MALVERN Victoria bowls team reached the last four of the Mens All-England National Championships at Worthing before bowing out to world indoor singles semi-finalist David Holt and his rink from Acton Bridge - the eventual champions.

Victoria were in the extremely unusual position of sending two teams to the National finals when they provided both finalists in the Worcestershire Championships earlier in the season.

The County runners-up rink of Derek Webb (skip), Steve Aldridge, Roy Davis and Frank Holt however were unfortunate to go out in the first round, beaten by Kings Heath, Birmingham by 16 shots to 14.

Also first round losers was the team from Ledbury Bowling Club, representing Herefordshire, of David Heath (skip), Rodney Gill, Derek Waters and Norman Douse, who lost by the narrowest of margins, 17-16 to March Conservatives.

Worcestershire champions, the Malvern Victoria rink of former Scottish international Edric Vorsterman (skip) with Jeff Jones, Eddie King and Marcus Smith defeated Wellingborough 21-17 in the opening round and Howard Park 18-15 in the second round.

In their third round clash against John Pickering's team from Bembridge, Isle of Wight, they made a storming start and led 9-3 after six ends, going on to hold a 14-9 advantage with seven ends to play. The Malvern four were then rocked as Pickering gained two trebles and a double at successive ends to go ahead 17-14.

The experienced Vorsterman kept his cool however and scored six shots on the final run in for a fighting 20-17 victory.

In the quarter-finals, Victoria defeated West Ealing with a comfortable 21-14 scoreline to set up the semi-final clash with Acton Bridge.

The Acton Bridge four, skipped by England international David Holt also contained two other internationals and were the fancied team.

Victoria's Jeff Jones said after their semi-final defeat back at his Malvern home: "We couldn't believe how far we had got, it was out of this World to be in the semi-finals.

"When we were changing there was 16 of us in the room and 11 players were hanging up international blazers - it was quite a thing to see."

Beaten in the semi-final 24-8, but far from disgraced, Jones said the pressure building up was tremendous with stands packed with spectators eagerly awaiting every wood.

Ex-professional footballer Jones said: "The whole competition was awesome but it was quite an experience. The pressure was unbelievable, but it was great.

"The semi-final went all against us, we touched the wood five times in the opening ends but still found ourselves behind, and once they got in front they played all their shots and it was as much as we could do to hold on to them."

Acton Bridge defeated Carlisle Coutfield 24-14 in the final to win the championship.