Australia defeated Scotland 12-10 to win the men's fours title at the World Bowls Championships ©World Bowls

Australia won home gold as they took a thrilling men’s fours title after edging out Scotland at the World Bowls Championships on the Gold Coast.

In the day’s first final at Club Helensvale Corey Hedlock, Aaron Teys, Carl Healey and Aron Sherriff ran out 12-10 winners.

Australia led 6-2 ends after scoring four shots in end four, but Scotland levelled the scoreline after seven ends.

A good conversion shot from skip Sherriff in end 12 gave Australia a 10-7 lead, before Scottish skip Alex Marshall trailed the jack with his final bowl to reduce the deficit to 10-8.

Marshall scored a single shot on the penultimate end to cut the gap to 10-9 with an end to play.

A good start to the end gave Scotland a platform to build on, however Healey put the pressure on his opposing skip with Marshall needing to draw the shot with his remaining bowls.

Marshall’s last bowl came up just short of the target, with Australia scoring a double to clinch a 12-10 win.

The result gives Australia their fourth gold of a home Championships, and forced Scotland’s line-up of Jason Banks, Derek Oliver, Paul Foster and Alex Marshall to settle for silver.

Maltese duo Rebecca Rixon, pictured, and her sister Connie had to settle for silver in the women's pairs at the World Bowls Championships ©Getty Images
Maltese duo Rebecca Rixon, pictured, and her sister Connie had to settle for silver in the women's pairs at the World Bowls Championships ©Getty Images

Bronze medals went to Ireland’s Stuart Bennett, Adam McKeown, Ian McClure and Martin McHugh, and New Zealand quartet Tony Grantham, Chris Le Lievre, Lance Pascoe and Sheldon Bagrie-Howley.

Meanwhile in the women’s pairs Malaysia claimed their first World Championship gold medals for 15 years as Aleena Nawawi and Ain Nahbila Tarmizi won 15-11 over Malta.

Malta’s pairing of sisters Rebecca and Connie Rixon led 3-0 and later 6-4, before a run of three straight scoring ends for Malaysia gave them an 8-6 advantage after ten ends.

Malaysia took control after a conversion shot from Tarmizi gave them a two-shot lead, before they scored a triple in the next end.

Malta needed a full count in the last end to keep their chances alive, and the contest was over when a well-judged running bowl from Tarmizi removed an opposition wood, sealing the gold medal.

Bronze medals went to English duo Sophie Tolchard and Amy Pharoah, and Scottish pair Emma McIntyre and Claire Anderson.

The final day of competition is set to see medals decided in the men’s singles, with Ireland’s Gary Kelly taking on Ryan Bester of Canada, and the women’s triples, where Australia will face New Zealand.