BEN Paulley is chasing four titles as the Dorset championships head towards next month's finals.

The principal target for the Dolphin bowler is the singles where he intends to go one better than last year when he was runner-up to Andrew Voss.

Paulley swept past Dean Curtis 21-4 at Dorchester and now has a semi-final date with Bournemouth's John O'Donnell.

The winner meets either Nick Voss (Dorchester) or Kevin Downs (Bournemouth) in the final on Sunday, April 6, at Bournemouth, the club of this season's county president Phillip Dearlove.

Nick Voss ended the reign of his younger brother in the quarter-final while Downs knocked out Alan Curtis (Dorchester) and O'Donnell accounted for Dolphin's John Riddington.

Paulley is also going strong in the triples, fours and under-25 singles.

He is already through to the triples' final with his Dolphin colleagues Phil Lawrence and Chris Weekes after beating Alan Curtis at Poole. Their opponents have also been decided as Mike Beales' Bournemouth trio have been given a semi-final walkover by Mike Gale (Moon-fleet) who could not manage the nominated dates for the match.

Paulley's rink of Phil Lawrence, Chris Lawrence and Weekes ousted Roy Paull (Moonfleet) in the fours' quarter-final and now face Moonfleet's Martin Puckett.

Paulley outgunned Andrew Voss 21-8 at Dolphin to book his place in the under-25 final where he tackles either Nick Voss or Puckett.

Semi-finals (to be played by Sunday) - Singles: Nick Voss (Dorchester) v Kevin Downs (Bournemouth), John O'Donnell (Bournemouth) v Ben Paulley (Dolphin).

Pairs: Kevin Downs and John O'Donnell (Bournemouth) v Roger Blackie and John Riddington (Dolphin), Mike Gale and Martin Puckett (Moonfleet) 17 David Wise and Gary Mumford (Wellworthy) 7.

Triples: Ben Paulley (Dolphin) beat Alan Curtis (Dorchester), Mike Beales (Bournemouth) walk-over v Mike Gale (Moonfleet).

Fours: Kevin Downs (Bournemouth) v Dave Joslin (Dorchester), Martin Puckett (Moonfleet) v Ben Paulley (Dorchester).

Under-25 singles: Ben Paulley 21 Andrew Voss (Dorchester) 8, Nick Voss (Dorchester) v Martin Puckett (Moonfleet).

Under-18 singles: George Spracklen (Dorchester) v Martin Puckett (Moonfleet), Chris Lawrence (Dolphin) v Robbie Ward (Dorchester).

  • Paulley, who made his under-25 outdoor international debut last season, has again been invited to trials for this summer's England junior squad.

The 20-year-old, who has joined Weymouth's Greenhill this season after switching from Wimborne, will be aiming for a place in the squad for the British Isles International Series on the first weekend of September in Scotland.

He has still to be advised where and when the trials are to be staged.

DOLPHIN SEEK DOUBLE

DOLPHIN could be doubly represented in the semi-finals of the Purbeck Trophy.

They have already qualified as Division A champions while victory on only one rink in their final game against Wellworthy will send the B team through as kingpins of the other section.

In the semi-finals of this year's seniors' double-rink triples competition at Bridport on Thursday April 3, Dolphin A will play the Division B runners-up (still to be decided) and if Dolphin B finish top of their group they will face the team second in Division A.

n Dolphin duo David Steele and John Riddington and Bournemouth's John Hutchinson combined with Wellworthy skip Gary Mumford for a 30-8 bonanza as Dorset drew their inter-association friendly with Middlesex 118-118 at Dolphin.

The hosts' other successes came from Isle of Purbeck skip Norman Dames (17-15) and Bournemouth's Don Gough (19-17). Beaten Dorset skips were: Brian Rumble (Bridport) 27-13, Phillip Dearlove (president, Bournemouth) 22-17 and Steve Weston (Dolphin) 29-22.

Dearlove presented Riddington with a county first appearance badge.

Mumford was also the star performer when Dorset fell 130-115 to Berkshire at Bournemouth. This time he collaborated with Jo Dearlove, Douglas Blunden (both Bournemouth) and Rumble for a 28-14 success - Dorset's solitary win.

Phillip Dearlove (20-20) and Gough (17-17) tied while Dames (28-15), Hutchinson (27-16) and Dolphin's Bill Ogden (24-19) lost