Northants started their Midland Counties League campaign with a 109-109 draw with Warwickshire at Rugby BC.
The County started much the better and held an eight-shot lead after five ends, which increased to a 19-shot advantage after 15.
But the lead was reduced to just five after 18, which set up a tense finale.
With just two rinks playing their last end, the County’s lead was just four shots and Warwickshire managed to pick up two on each of those ends to draw the match.
Despite the match finishing all square, Northants did pick up 13 points compared to the hosts’ nine as they claimed three winning rinks.
RINK SCORES - (Warwickshire skips only) Rink one: Neil Rolfe/Martin Gearey/Dave Flippance/Vernon Gearey 19 S Thomas 13. Rink two: Robert White/Dave Kovacs/John Freeman/Jim McKee 18 D Box 15. Rink three: Tony O’Leary/Connor Cinato/Iain Walker/Neil Corbyn 19 C Jacox 18. Rink four: Adam Brown/Peter Ward/Matt Pownall/John Haines 15 A Aspey 25. Rink five: Keith Height/Martin Walker/Phil Reeve/Alan Ashby 19 C Wells 19. Rink six: Dave Love/Martin Clinton/Jonathan Brown/Darren Childs 19 A Smith 19.