OXFORDSHIRE’S Under 25s made history by qualifying in successive years for the Bowls England White Rose double rink national finals.

They achieved this feat with sensational extra-end win over Kent in the regional final at Croydon.

They beat the same opponents 12 months ago when reaching the nationals.

What is more remarkable is that five Oxon players were making their debut at this level.

In the semi-finals, Oxon recorded a 41-31 victory over Hampshire, without having to play the final end.

Jamie Wilkinson shone at No 2 for skip Shane Cooper’s rink, who won 25-12, after Chris Gilkes’s four had lost 19-16.

But the real drama was reserved for the final against Kent, who had beaten Berkshire in the other semi-final.

After ten ends, Oxon led 21-19, thanks to Cooper holding a five-shot advantage in his rink against Perry Martin.

There was then never more than four in it until the closing ends as Martin turned around his match in style to triumph 18-17.

This game finished three ends earlier than the other which is where the real drama unfolded.

Gilkes led 19-18, meaning the score was all square overall.

But a two and a single in successive ends gave Kent a two-shot lead the going into the final end, where the pressure was all on the Oxon skip.

With Kent holding shot, Gilkes killed the end with a cannon-ball strike with his last bowl to give Oxon another chance

The end was replayed and Kent again looked like winning, but Gilkes produced another brilliant last bowl to move the jack for a definite two and measure for game. After a measure it was two to Oxon to clinch an extra end.

Kent elected to bowl second, and at one stage held three shots.

Once again it was down to Gilkes to change the situation – and again he did not disappoint, trailing the jack to his rink mates’ bowls for shot.

Kent’s skip could not match his efforts and so Oxon will progress through to the national semi-finals at Leamington on Sunday, September 4.

RINK SCORES

Semi-final: Oxon 41, Hampshire 31 – Oxon 16 (C Gilkes, S Watts, B Squires, D Swanson) , Hants 19; Oxon 25 (S Cooper, D Leighfield, J Wilkinson, O Bennett) , Hants 12.

Final: Oxon 39, Kent 38 – Oxon 22 (C Gilkes, S Watts, B Squires, D Swanson), Kent 20 (after extra end); Oxon (S Cooper, D Leighfield, J Wilkinson, O Bennett) 17, Kent 18.