MARK Hammond and Cliff Higgins - already through to Melton Mowbray in the pairs - completed an excellent double by reaching the national stages of the English Indoor BA fours championship as well.

Not even the fact that they faced an East Dorset rink containing internationals Dean Morgan, Adam Tidby and Martyn Sekjer alongside Bournemouth Open champion Alan Geary could fluster the Banister Park rink of Higgins, Hammond, Andy Anderson and skip Paul May.

Anderson had been a doubtful starter for this Area 31 final because of a work commitment in America. However, having flown back some 2,000 miles he "got lost" in his own back yard travelling to Victory when the game was at Atherley.

That meant the match beginning an hour late with Banister Park lining up a substitute in Brian Lewis just in case Anderson did not make the revised starting time of 7.15.

Anderson arrived in the nick of time and clicked straight into the groove as May's men moved 11-4 ahead. Attempts by Sekjer to hit back were frustrated by May who regularly employed running woods to good effect though his most devastating delivery came with an immaculate draw at 15-8 after East Dorset had been holding seven shots.

Banister Park triumphed 22-16 but afterwards area secretary Graham Standley praised East Dorset for their patience and sportsmanship while Anderson battled through rush-hour traffic from Portsmouth to Southampton.

"East Dorset were excellent and didn't complain. All credit to them - though they probably felt they had something to complain about in the final result," he said.

The nationals at Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, are on April 9-17.

Victory will be represented there in the singles, triples and fours.

In an all-Victory Area 32 singles final Matthew Marchant outgunned Darren Griffith 21-13 while Peter Hobday inched past his Victory colleague Colin Hayward 18-16 to take the fours honours.

Hayward had better luck in the triples, skipping Barry Starks and Ian Mackenzie through 16-13 against Arun.