.

Four of Salisbury’s teams failed to get past the preliminary rounds but the team of Di Kerley, Colin Hardiman, Rose Pattenden and skipper, Merv Ford, won all three of their matches and went on to beat Okehampton in the quarter finals. They then beat one team from Gravesend in the semi-final to go into the final against a second Gravesend team.

Played over 11 ends with no time limit, Salisbury slipped to a three shot deficit but steadily got back into the game to take the lead. It was a close match with Salisbury’s lead at one point, of 12 shots to three, being cut to just one shot on the 10th end. But, Salisbury held their nerve and maintained their advantage to take the honours.