The 49-year-old New Zealander, twice an outdoor world champion and the holder of three Commonwealth Games gold medals, beat the South African who was leading section two, Colleen Piketh, 11-4, 8-7 to extend her record to seven wins out of eight.

Piketh now has a 6-2 record in this World Bowls event at the Warilla Bowls and Recreation Club in the seaside suburb of Shellharbour, New South Wales.

This is the same as defending champion Lucy Beere of Guernsey, who had a 9-13, 8-4, 3-2 win over Israel's Irit Grencel today.

Siti Zalina Ahmad of Malaysia retained her lead in the women's section one by winning her penultimate qualifying game against Malta's previous leader Connie Rixon, 6-8, 10-4, 2-1.

Her record stands at 6-2, with Scotland's Carla Banks and home player Rebecca Von Asch behind her with 5-3 records.

In the men's event, Malta's Brendan Aquilina, who has won his first nine qualifying matches in section two with one match remaining, had a day off.

The other unbeaten male player, Northern Ireland's Gary Kelly, played his ninth game today and maintained his proud record in section one, beating Switzerland's Thomas Walti 13-3, 14-5.

New Zealand's Seamus Curtin is also in outstanding form and a 7-4, 8-6 win over Canada's Hirendra Bhartu means he has won eight of his nine matches, losing only to Kelly.

In section two, home favourite and defending champion Jeremy Henry - playing on his home lawns - is still looking a strong bet to earn a seventh title.

He beat Mervyn Edwards of Jamaica 12-5, 16-2 to extend his record to eight wins out of nine - with his only defeat coming at the hands of Aquilina.