ANOTHER Middleton Cup quarter-final, another Hampshire defeat.

It seems inevitable that when Hampshire win their qualifying group they freeze just when the prize of a semi-final place at Worthing beckons.

True, there have been many limp performances in the last-eight since Hampshire last reached a Middleton Cup final in 1979 - but this latest exit was certainly not one of them.

Hampshire bowed out with honour and dignity after an enthralling contest with Devon on a rain-lashed day at Westlecot, Swindon.

Dead and apparently cremated when 32 shots adrift nearing the three-quarter stage, Hampshire could have thrown in a very soggy towel but instead summoned up a revival that even Lazarus would have been chuffed with.

They wiped out their deficit altogether which made the cream of Devon look decidedly curdled when the scoreboard showed the scores level.

Yet that final push to Worthing by Rod Rosier's men was thwarted in a tense finale as Devon - the team of the decade so far - redoubled their efforts to triumph 129-120 and deny one of the most audacious comebacks in Middleton Cup folklore.

Hampshire even won four of the six rinks. But the principal reason they lost overall was because of Devon's Special Agent. The name was Bond. Ian Bond.

The England maestro tormented Adam Tidby and demonstrated his reputation as a world-class player throughout the afternoon.

Tidby was just 4-2 behind at five ends but was allowed singles on only three of the next 15 ends as Bond built a yawning 23-5 gap.