Tenby's Gold Cup tournament, widely regarded as the most prestigious event of its kind in West Wales, is building to an exciting climax.

Since Sunday, 112 bowlers from across England and Wales have been doing battle on the Sutton Street green for the Gold Cup itself and the Percy Howells Silver Bowl, the two most sought after titles in Pembrokeshire.

The 79th prestigious tournament, which has a total prize money of £2,090 up for grabs, has once again provided a feast of bowling, much to the delight of a large crowd of spectators, who have been treated to matches of the highest calibre in sweltering weather conditions.

The glorious sunshine has also enabled tournament organiser, Bert Barnikel, and his assistants, Ted Brutnell and John Baggott, to maintain their daily schedule, which has thrown up a few surprise results, and as we were going to press yesterday (Thursday), there was still plenty of local interest in both the Gold Cup and Silver Bowl contests.

Still with his sights on retaining the Gold Cup is 2002 champion, Tom Daniel, of Beaufort, while hot on his heels is four times winner and last year's runner-up, David Kingdon, of Brynhyfryd, Llanelli, who is another hotly tipped contender and is on course to lift the 'dream double' after progressing through the opening rounds with ease.

In fact, it could be something of a father and son final as David's father, Brian, is also bowling well and is still looking to lift both titles.

Also flying the flag for David's club is Robin Burden, who is also still in with a shout for both trophies, while a number of other bowlers are also giving organisers a headache by maintaining interest in both events as the fifth day dawned, including Tenby's own Terry Preston, Roy Thomas, of Milford, Jason Rogers, of Pontryhydfen, and Silver Bowl holder and 1993 Gold winner, Kieran Peregrine, of Ammanford Park.

Among others hoping to strike 'gold' are Tenby club captain Patrick Currie and clubmate Peter Day and former winner Alan McCarley, of Llanelli, while among those seeking Silver Bowl glory is our own former Welsh international, Paul Diment, David Newth and previous double winner Lee Williamson.

"Everything has been running like clockwork," Bert told the Observer yesterday (Thursday).

"There has been some enthralling bowling and the weather has been brilliant, which together really make the tournament as successful as it is.

"We have had a strong field of contestants and I'm pleased that the local lads are holding their own. It has also been lovely to see a number of youngsters taking to the green along with our regular entrants.

"We have had excellent support from people volunteering to mark games and umpire; the only problem we have encountered is that a number of our star bowlers are in the both competitions!"

"One exciting game worthy of a mention was between Tenby's Gerald Hewitt and Tim Watkins, of Abergavenny," Bert said.

"It was a quality match and it had been nip and tuck all the way. On the 25th end, the score was 20-all," he explained.

"Gerald drew an immaculate shot four inches behind the jack, which survived until Tim's last brilliant bowl, which wedged between the jack and the bowl to win 21-20."

But, whatever the result during the week, there has always been a cheering cup of tea and a cake or two in the clubhouse, dispensed by an enthusiastic team of ladies behind the refreshment bar.

As the event, sponsored by Carlsberg/Tetley enters its final stages, play also commenced yesterday (Thursday) for the Five Arches two-wood pairs cup, open to players eliminated in the main trophies.

Semi-finals take place tomorrow (Saturday) morning, with the all-important finals starting at 2 pm.

Early results were as follows:

Gold Cup

PRELIMINARY ROUND

Roy Murray 18 Lee Morgan 21; Gareth Davies scr. Hugh Andrews w/o; Keith Peregrine 21 Dilwyn Jones 18; Jason Rogers 21 Robert Davies 16; Jonathan Hubbard 10 Malcolm Bishop 21; Ceri Evans 21 Mervyn Davies 5; Tim Watkins 14 Tom Daniel 21; Aled Evans 8 Robert Blacklaw 21; Danny Price 4 Wyndham Pettit 21; Ken Adams scr. Mark Howells w/o; Keith Evans 21 Peter Haines 18; Mike Prosser scr. M. Leonard w/o; Stuart Askew 4 Brian Richards 21; Neil Rees scr. Mike Rees w/o; Daniel Davies Jr. 21 John Baggott 18; Keith Jones 15 Roy Thomas 21.

