MARTYN SEKJER'S attempt to win the Taylor Bowls World Singles Champion of Champions title ended in the quarter-finals at Moama, New South Wales.

And the consolation for the Hampshire Middleton Cup skip was that having reached the knock-out stages (last eight) the man who beat him - Douw Calitz - went on to be champion even though Sekjer won more shots than the Namibian in their clash.

Sekjer sailed through his qualifying group scoring 10 victories out of 13 matches. With four from each of the two sections going on to the knock-outs the Southampton Sports Centre bowler finished second to Aussie Sam Laguzza.

Calitz came third in the other division and began the quarter-final by taking the first set 8-7. Sekjer - the 2002 English champion - hit back strongly to land the second set 10-4 with some excellent play but lost the best-of-three-ends tie-break 2-0.

Calitz next overcame Gary Pitschou of Guernsey 9-2 6-6 and marched to the world crown on a tie-break 5-10 9-3 2-1 against Darren Burnett, the Scot who had pipped Sekjer for the British Isles title earlier this summer.

Burnett had been second in his group to Zimbabwe's Denis Streak, father of former Hampshire cricketer Heath who skippers the Zimbabwe Test team.

Alison Merrion carried the Guernsey banner into the women's final before losing 4-9 7-5 2-1 to Swaziland's Liz James.

Both bowlers had finished second in their sections, Merrion reaching the final with a remarkable 20-0 2-10 2-0 semi-final triumph over British Isles champion Betty Morgan (Wales) who had topped Merrion's group.