The defending national women's fours champions from North Wilts, Carol Grenfell, Sue Cook, Janet Hardie and Alex Jacobs, made a confident start to the defence of their title at the Lawson Park club, near Bedford, yesterday.

Facing a strong quartet from Paddington, the Chippenham team scored a five on the second end, and were 12-1 up after only 7 ends – and, although they conceded shots mid-game, they held their nerve and scorched to a 24-8 victory.

In the quarter-finals, they are due to play world champion Debbie Stavrou and her Desborough (Maidenhead) quartet, who are hoping to avenge their heavy defeat at the hands of North Wilts in last year's semi-finals.

Sylvia Brooke, Coreen Bromly, Alice Fisher and Marlene Robinson, from Fairford, were outplayed in their first round clash with Torquay United, whose skip, Sian Gordon, 22, is in England's Commonwealth Games squad.

The plucky Fairford quartet found themselves 15-5 adrift after 11 ends, and went on to lose, 26-10.

Clevedon, Laura Holden and Emma Follis, from Dorchester, embark on the under 25 singles championship today, together with former Taunton Deane star Amy Stanton, the 2008 Woman Bowler of the Year.