Oxfordshire outdoor captain Baden Sparkes skipped his Carterton club to two area semi-final places in Area 15 of the English Indoor Bowling Association national championships.

Sparkes and clubmates Sammy Timms and Dave Abbott proved too strong for Vic Bye's Oxford City & County triple, running out 24-8 winners.

Carterton now face an Oxford C&C rink skipped by Brian Slatter in the semi-finals.

In the other semi, Barry Foster's Oxford & District triple take on the Slade club, from Buckingham.

Sparkes is also through in the fours after seeing off another Carterton quartet skipped by Peter Latter 20-14 to book a semi-final berth against Mike Petersen's City & County.

Glenn Allen's powerful Oxford four disposed of Banbury 25-20 in their quarter-final and now take on Foxhill in the last four.

The Allens already have one area title under their belts, having secured the Father & Son pairs crown with a 16-4 victory over clubmates Stan and Ian Snowdon on their home rink.

QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS

Triples: K Woodward, R Pyniger & B Foster (Oxford & Dist) bt C Grave, W Norman & G Smyth (Slade, Buckingham) 12-10, P Seymour, J McAndrew & D Savage (Slade) bt D Sharpe, K Holloway & C Carpenter (Banbury Cross) 20-17, S Timms, D Abbott & B Sparkes (Carterton) bt V Bye, M Gleeson & M Petersen (Ox City & County) 24-8, A Crawley, L Lacey & B Slatter (Ox City & County) bt M Sykes, A Wellbold & J Tee (Banbury Cross) 26-4.

Semi-final draw (by February 9): B Foster v D Savage, B Sparkes v B Slatter.

Fours: N Welsh, H Watts, C Allen & G Allen (Oxford & Dist) bt D Sharpe, K Holloway, M Sykes & C Carpenter (Banbury) 25-20, S Mead, W Richardson, D Fox & M Hyde (Foxhill) bt B Salisbury, K Woodward, R Pyniger & B Foster (Oxford & Dist) 23-7, V Bye, D Allin, M Gleeson & M Petersen (Ox City & County) bt Goodman, K Barber, R Lee & D Plater (Foxhill) 22-5, S Richen, A Wise, R Clanfield & B Sparkes (Carterton) bt R Wise, C Thorne, S Timms & P Latter (Carterton) 20-14.

Semi-finals draw: Allen v Hyde, Petersen v Sparkes.

FINALS DATES

Mixed pairs (Banbury Cross IBC, Sat, 10am): Ms K Hawes & H Watts (Oxford & District) v Mrs J Plater & D Plater (Foxhill).

Mixed fours (Oxford City & County IBC, Sun, 10am): Ms S Amos, Ms C Galletly, D Sharpe & C Carpenter (Banbury Cross) v Ms W James, Mrs Plater, S Mead & M Hyde (Foxhill).

Over 60s pairs: (Oxford & District IBC, Sun, 10am): B Slatter & M Petersen (Oxford City & County) v P Harrison & R Williams (Handy Cross).

Over 50s triples: (Oxford & District IBC, Sun, 10am): S Timms, P Latter & A Wise (Carterton) v A Osborne, D Harding & C Whitehead (Foxhill).

Winners of all the area finals compete in national finals at Northampton IBC from February 20-29.