WESTLECOT men will be bidding to break a 34-year hoodoo this weekend when the main block of the national championships being at Melton & District IBC, in Leicestershire.

The men’s section at Westlecot have never won a national indoor title but the quartet of Kevin Embling, Chris Cheesley, Ian Jefferies and Neil Smith will be hoping to lay that ghost.

They have qualified for the last 16 in the men’s fours championships after winning the Area 16 fours title with a 25-15 victory over Steve Tuohy’s foursome from Egham, Surrey.

Westlecot have been drawn against South Shields (Tyne & Wear) in the last 16 and were facing Phil Dixon, Mal Peach, Gary Farquar and David Bolt at 9.30am this morning. Spalding (Lincs) or Moonfleet (Weymouth) awaited the winners at 5.45pm.

The semi-finals and final are tomorrow.

Jefferies and Smith were members of the Old Town team that lost on a last end last season in the mixed fours final while Smith has also lost in two other singles finals – champion of champions in 2007 and men’s singles 2013.

Westlecot have one other interest in the national finals, that begin in Nottingham on April 8.

Wendy Anderson, a previous ladies winner for Westlecot,and Janet Willis compete in the Over 60 Ladies Pairs on Wednesday, April 12 and play Pam Reynolds and Joyce George (Wellingborough, Northants).

Westlecot’s hopes of a third national finalist were dashed when the Hatheralls - Graham and son Craig - lost the Area 14 Family Pairs final 20-14 against Gordon and Andy Knapper (Whiteknights, Reading).