YORK'S Melanie Brooks and Charles Bateman set their sights on the Golden Charter English National Mixed Pairs bowl title at Cambridge Chesterton this weekend.

Sixteen pairs have battled their way through several qualifying rounds to reach these grand finals.

It is a straightforward knockout format and Brooks and Bateman play Newquay, Cornwall, duo Joyce Hadfield and Tim Phillips, who are trying to keep the title in their county, Bodmin's Duncan Hayne and Brenda Smith having won it last year.

If the York pair clear this opening hurdle, they will meet the winners of the clash between Egham, Surrey (Christine Wooler, Barrie Emanuel) and Desborough (Lorraine and Malcolm Woodley) for a place in Sunday's semi-finals.

Among those competing in the other half of the draw are legendary record seven times world indoor pairs champions Tony Allcock and his Mid Glos partner Glenys Hook and newly crowned English pairs title holder Billy Jackson and his Lincoln clubmate Jill Edson.

While in the same half of the draw as Brooks and Bateman, Ann Knott, from Hebburn, Tyne and Wear, winner of the English singles and Champion of Champions title last year, catches the eye.

Updated: 11:39 Friday, April 13, 2001