Oxfordshire's bowlers found the going tough in the EBA National Championships at Worthing.

Unlike previous years, several of them failed to get over the first hurdle and even former winner Les Gillett failed to make his mark.

Gillett and his lead player Dale Hall, bowed out 21-13 in the first round of the pairs against the tough Cumbria pair of Paul Barlow and Steve Farish from the Wigton club.

Oxon's other pairs representatives, George Moon and Alan Prew (Banbury Borough), also went out in round one, losing 19-14 to Ian McWhinney and Andrew Ware (City of Ely). Headington flew the flag proudly for Oxon by reaching the third round of the fours thanks to David Crane, Rod Foster, Roy Pyniger and Barry Foster.

They saw off Leicestershire champions New Lount 18-9 and then accounted for Herts (Watford) 23-7 before eventually falling in the third round 24-16 to March Conservatives (Cambs).

Summertown's hopes were blown away by Beccles Conservatives, who handed out an emphatic 23-4 hiding.

Norman Wallace, Dave Wedge, Robin Hewson and Welshman Alan Ley dropped the first four ends to eight shots, scored only two on the fifth end and singles on the 11th and 18th before quitting with three ends remaining.

Berkshire champions Didcot (Malcolm Edney, Stanley Snowdon, Ian Snowdon and Jon Stradling) beat Bridport (Dorset) 29-12 in the first round before falling to Courtfield (Cumbria).

Didcot were 21-13 up after 17 ends, but suddenly the wheels came off as they dropped 6, 2, 2. Two shots on the 21st end saw them level on 23-23, but they also lost the extra end to crash out 24-23.

Robert Beesley, Mark Charlett and Howard Watts, of Summertown, put up a brave fight in the first round of the triples before losing by a single shot, 19-18, to Grantham.

They led 10-3 after eight ends but then dropped 3, 2, 1, 6 to go 15-10 behind and, after picking up two singles, the 15th end cost them four shots and they trailed 19-12. A last-three-ends fightback saw them pick up 1, 2, 3, but it was not quite enough.

David Lattimore, Keith Field and Stephen Jones, of Chipping Norton, fell in the preliminary round, bowing out 15-10 to Kingsthorpe's Tony Stanley, Jason Bryan and Alan Slinn.

Oxon's interest in the championships resumes today in the first round of the singles. Robin Hewson (Summertown) plays Mark Atkins (Vines Park, Droitwich) and Stuart Richens (Carterton) faces Phil Dickens of the Nottinghamshire club Cavaliers. Jon Stradling, of Didcot, is up against Martyn Murley, of Wootton Bassett.