The men’s pairs was a tough battle with every match going the full distance - decided by a three-end tie-break after finishing one-all in the two nine-end sets.

The two Tim’s defeated brothers Mathew and Michael McIntyre in their first qualifier yesterday morning while West Dubbo’s Les Williams and Ted Cassidy did likewise.

It was a turn up for the books after Matthew had beaten Michael in the men’s singles final to qualify for the Australian Open on Monday.

But they had to turn their focus to today’s triples event, while the third round robin fixture, between the Coonabarabran pair and the West Dubbo pair, would decide who was bound for Victoria.

The match started well with Wark guiding the pair to a 9-8 win in the first set, before Cassidy hit back winning 13-2 in the second.

Cassidy then drew a shot on the first end of the tie-break, but Wark won four shots on the second and three on the third to take the tie-break 7-1.

“The four shots on the second end of the tie-break pretty much sealed the deal for Tim and Tim,” West Dubbo bowls co-ordinator Tim Farrell said.

“There has been plenty of close bowls with quite a few matches going to tie-breaks in both men and women.”

The pair join women’s singles bowlers Susan Clarke (Trangie) and Alison Jeffery (West Dubbo) and Dubbo Railway’s Matt McIntyre in the men’s singles to have already qualified for the Australian Open.

“Like Matt (McIntyre) and Alison, Tim Wark and Tim Wilkinson are two young blokes trying to break into the scene and with Tim Wilkinson still not yet 18 it will do nothing but good for him.

“Hopefully they can represent the country area well.”

Today the men’s and women’s triples will take place while the women’s pairs was still being fought out late yesterday evening.