Preston pair June Clayton and Leigh Prince have been disqualified from the national mixed pairs.

This after winning an area last 16 round tie at home to Joan and Brian Howson of Wealden.

Clayton and Prince both came in as substitutes for Ann Millward (septic thumb) and Wally Hayward (Achilles strain) for the fourth round match, which was an excellent game with the Preston pair just having the edge, 24-18.

But when area secretary Dave Woosnam received the official match result card and checked the rules, he had no option but to disqualify his own club colleagues.

Woosnam explained: "Although the rule allows for there to be a substitute for both the lady and the gentleman in the competition, it does state that in each round one of the original pair must appear.

"It was all very unfortunate. I was sorry to have to implement the rule and the Howsons were embarrassed about going into the area quarter-finals when they had been beaten."

The Howsons now play Wealden colleagues Marion Chown and Alex Parsons.

Beryl Cousins and Mick Law, of Grattons, did well to win 21-15 at Preston over Rita Hambrook and Derek Stevens, and they now entertain Jenny and Roy Bainbridge, of Adur, who did equally well to win 24-22 at Eastbourne over Hazel Ashdown and Derek Dyer.

A shot on the extra end enabled Sandra and John Godfrey (Adur) to win 22-21 at Wealden over Irene Humphrey and Tony Redshaw.

Drawing shot when three down on the final end with the score 20-20, Preston's Adrian Finnie won the Sussex area final of the national under- 25's singles against Tony Clarkson, of Falaise, at Denton Island.

It was an excellent match with both players edging ahead during the game and a 21-20 scoreline reflects the closeness of the encounter.

Finnie now moves on to play Kent area winner Grant Allen, of Oyster club. The match is expected to be played at the Royal Tunbridge Wells club on the same day that Peter Reynolds (Eastbourne) has to meet his Kent counterpart in the inter-area final of the national over-60 singles.

Terry Cox (Grattons) has joined John Sullivan (Denton) in the area last eight of the national singles with a 21-15 home win over Alan Janaway (Langney Sports).

Starting 2,5,3,2 and leading 15-1 after only seven ends, Tom Campbell and Chris Young out-bowled Worthing colleagues Malcolm Lock and George Cook 26-5 in the national pairs. Lock and Cook were on edge from the start and were always under pressure due to Campbell's drawing accuracy.

Campbell and Young had not enjoyed the finish to their previous nationals match - the triples with Peter Tandy - when they were nine up with a few ends to play and were beaten at home by Dave Smith's team from Havant Borough.

The trouble started late on when the Worthing trio dropped a four. On the 17th end Young took the jack into the ditch but the Havant skip drew to the edge of it to win the end.

Barely an hour before the start of a national over-50 triples at Worthing, Campbell had to withdraw so Young came in as a substitute to skip John Schools and Peter Caswall at home to Peter Miles, Dave Herbert and Alan Catterson, of Arun. The Worthing team led 8-1 after five ends and won 22-9 after 15 ends.

Schools was away to England under-25 international Darren Griffiths (renowned for playing with brilliant yellow bowls) in the national singles. Griffiths is a member of both Isle of Wight and Victory (Portsmouth) clubs and is playing mainly at Victory but took Schools to Ryde for this singles match.

Schools lost the lead for the first time at 16-15 down but later led 19-16 and held three shots for game when Griffiths fired to kill the end. Schools subsequently held shots for game but each time Griffiths scored, and with 1,2,2 won the match 21-19.

"It's a long way to travel on your own but I played well and enjoyed the game," said Schools on his return after a nine hour trip.

King Alfred's Stef and Gloria Michael plus Mick and Rita George travelled to Wealden for their national mixed fours and came away triumphant. They enjoyed a 23-17 win over Kath Allvey, Pat Younger, Harold Ainsley and Peter Carter to secure another journey, to nearby Preston, to play Alf Carver, Kathy Flood, Terri Wall and Pat Flood in the area quarter-finals.

Doreen and Brian Hough together with Helen and Peter Jepson (Wealden) won 17-15 at Egerton Park over Sue and Peter Gunston, Linda Nye and Colin Murray and they now entertain Joy and Tony Kemp, Ron Stratford and Dot Durrant (Langney).

Marie Wilson, Rita and Ken Hambrook and Derek Stevens (Preston) went to Eastbourne and won over Dot Ridington, June Wells, Stan Aris and Alan Ridington. They now travel to Egerton Park to play the husband and wife Kemp/Boswell combinations.

- Ray Potten