Competition leaders Sharnie's Boys and second-placed Smashes entered their clash with the fate of the minor premiership hinging on the result.

Smashes needed to win to keep their first-place chances alive but their hopes were soon in tatters after dropping the first three rubbers to trail 6-1.

They recovered to get back to 7-5 down nearing the halfway mark but Sharnie's Boys went into the doubles with a handy three-game gap at 13-10.

Smashes tightened it up by taking a close 2-0 result in the first doubles and suddenly it was anyone's match at 13-12. The teams split the first two games of the second doubles, leaving the final game to decide the outcome.

Smashes took it comfortably, but the resulting 14-all tie was enough to see Sharnie's Boys clinch the minor premiership with one round remaining.

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Jason Bailey was best for Sharnie's Boys with 6-1, the night's best record, while Mick Wagner went the distance at 4-5 and Leon Rust scored 3-4.

Linda Kappos and Peter Jaccoud both broke even at 4-4 for Smashes, and Matthew Kappos went 2-5.

Grippers' hopes of avoiding the wooden spoon centred on them knocking over third-placed Charolais and they made a solid start by leading 5-4 after three rubbers.

A 6-2 Charolais run put them in front 10-7 and they maintained the status quo at 14-11 entering the doubles. Grippers took the first doubles 2-0 to get within one at 14-13 to again leave the last rubber as the decider.

Charolais snuck in 2-1 for them to finish in front 16-14 in an entertaining match that saw eight of the eleven rubbers go the full three-game distance.

All of the Charolais side made good contributions to the win, with Kelly Gurney going 5-2, Pauline Wellfare 5-4 and Sean Jenkins 4-5.

Lou Kappos (5-4) just made it into the black for confirmed cellar-dwellers Grippers, while Riza Wiradi ended square at 4-4 and Shane Eagle went 2-6.

The competition now goes into a two-week hiatus for the school holiday period and play will recommence on April 21, with the last regular season round allowing teams to get ready for the play-offs.

Pointscore: Sharnie's Boys 26, Smashes 20, Charolais 16, Grippers 6.

Matches for April 21: Round 9; Sharnie's Boys v Charolais. Grippers v Smashes.

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