On Sunday 10th April, Norfolk hosted the 2016 Six Counties Championship, at Braintree Leisure Centre.

Once again this year it was another nailbiting finish with nothing decided until the final session.

Right from the start it was clear that Hertfordshire, who finished in last place in 2015, were going to be contenders. With 3 sessions completed they were on 20 points, having lost only 2 games as they took 10 points each from Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. They were 2 points clear of Suffolk who had lost 2 games to Cambridgeshire and one to Essex. These two were already well ahead of Bedfordshire and Norfolk (10 points), Essex (8 points) and Cambridgeshire (6 points) who were struggling, although they now had Hertfordshire and Suffolk out of the way.

The pair of sessions in the middle of the day saw a change at the top as Suffolk took all 12 points off Bedfordshire, while Hertfordshire only just bettered Norfolk 7-5. That put Suffolk 3 points clear with 30 points and increased the gap between the top two and the rest of the field. Norfolk were now 3rd (15 points) while Cambridgeshire's position was much improved as they took 8 points off Essex. They stayed 5th while Bedfordshire, unable to add to their tally dropped to last place.

Over the next couple of sessions the gap at the top first opened and then closed back up and with one session and 4 games left to play Suffolk were now up to 40 points having taken 8 off Norfolk. And with Hertfordshire getting the same off Essex they were still 3 points back, but importantly the final session would see 4 games between the top two.

Cambridgeshire, having got the best of their encounter with Bedfordshire (winning 8-4) were now up to third on 24 points. Norfolk had slipped back to 4th (21 points), Essex were still 5th on 20 points and Bedfordshire were on 14.

The final set of games, then, would decide the outcome of the event. Suffolk would need 3 points while Hertfordshire would need to win 3 of the 4 games.

In the other games Bedfordshire could only pick up 3 points against Essex, leaving them 6th with 17 points. That in turn lifted Essex up to 4th on 25 points, just ahead of Norfolk on shots, after they shared the points with Cambridgeshire who finished 3rd, albeit some way off the two leaders.

In the Herts v Suffolk encounter on it was clear early on that one of the games was going Suffolk's way. That one went to Suffolk 15-1 and was the first to finish, leaving them needing just one more point. The second game to finish went from 4-4 at 7 ends to a 9-5 Herts victory, restoring the gap. Meanwhile in the other two games could go either way with a small advantage being held by Herts in one and Suffolk in the other. But it was Suffolk who just managed to hold their nerve as they came from behind to secure a 7-7 draw and the winning point in one game, and held on to a 10-9 win in the other.

That left Suffolk with a winning margin of 5 points, one that looks a good deal more comfortable than it actually was as they fought off a very strong challenge from Hertfordshire whose points tally would have been enough to win the event last year.

A copy of all the day's results can be downloaded here.