Preston's Peter Wood, Alf Carver, Kathy Flood and Terri Wall lost by just four shots at Sevenoaks in the last 32 of the national mixed fours.

They lost to Sian Gordon, who is just 13, Pat Luckhurst, Eddie Allan and David Holmes of Oysters.

Preston were without regular skip Pat Flood, who has been out of action with an injured knee.

Peter Wood was their male substitute and as lead he played exceptionally well.

Carver consolidated his good work but the young men at the back end for Oyster would not let Preston catch up after a five on the fifth end had put the Kent club team 10-1 in front.

Playing the 13th end and 11-8 down on the card, Preston were holding three but Allan first took out their back bowl, then drove a short bowl on to the jack which went into the ditch and left Oyster holding two shots. Holmes drew two more so Preston were then 15-8 down.

Four ends later Preston were trailing 17-10 and they closed the gap over the last two ends with a brace of twos to be beaten 18-14.

Eastbourne's Carol Ashby and Pat Bain are still on course to lift two Sussex titles. They scored a single on the last end of their home pairs quarter-final to win 19-18 over mother and daughter Maxine and Lorraine Clarkson of Falaise.

In the fours, Viv Fermor, Sharon Marley, Ashby and Bain beat club colleagues skipped by Joyce Collins.

The Sussex women's finals will be on April 23 at Grattons.

Once they had scored a seven on the third end, Brian Spiers, Dave Sayers, Angus Anderson and Dave Lewis were in complete command of their Arun open fours semi-final against Don Davies, Gordon Jones, Eric Parsons and Bob Austin (substitute for Ken Timms) of Worthing.

The Arun members won 32-9, dropping only four ends along the way.

There was a dramatic end to the other semi-final in which Barrie Why, Paul Butler (substitute for Brian Butler), Roger Smith and Matt Bonnar of Arun won 14-12 over Ricky Hobbs, Rod Jamieson (both Arun), John Dicker (Worthing) and Colin Knight (Arun).

Bonnar's team led 13-12 playing the last end. When he found himself in trouble Bonnar fired, scattering the head and taking out his own side's nearest bowl in the process. On inspection Bonnar found himself six down.

The Scot threw caution to the wind, fired again, scattering most of the shots and to his delight watching his own bowl come to rest as the nearest one to the jack.

That means tomorrow at 6.30pm, the Lewis and Bonnar teams are in opposition for a first team prize of £500 with £300 to the runner-up.

Only the two rinks which remained unchanged from the selected side managed to win when Sussex women lost 126-118 to Worthing Pavilion.

The three rinks playing in Pavilion's new extension, partially built with Lottery fund money, found it freezing as due to power problems there was no heat and only half-light.

Playing in the comfort of the old established rinks, May Edwards (Grattons), Jean Waller (Preston), Jean Bridle and Iris Grice (both Adur) won 24-11 against Joyce Garwood.

Linda Lester (Adur), Joan Timms (Worthing), Joan Leeson (East-bourne) and Debbie Stavrou of Preston went for 13-7 at 10 ends to 18-9 at 15 ends and won 28-17 against Rhoda Lee.