HEADED by a sparkling performance from their away rinks, Hampshire sailed into the Liberty Trophy quarter-finals with a 122-100 victory against Oxfordshire.

Hampshire took five of the six rinks, including a clean sweep at Oxford where the quartet of Russell Gadd, Paul May, Colin Thresher and Victory's ex-Atherley skip Richard Shelley stole the show.

With their home rinks leading just 13-11 at East Dorset, Hampshire were given a mighty boost when the early scores were posted from Oxford showing Shelley 5-1 up and Adam Tidby 10-3 in front, making an overall advantage of 30-20 after five ends even though Graham Standley trailed 5-2.

Shelley's men continued to thrive and, although they were cut back to 10-7 at halfway, they pulled 20-8 clear by the 15th on their way to a 24-16 success.

Tidby - still 21-14 to the good on the 15th - held on to win 22-21 while Standley overcame his tardy start to lead 9-6 at halfway in his 18-17 triumph.

At East Dorset, Martyn Sekjer and player/manager Julian Haines had contrasting fortunes. Behind 9-3 at eight ends, Sekjer's men gradually warmed to their task, winning six consecutive ends to sweep 15-9 ahead by the 14th.

The East Dorset skip conceded just three more singles as he chalked up Hampshire's top victory of 24-12 with a fine display that included successive threes on the 19th and 20th ends.

Haines was not helped by the late withdrawal of international and East Dorset clubmate Dean Morgan, teenager Michael Hutley being drafted in at number two for his Liberty debut.

The reshuffled foursome - with Andy Ross switched from two to three - began encouragingly, moving 9-3 up by the sixth end. However, Haines failed to register over the next six ends, slipped 12-9 behind and was later 19-11 down in a 21-14 reverse, Hampshire's solitary defeat.

Peter Ward was reliability itself. His rink took a firm grip on proceedings from the off, building a 7-1 margin by the fifth and gaining a 20-13 victory even though their margin was trimmed to 14-12 on the 16th.

Having nosed in front after five ends, Hampshire were always calling the tune. At ten ends the gap was 58-44 and it had grown to 95-69 on the 15th.

All told, a very satisfying day for Hampshire - but they will need to step up on that for the quarter-final against the might of Devon on Saturday, December 18.

This summer the West Countrymen completed a hat-trick of Middleton Cup triumphs and many of the same bowlers play in the Liberty, where they have already steam-rollered Cornwall (133-85) and Worcestershire (135-86).

Three rinks will be at East Dorset and three at Exonia, Exeter.