Sporting Digest: Bowls

CLIVE BENHAM, a 34-year-old carpenter from Somerset, caused a major upset yesterday when he defeated the world's top ranked player, Hugh Duff, in the opening game of the UK Indoor Bowls Championship yesterday. Benham enjoyed a straight sets win to claim a quarter-final place against Ireland's David Corkill who also upset the odds when he beat the Welsh champion Mark Anstey 7-0, 7-4.

UK INDOOR SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP (Hopton on Sea, Norfolk): First round: C Benham (Eng) bt H Duff (Sco) 7-2 7-6, D Corkill (Irl) bt M Anstey (Wal) 7-0 7-4; D Gourlay (Sco) bt J Mills (Eng) 7-3 7-5; M Ting (Eng) bt N Williams (Wal) 7-0 7-0.