UNSEEDED Englishman Nick Brett ended the giant-killing run of Welsh teenager Jarrad Breen in the third round of the Potters Holidays World Indoor Singles Championship.

UNSEEDED Englishman Nick Brett ended the giant-killing run of Welsh teenager Jarrad Breen in the third round of the Potters Holidays World Indoor Singles Championship.

Brett was generous in victory, describing the 17-year-old qualifier was 'a breath of fresh air' for the World Bowls Tour.

"I wish I could I could have played like that when I was 17," added Brett after the 5-5, 8-3 victory which takes the 35-year-old world No20 through to the quarter-finals of the premier WBT event at Potters Leisure Resort for the first time.

The Welsh novice became the youngest player ever to compete in the world championship - then went on to win two matches, including the scalp of England's world number two Mark Royal.

After an evenly-contested first set, teen Breen won a single to tie the set - but Brett moved up a gear in the second to build up a 7-0 lead before his unranked opponent replied.

"If Jarrad carries on playing like this, the rest of the world top 16 will have to look out," said Brett. "He'll be a force to be reckoned with.

"It's fantastic to be in the quarter-finals. Normally I'm the underdog - so it was unusual to be the slight favourite. But the crowd was always going to be on his side."

When asked if he felt extra pressure, playing a 17-year-old who had been stealing all the headlines, Brett said: "I just didn't want to lose - whether to a 17-year-old or a 70-year-old. It was all about ranking points and hopefully those extra points will help me get into the top 16."

Breen, who seemed undaunted by the setting he found himself in, was disappointed with his level of play: "I just didn't seem to reach the standard of the first two games. I just couldn't pick up the pace of the rink.

"But, overall, it's been a great experience - I certainly didn't expect to get this far," said the youngster.

"I hope to qualify for this again next year - but one of the hardest things to do is to qualify."

Later, a second Englishman reserved a place in the last eight when 31-year-old Devon qualifier Robert Paxton beat Australia's former world outdoor champion Steve Glasson 9-2, 4-7, 2-0.

The Australian was on song in the tie-breaks and in both ends put himself in winning positions. But on both occasions, luck went with the Englishman to give underdog Paxton a place in the quarter-finals.

"Steve played two great tie-break ends - and I got the only bits of luck in the whole match," said an apologetic Paxton later. "He must be gutted - though it's probably worse than that," admitted the Exonia club player from Exeter. My first bowl let me down today."

This is the third year that Paxton, a surprise semi-finalist in 2006, has had to fight through the qualifiers to earn a place in the championship.

"Points-wise, this is massive for me - I'm now knocking on the world top 20 again."

Top seeds Debbie Stavrou and Alison Merrien will meet in the final of the Ladies World Matchplay Championship for the second year in a row after straight sets wins in today's semi-finals.

English favourite Stavrou, the 36-year-old defending champion from High Wycombe, beat USA's Dee McSparran, a Potters debutante from California, 10-4, 11-5, while second seed Alison Merrien, from Guernsey, defeated young Welsh opponent Kerry Packwood, from Pontypool, 11-6, 10-3.

Thursday schedule:

9.30am

World Singles Championship, 3rd round:

[7] Jason Greenslade (WAL) v John Price (WAL)

12.45pm

Ladies World Matchplay Championship Final

[1] Debbie Stavrou (ENG) v [2] Alison Merrien (GUE)

World Singles Championship, 3rd round:

[5] Greg Harlow (ENG) v [Q] Ben Twist (AUS)

Friday (22 January) schedule:

10am

World Singles Championship, quarter-finals:

Nick Brett (ENG) v [6] David Gourlay (SCO)

1pm

Harlow or Ben Twist v [4] Paul Foster (SCO)

Greenslade or Price v [Q] Stewart Anderson (SCO)

7.30pm

[16] Jonathan Ross (IRE) v [Q] Robert Paxton (ENG)