The eagerly awaited clash between father and son Dave and Ollie Ovett in the national singles failed to materialise.

On the day they had arranged to play Dave was unwell so son Ollie goes through on a walkover to play Terry Cox at Grattons in the area quarter-finals.

Adur's Roy Bainbridge won 21-16 at home to Andy Smallridge, of Preston, and now visits Eastbourne to play Martin Biggleston who won 21-16 at Gullivers against John Wright.

Down 10-7, Biggleston was still behind at 11-9 but then had a purple patch of 2,2,3,1 to set up victory.

The other two quarter-finals are Steve Sands, of Egerton Park, at home to Preston's Adrian Finnie and Charles Wright, of Gullivers, against John Sullivan of Denton Island.

Glyn Hesketh and Richard Moses, of Preston, won 26-20 at Grattons over Ralph Lonsdale and Simon Pettingel in the national pairs and have a home quarter-final against Don McGregor and Ray Humphrey of Grattons.

Martin Biggleston and Derek Dyer were 13-10 down after 10 ends away to Finnie and Dave Ovett, but then got a full house of eight. With his last bowl Biggleston trailed the jack into the ditch and, while Dyer was drawing in four more, Ovett had two bowls in the back ditch, one in the side and one short. The Eastbourne pair now entertain Eric South and Basil Holding.

Adur's Mike Patching and Phil Hillsden scored four on the last end to win 25-20 over Preston's Peter Wood and Pat Flood and they now go to Eastbourne to play Den Lincoln and Steve Bain.

Mike Gray and Mick Gulliver started 6,2,1,3 at home to Dave Wigdor and Trevor Vine of King Alfred and beat them 26-17 and they now entertain John Durrant and Dave Hesketh who won 24-10 after 18 ends against Preston colleagues Chris Reynolds and Mike Harris.

Worthing's Peter Tandy and Chris Rolph, top of the area draw in the national pairs, recorded their fourth victory in winning 21-8 after 18 against Barry Starks and Iain Mackenzie from the Victory club.

Steve Hawkes and Eric Pidgeon made an uneasy start at home to Dave Coleman and Frank Malling, of Bembridge IOW, but from one down after five ends won 23-13.

After dropping two singles, John Durrant, Leigh Prince and Richard Moses scored 4,3 to win 21-14 at home to Keith Cheetham, John Hooker and Steve Jeapes in the national triples.

They now face a home quarter-final against Egerton's Peter Gunston.

Mike Patching, Roy Bainbridge and Phil Hillsden scored 1,2,2,1,4 to win 20-11 away to Lee Cooper, George Newington and Joe Smith. They now entertain Don Kent, Alan Clark and Brian Miller who won 24-12 at Wealden against Ray Frost, Harold Nunan and Mike Jones.

Dennis Alderton, Eddie Baker and Dave Woosnam at Egerton Park raced 16-2 up after nine ends before winning 23-10 after 16 ends against Trevor Monks, Steve Sands and Gerry Mepham. They now play Preston colleagues Eric South, Joe Galelli and Basil Holding who won 19-11 at Eastbourne's Ray Novis, Dave Croft and Jack Smith.

In an all-Egerton affair Ken Taber's team beat Robin Boswell's 18-17 and now entertain Peter Delonnette, Gordon Lavander and Ron Packham, of Falaise.

Worthing's Steve Hawkes, Eric Pidgeon and Keith Cruise won 17-15 at Palmerston over Barry Why, Brian Butler and Matt Bonnar (Arun).

Worthing's Ray and Steve Potten and John Dicker lost 20-17 to Victory's Bob Forrest, Peter Bolter and Keith Warren.