IRISH champions Roy Batters by and David Cork ill saw title charge halted in the initial world indoor bowls pairs semi finals at Preston at midnight last night when they were edged out by a single shot in the deciding set by England's Gary Smith and Andy Thomson, the 1993 champions.

The Irishmen battled back from two sets to one down to square the match and led 6-4 in the decider. But the English pair clawed back three successive singles to snatch the set 7-6 and the match. They won 7-2, 6-7, 7-2, 0-7, 7-6.