The odds will be stacked against the South Otago pair of Marilyn Patterson and Wynette McLachlan when they face the World Bowls champions in the women's pairs final at the national bowls championships this morning.
The South Otago pair convincingly won their semifinal against the Composite pair of Joanne Toogood and Averil Fowler 23-9.
World champions Val Smith and Jo Edwards won their semifinal against Lois Grey and Pam Phair (Elmwood) 17-9.
They won the pairs title together in 2003.
This is the second time that McLachlan has made a national final.
She was runner-up in the singles to Barbara Kunicich (Bayswater) in 1981.
McLachlan will be attempting to emulate the deeds of her husband Winston, who won the men's pairs title in 1986.
It was the last time a member of her Clinton club had won a national title.
"I won't be overawed," McLachlan said.
"We will be both using the same round bowls and we will give it our best."
Her lead Marilyn Patterson, who has won 14 South Otago centre titles and has been playing bowls for 12 years, is not so confident.
"We will try to do our best but it will be a bit daunting," she admitted.
Smith and Edwards will not be complacent.
"We have learnt that you must never underestimate any opponent," Smith said.
Edwards is in two finals tomorrow and does not believe the task will be too hard on her, physically.
"I would like to get the double," she said.
"It is just another two games, which will be easier than some of the days at the championships."
McLachlan, who runs a dairy farm at Popotunoa with her husband, first made her mark with small indoor bowls.
She has won eight New Zealand titles in indoor bowls and represented New Zealand from 1979 to 2003.
She has won 23 South Otago centre titles in the 33 years she has played outdoor bowls and knows how to win.
It was McLachlan who kept the South Otago side in the game during the first eight ends, when Toogood had the better of the lead bowls.
McLachlan is a tenacious bowler who has honed the push and nudge shots that she learnt when playing with her husband in Australia and her drives were also accurate.
The South Otago pair took control from the ninth end, when Patterson began putting her lead bowls on the spot.
McLachan fed off them to add the extra shots.
South Otago drew ahead when they scored six shots from the ninth to the 11th ends, to lead 13-5 and completed the game by scoring 10 shots on the last four ends.
The 11th end was critical, when McLachlan trailed the jack back and Fowler drove out her own bowl to give the South Otago team four shots.
Smith and Edwards showed patience when they slowed the game down and just concentrated on getting the shot against the Elmwood pair.
Grey and Phair scored four in the first end but the world champions shut them out after that and scored 12 shots on the next nine ends to lead 12-5.
The rink was tricky after the rain but it changed as it dried out, Smith said.
The men's and women's pairs finals start at the Taieri headquarters green at 9.30am and both singles will follow at about 11.30am.
The start yesterday was delayed until 11am yesterday because the greens were flooded after heavy overnight rain that did not stop until around 10am.