D. E. Davies 18 Chris Court 21; David Spencer 12 David Morgan 21; Alan McCarley w/o Bill Stephens scr.; Manfred Davies 21 Aled Howells 5; D. Dearling 21 Almor Thomas 6; David W. Owens 11 Harry Phillips 21; Colin Rees 6 Keiran Peregrine 21; Bill Bailey w/o Alan Redman scr.; Bert Barnikel 21 David St. John 10; Eric Davies scr. Bill Warren w/o; Lenny Lacy 7 Bryan Kingdon 21; Richard Janes w/o Reg Thake scr.; Tom Osborne 21 Glan Evans 14; Lee Williamson 21 John Evans 3; Paul Diment 21 K. F. Davies 15; Eddy Oliver 10 Martin Watts 21; David Evans 3 Roy Powling 21.

Ron A. Harris 14 David Newth 21; Matthew Partridge 21 David Watkins 15; Palmerino Grasso 4 Colin Davies 21; Peter Toomey 21 Tommy Nutt 19; Ray Holly 14 Wyndham Rees 21; Richard Waters 20 Maurice McCue 21; Roland Hudson 21 Jeremy Watkins 19; Malcolm Davies 21 Ieuan Owen 16; Maxie Donoghue 11 Robin Burden 21.

Peter Jenkins 21 Stan Harries 19; Gerald Hewitt 13 Brian Chapman 21; Colin Smith 21 Ron Walters 20; David Kingdon 21 Bill Oakley 6; Sid Butler 21 David King Thomas 10; John Davies 21 T. Vickery 16.

FIRST ROUND

L. Morgan 21 H. Andrews 11; Keith Peregrine 17 J. Rogers 21; M. Bishop w/o C. Evans scr.; T. Daniels 21 R. Blacklaw 8; W. Pettit 13 M. Howells 21; K. Evans 19 M. Leonard 21; B. Richards 21 M. Rees 11; D. Davies jnr. 15 R. Thomas 21; C. Court 9 D. Morgan 21; A. Mccarley 21 M. Davies 15; D. Dearling 15 H. Phillips 21.

Keiron Peregrine 21 B. Bailey 7; B. Barnikel 17 W. Warren 21; B. Kingdon 21 R. James 18; T. Osborne 8 L.Williamson 21; P. Diment 7 M. Watts 21; R. Powling 12 D. Newth 21; M. Partridge 19 C. Davies 21; P. Toomey 15 W. Rees 21; M. McCue 9 R. Hudson 21; M. Davies 14 R. Burden 21; P. Jenkins 21 B. Chapman 15; C. Smith 15 D. Kingdon 21; S. Butler 21 J. Davies 10; Mike Oliver 4 Rod Hugh 23; David J. Evans 21 Brian Diment 16; Haydn Guy scr. P. Currie w/o; Martyn Harries 21 Philip Jones 16; Elwyn Langford 18 Terry Preston 21; John King scr. E. J. Davies w/o; Peter Day 21 Bob Bullen 13; Phillip Carpenter 21 Jonathan Webb 9.

SECOND ROUND

L. Morgan 10 J. Rogers 21; M. Bishop 5 T. Daniel 21; M. Howells 21 M. Leonard 9; B. Richards 14 R. Thomas 21; D. Morgan 2 A. McCarley 21; H. Phillips 6 Keiron Peregrine 21; W. Warren 11 B. Kingdon 21; L. Williamson 19 M. Watts 21; D. Newth 10 C. Davies 21; W. Rees 21 R. Hudson 10; R. Burden 21 P. Jenkins 11; D. Kingdon 23 S. Butler 13; R. Hugh 21 D. J. Evans 8; P. Currie 21 M. Harries 12; T. Preston w/o D. J. Davies scr.; P. Day 21 P. Carpenter 18.

Silver Bowl

PRELIMINARY ROUND

Roy Powling 19 Tommy Nutt 21; Stuart Askew 10 Sid Butler 22; Rod Hugh w/o Bill Stephens scr.; Roy Thomas 21 Keith Evans 20; Danny Price 21 David Spencer 10; Malcolm Bishop 21 Peter Haines 14; K. F. Davies 22 Aled Howells 14; Peter Jenkins 21 Patrick Currie 20; David Morgan 21 Bob Bullen 8; Bryan Kingdon 21 Mark Howells 3; Tom Daniel 21 A. McCarley 8; Keith Peregrine 21 Richard Janes 16; Aled Evans w/o Eric Davies scr. Roland Hudson 21 Bert Barnikel 11; Keith Jones 11 Maurice McCue 21; Colin Rees 21 D. Dearling 11.

