New Zealand have banked a silver medal at the Bowls World Championships in Adelaide, with Jo Edwards and Val Smith narrowly beaten in the women's pairs final at Lockleys Bowls Club yesterday.

Australia's Rebecca Quail and Kelsey Cottrell claimed the gold medal by four shots after a tense 18-end affair.

The Black Jacks also secured a bronze medal when the combination of Ali Forsyth, Matt Gallop and Tony Grantham lost out in another nail-biting transtasman finish to Aussies Mark Casey, Brett Wilkie and Wayne Ruediger in a men's triples semifinal.

After trailing throughout, Forsyth and his men fought back to be one in arrears with one end to play, but were stymied when the Aussies claimed a single on the last.

But it was the women's trio of Mandy Boyd, Jan Khan and Lisa White who thrilled the huge crowd of kiwi supporters when firstly defeated Hong Kong to gain a semifinal berth, then came from behind to dispose of the crack Scotland trio of Lynn Stein, Caroline Brown and Michelle Cooper for a spot in the gold medal play-off against Australia on Saturday.

Today reigning women's singles gold medallist Val Smith is up against Canada's Kelly McKerihen in a semifinal at 11.30am (NZ time) as she strives to clinch a place in Sunday's semifinal against the winner of the Karen Murphy (Australia) and Natalie Melmore (England) encounter.

Results:

Quarter-finals:

Women's triples: New Zealand d Hong Kong 19-6, Wales d Sth Africa 12-11.

Men's triples: Ireland d Japan 15-10, Australia d China 13-11.

Semifinals:

Women's triples: New Zealand d Scotland 15-10, Australia d Wales 18-6.

Men's triples: Australia d New Zealand 12-10, Scotland d Ireland 17-5.

Gold Medal play-offs:

Men's pairs: Scotland d Australia 18-13.

Women's pairs: Australia d New Zealand 16-12.

- APNZ