GRIMSBY Open Bowls Tournament's Open Pairs draw has produced some mouthwatering ties.

Defending champions Andy Parrott and Brian Eekhout (Vikings BC) begin their defence of the title against David Thomas and Bernard Sanderson (N Kelsey BC).

Other first round games which stand out are the 2005 runners-up Peter Clarke and Barry Cammell (Sussex BC) against the 2009 Cleethorpes Open runners-up Jonathan Darley and Tony Musson (Clee/Blossom Way BCs) in a repeat of their first round game in 2009.

The 2008 title holders Terry Wood and Robert Dalby (Carr Lane BC) will face the strong father and son pairing of Gary and David Langley (Scartho Clee BC).

The 2009 runner-up Allan Dent Snr, this year teams up with his son Allan Dent Jnr (Louth IBC) and will be looking to advance towards another title on his CV – if they can get past the winners of the preliminary game between Ann Johnson and Margaret Roberts (Habrough BC) or George Hilton and Peter Noble (Ordsall BC).

Last year's semi-finalist, Caroline Cullum, partners with daughter Ruth (Kingsway Printers BC) with whom she won the Triples last year and has a tough opening game against the 2009 Cleethorpes Singles winner John Belton, partnered by Dave Nicholl (Waltham BC).

Strong challenges for the title will also come from outside of the area with players such as Anita and Colin Barks (Eagle BC), Bob Stevens and Janet Eames (Bilsthorpe BC), Ted and Iris Coulson (Eagle BC), Bill Bateman and Trevor Barlow (Alford BC) and Marion Williams and Bill Pickering (Boultham Park BC) all of whom have figured in the latter stages of the competition in recent years.

Open pairs draw – to be played on Monday at Sussex Recreation Ground

Preliminary Round 9.30am (18 ends): P1 Charlie Gore & Steve Spencer-Davies Grimsby BC v Dennis & Norman Cheater Beverley Walkington BC P2 Stan Short & Harold Dixon Goxhill BC v Andy Marshall & Ernie White Stallingborough Habrough BC P3 Ann Johnson & Margaret Roberts Habrough BC v George Hilton & Peter Noble Retford Ordsall BC P4 Grahame Harris & Jim Sorley Waltham BC v John Brown & Barbara Thompson Scotter Blossom Way BC P5 Peter Clarke & Barry Cammell Sussex BC v Jonathan Darley & Tony Musson Clee BC P6 John & Rose Stokes Bilsthorpe BC v Tony Hebblewhite & Barrow on Humber Goxhill BC P7 Gwen & Dave Jarrett Vikings BC v Pat Lewis & Grant Thorold BC P8 Peter Pulfrey & Paul Wright Grant Thorold BC v Victor Blake & David Lee Grimsby BC P9 James Duncan & Waltham Park BC v Ian Jackson & Jim Cole Unattached P10 Norman Dodsworth & Don Scales Sussex BC v Brian Elford & Roger Scales Blossom Way BC P11 Tracey Dent & Clee BC v Doug Bray & Barretts BC P12 David & Gary Langley Scartho Clee BC v Terry Wood & Robert Dalby Carr Lane BC.

Round One (Group One) 10.45am (18 ends): 1 Laura-Jane Duncan & Anderson Waltham Park BC v Margaret Upton & Denise Weeden Sussex BC 2 Andy Parrott & Brian Eekhout Vikings BC v David Thomas & Bernard Sanderson Owmby North Kelsey BC 3 Andy Arundel & Waltham Park BC v John Holmes & Joe Barratt Sheffield Worksop CSC BC 4 Anita & Colin Barks Eagle BC v Alan & Sean Brown Vikings BC 5 Kevin Lewis & Fred Mellows Lincoln Eagle BC v John Hopkinson & Allan Trown Doncaster Haxey BC 6 Bob Stevens & Janet Eames Bilsthorpe BC v Graham Coxon & Cyril Hayes Worksop CSC BC 7 Barry Tutty & Susan Swan Laceby BC v Janine Mountain & Irene East Humberston CC BC 8 Bill Johnson & Brenda Land Waltham BC v Colin Bedford & Brian Kilby Market Deeping Market Deeping BC 9 Martin & Kay Steer Immingham Sussex BC v Wendy Newman & Bob Wheeler Vikings BC 10 Jean King & Humberston Grimsby BC v Maureen Bush & Kath Reid Healing BC 11 John Morgan & Graham Campbell Grimsby BC v Michael Bingham & Gordon MacFaul Haxey BC 12 Brian Gooderham & Jack Simons Grant Thorold BC v Terry Smalley & Horace Heath Brigg BC 13 Dennis Duffield & Bernard Beel Waltham Park BC v Ted Marsh & Ian Ransby Retford Ordsall BC 14 George Howard & Terry Marshall Grant Thorold BC v John Weeden & John Goodwin Humberston Sussex BC 15 Alan Beavis & Wendy Ryan Grant Thorold BC v Tom Green & Gordon James Immingham Blossom Way BC 16 Pat Belton & June Allender Humberston Waltham BC v Susan Kilby & Janet Bedford Skegness BC.

Round One (Group Two) 12pm (18 ends): 17 Ernest Elkington & Neal Salmon Nottingham Friskney BC v Winner of Prelim Game No. 11 18 David Remington & Neville Reid Ulceby Healing BC v Thelma Scrimshaw & Sheila Smith Ulceby Blossom Way BC 19 John Belton & Dave Nicholl Waltham BC v Caroline & Ruth Cullum Waltham Kingsway Printers BC 20 Winner of Prelim Game No. 4 v Helen Pulfrey & Vikings BC 21 Winner of Prelim Game No. 3 v Alan (Snr.) & Alan (Jnr.) Dent Immingham Louth IBC 22 Jim Reynolds & Keith Perkins Laceby BC v Winner of Prelim Game No. 5 23 Terry & Dave Bacon Peoples Park BC v Winner of Prelim Game No. 8 24 Betty Cuthbert & Gordon Hall Goxhill Blossom Way BC v Ray Maskell & Darrell Eames Worksop South Forest BC 25 Winner of Prelim Game No. 6 v Doug Rook & Fred Golding Habrough BC 26 Winner of Prelim Game No. 10 v Howard & George Mellish Creswell BC 27 Winner of Prelim Game No. 9 v Ted & Iris Coulson Eagle BC 28 Fred Eames & Eric Cockerill Laceby BC v Winner of Prelim Game No. 12 29 Bill Bateman & Trevor Barlow Alford BC v Peter Tupton & Alex Holland Shirebrook BC 30 David Cole & Linda King Scartho Clee BC v Rhona Watts & Colin Birkitt Barrow on Humber Goxhill BC 31 Winner of Prelim Game No. 2 v Winner of Prelim Game No. 7 32 Marion Williams & Bill Pickering Lincoln Boultham Park BC v Winner of Prelim Game No. 1