Tom Osborne w/o Neil Rees scr.; Jason Rogers 21 David St. John 7; John Evans 9 David Evans 21; Wyndham Pettit 21 Maxie Donoghue 14; Reg Thake scr. Gareth Davies w/o; Colin Davies 21 Eddy Oliver 11; Ceri Evans 8 Harry Phillips 21; Phillip Jones w/o John King scr.; Bill Warren 21 R. A. Harris 8; Terry Preston 21 Jonathan Webb 6; Almor Thomas 8 Wyndham Rees 21; M. Leonard 11 Brian Richards 21; Peter Day 21 Jeremy Watkins 19; Bill Bailey 15 Glan Evans 21; Robert Blacklaw 21 Ieuan Owen 10; Lee Williamson 21 D. E. Davies 8; Mike Oliver 8 Chris Court 21.

Paul Diment 21 Ron Walters 18; Manfred Davies w/o Mike Prosser scr.; Roy Murray 12 Lee Morgan 21; Mervyn Davies w/o Alan Redman scr.; John Davies 4 Phillip Carpenter 21; Stan Harries 11 Robert Davies 21; Palmerino Grasso scr. Martyn Harries w/o; Haydn Guy 6 Richard Waters 21; Bill Oakley 15 Martin Watts 21; Elwyn Langford 14 Brian Chapman 21; David Kingdon 21 Mike Rees 15; Keiran Peregrine 21 Malcolm Davies 13; Gerald Hewitt 20 Tim Watkins 21; Ken Adams scr. David J. Evans w/o; Daniel Davies Jnr. 13 Ray Holly 21.

FIRST ROUND

T. Nutt 21 S. Butler 6; R. Hugh 13 R. Thomas 21; D. Price 21 M. Bishop 5; K. F. Davies w/o P. Jenkins conceded; D. Morgan 18 B. Kingdon 21; T. Daniel 21 Keith Peregrine 6; A. Evans 21 R. Hudson 18; M. McCue 12 C. Rees 21; T. Osborne scr. J. Rogers w/o; D. Evans 21 W. Pettit 9; G. Davies scr. C. Davies w/o; H. Phillips conceded P. Jones w/o; W. Warren 4 T. Preston 21; W. Rees 21 B. Richards 16; P. Day 21 G. Evans 17; R. Blacklaw 14 L. Williamson 21; C. Court scr. P. Diment w/o; M. Davies 21 L. Morgan 12; M. Davies scr. P. Carpenter w/o; R. Davies w/o M. Harries conceded; R. Waters 21 M. Watts 17; B. Chapman 4 D. Kingdon 21; Keiran Peregrine 21 T. Watkins 13; D. J. Evans 6 R. Holly 21.

Colin Smith 14 Peter Toomey 21; Nigel Davies 15 Matthew Partridge 21; Jonathan Hubbard 21 Brian Diment 11; David Newth 21 John Baggott 12; Lenny Lacy 21 Dilwyn Jones 13; Robin Burden 21 David Watkins 1; David W. Owens 21 T. Vickery 8; David King Thomas 21 Hugh Andrews 14.

SECOND ROUND

T. Nutt 12 R. Thomas 21; D. Price 21 K. F. Davies 18; B. Kingdon 21 T. Daniel 12; A. Evans 20 C. Rees 21; J. Rogers 21 D. Evans 16; C. Davies 20 P. Jones 21; T. Preston 21 W. Rees 15; P. Day 16 L. Williamson 21; P. Diment 21 M. Davies 10; P. Carpenter 21 R. Davies 9; R. Waters 5 D. Kingdon 21; Keiran Peregrine 21 R. Holly 11; P. Toomey 19 M. Partridge 21; J. Hubbard 11 D. Newth 21; L. Lacy 13 R. Burden 21; D. W. Owens 21 D. K. Thomas 14.