Banbury Cross’s Mark Sykes completed a hat-trick of Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire area titles by adding the pairs and triples to his singles crown.

Having already been crowned the singles champ-ion a week earlier, he teamed up with Keith Holloway to beat Chris Houndslow and David Harding (Foxhill, Aylesbury) 16-15 in a thrilling pairs final at Oxford City & County.

The two sides were locked together going into the last end, and the Banbury Cross duo edged victory on a measure.

Two days later, Sykes and Holloway were joined by William Campion for the triples final at the same venue.

In another epic encounter, they pipped Carterton’s Andy McIntyre, Tim Jupp and Stuart Richens 16-14.

The two sides were level at 9-9 when Carterton chalked up five shots to steam ahead.

But Banbury Cross hit back with a four and going into the last end they were one shot ahead.

Carterton held a single shot and an extra end looked in store, but Sykes drew the shot with his last wood to secure victory by two.

Sykes was delighted by his title treble.

“It’s a great achievement for myself to put on my CV, and it’s good for Banbury bowls club as probably no-one from the club has done it before,” he said.

Carterton were also out of luck in the fours final – again at Oxford City & County – as Jim Hicks, George Weedon, McIntyre and Chris Weedon lost 25-15 to Oxford & District's Eddie Pilgrim, Paul Comley, Howard Watts and Chris Allen.

The area champions now go forward to the national finals at Nottingham, with the fours taking place from March 27-29, the triples from March 29-31 and the pairs from March 31-April 3.

AREA FINAL RESULTS

Pairs: K Holloway & M Sykes (Banbury Cross) 16, C Houndslow & D Harding (Foxhill) 15.

Triples: W Campion, K Holloway, M Sykes (Banbury Cross) 16, A McIntyre, T Jupp, S Richens (Carterton) 14.

Fours: E Pilgrim, P Comley, H Watts, C Allen (Oxford & District) 25, J Hicks, G Weedon, A McIntyre, C Weedon (Carterton) 15.

OXFORD & DISTRICT SHORT MAT ASSOCIATION

West Oxford 0, Blackbird Leys A 6; Blackbird Leys B 0, Florence Park 6; Hanborough B 4, Harlequins 2; Morris Motors 3, Hanborough A 3; Harlequins 0, Blackrd Leys B 6; Blackbird Leys A 6, Hanborough B 0; Florence Park 6, Morris Motors 0; Hanborough A 6, West Oxford 0.