GREENHILL and Dorchester are heading for the Waitrose EBA Championships at Worthing after winning the semi-finals of the Dorset fours.

John Crabb, Dave Smith, Neil Burroughs and Barry Patterson booked their ticket to Sussex next month at Wimborne with a convincing 22-9 quarter-final victory against Barry Stone (Branksome Park) followed by an afternoon 21-12 verdict against the fellow Greenhill rink of Steve Gait.

Nick Voss, Steven Huttley, Martin Pavey and Stacey Dickinson from Dorchester defeated Alexandra Park (Mike Stapleton) 25-15 in the morning before beating another Alexandra Park quartet, skipped by Alan Miller, 19-11.

Patterson was only 13-8 ahead on 13 ends until producing a powerful finishing burst against Branksome Park while Warwick Brown, Ron McCarthy, Doug Rumble and Gait progressed 20-15 having trailed 13-9 to John Niblock's West Moors rink at 15 ends.

With Huttley subbing for Colin Gifford, Dickinson lagged 15-10 behind on 14 ends but a six on the 16th and a 19th-end four transformed the picture against Stapleton.

Dorchester edged 10-8 up in the semi-final but the gap grew significantly to 16-10 with a five on the 16th.

RESULTS Quarter-finals: Alan Miller (Alexandra Park) 20 Stuart Reed (Wellworthy) 17, Steve Gait (Greenhill) 20 John Niblock (West Moors 15, Stacey Dickinson (Dorchester) 25 Mike Stapleton (Alexandra Park) 15, Barry Patterson (Greenhill) 22 Barry Stone (Branksome Park) 9.

Semi-finals: Patterson 21 Gait 12, Dickinson 19 Miller 11.

The triples quarter-finals/semi-finals are at Bridport this Sunday (10am) but Dickinson's date with Paul Spetch (Poole Park) has had to be rearranged as the Dorchester skip is competing in the regional finals of the Champion of Champions singles at Topsham, Devon, on the same day.

The Dorset finals are at Dorchester on August 7-9.

Crabb is in the midst of a purple patch. Besides his fours' success the Greenhill maestro is still going strong in the singles, pairs, triples and over-55 pairs.

In the singles he overcame George Stockley (Bridport) 21-11 while Smith raced 10-1 ahead before outpointing clubmate Patterson 21-11. Another Greenhill win came from Gait, 21-5 against John Samways (Weymouth and Melcombe Regis).

Derick Gray, Crabb and Patterson survived a scare to move nearer to retaining the Dorset triples' crown. Playing the Lyme Regis trio of John Turner, Greenhill finished 15-15 but squeezed through on the extra end thanks to a Crabb toucher although Turner was only a whisker away.

In the over-55 pairs Crabb and Patterson progressed 22-16 against John Hill and Brian Shepherd at Wimborne.