YORKSHIRE again drew a blank in the National Championships' pairs and singles competitions following their early exits in the fours and triples.

Father and son pair Paul and Andy Humphreys from York RI Amateurs were first up for the White Rose, the latter substituting for Mike Bruce.

They eased into the last 16 with 25-9 and 22-11 victories over Sussex and Herefordshire respectively but then lost to Commonwealth Games gold medallist and England captain John McGuinness' Buckinghamshire team by just a handful of shots.

The other Yorkshire pair - Steve Dilks and Scott Walton, from Nafferton, also progressed to the last 16 with wins over Gloucestershire and Durham.

They went further with a comfortable victory over Oxfordshire made all the more remarkable by the fact Walton’s place had to be taken by his step-father, Mark Walton, who had not played competitively in over five years.

He and Dilks were still level with five ends to play in their quarter-final against Herefordshire before a series of unfortunate deflections ended their championships.

Tykes frustrations continued in the four-bowl and two-bowl singles.

York's Paul Humphreys lost 17-12 in the two-bowl as an in-form Andy Knapper, of Berkshire, showed his Commonwealth class.

Middlesbrough's Vinnie O’Neil competed in both singles disciplines, but was defeated by England star Sam Tolchard, of Devon, in the two-bowl and by eventual winner Simon Green, of Kent, 21-20 in the four-bowl, having earlier knocked out tournament favourite Jamie Chestney, of Devon.

And Nafferton's Phil Margerrison put up a sterling effort in making the last 16 in the four-bowl but then came a cropper against Worcestershire's Andrew Walters.