Banbury Central stayed on course for the double with a 76-66 win over Shiplake in the semi-finals of the Oxford & District League Cup.

The league champions gave Division 2 winners Shiplake a taste of what to expect next season, winning on three rinks.

Jim Bland's four gave the underdogs some hope with a 24-14 win over Mick Andrew, but it wasn't enough for Shiplake to defeat dual winners Central.

In the other semi-final, Oxford City & County A powered to an 89-56 win at Kidlington.

City & County won on three of the four rinks, with John O'Shea's four preventing a whitewash for the Division 3 champions.

The final, sponsored by S&J Timms Cleaning Services, is under the Hanborough floodlights next Thursday (6.15pm).

RESULTS Banbury Central A 76, Shiplake 66 (Banbury Central skips first): J Tee 22, D Hall 15; M Sykes 22, R Buckett 13; L Campion 18, B Lambourne 14; M Andrew 14, J Bland 24.

Kidlington 56, Oxford City & County A 89 (Kidlington skips first): J Hardie 13, A Ley 26; J O'Shea 16, M Gleeson 12; D Snell 15, R Gaskins 30; P Fitzgerald 12, R Hewson 21.

BANBURY Central also remain on track to retain the Oxford Bowling Association's Hawker Cup with a three-shot victory against Oxford City & County in the semi-finals.

Central's home rink of Graham Morbey, Keith McNeil, Les Campion and Mark Sykes overcame City & County's strong away rink of Brian Slatter, Jim Gamage, Mike Petersen and Robin Hewson with a ten-shot victory in the county's double four competition.

And the away rink of Lee Young, Ian Whelpton, Mike Andrew and John Tee lost out by seven shots to Andy Crawley, Gary May, Harold Winstone and Alan Ley.

Their opponents in next Sunday's final at Oxford City & County (10am) will be Carterton, who beat Thame by a convincing 24 shots.

Playing at home, the Carterton rink of Steve Tolhurst, Bob Wright, Stewart Richens and Gordon Walker recorded a 15-shot win over the Thame four of Maurice Ward, George Andrews, Ron Slater and Graham Penn.

The Carterton away rink of Ian McDonald, Roger Thomas, Chris Weedon and Robbie Clanfield posted a nine-shot victory over Thame's Vic Webb, John Timms, Les Westcott and Gary Lazaruk.