Piketh, who has won women's singles bronze at the last two editions of the Games as well as a pairs gold at Glasgow 2014, took the first set 9-1 against Guernsey's Rose Ogier at the Bristol Indoor Bowling Club.

However, she was beaten 7-5 in the second set, and then lost the tiebreak to the 66-year-old legal assistant.

Hong Kong's Gloria Ha leads the way in Group 5, after recording her second straight victory against the Falkland Islands' Daphne Arthur-Almond 7-4, 10-4.

Another of the ladies' singles favourites in Scotland's Julie Forrest recovered from her defeat yesterday, notching a 13-4, 13-1 win against Kenya's Sophy Kihuyu in Group 7.

Her compatriot Claire Anderson made it two wins from two in Group 6 with a 14-2, 14-2 thrashing of Isle of Man's Paula Garrett, and Wales' Kerry Packwood also remains perfect in Group 3 with a 7-3, 15-1 victory over Israel's Ruth Gilor.

Alison Merrien, representing the International Indoor Bowls Council, is another of the favourites to clinch the title, and recovered from a surprise defeat to the United States' Anne Nunes in Group 8 yesterday with a 14-0, 10-2 hammering of Turkey's Rahsan Akar.

Group 4 looks extremely tight, with each of the bowlers having one win to their name going into their final matches.

England's Ruby Hill beat The Netherlands' Sasia Schaft 4-4, 6-5 today, while Tandida Kachanthornpak of Thailand won a tiebreak against Janice Pilling of the Isle of Man after a 2-7, 9-0 draw.

Sandra Bailie of Ireland tops Group One, recording a second successive victory by beating Marietjie Van Den Bergh of Namibia 7-4, 7-3.

In Group Two, players are unbeaten with six points, with Megan Kivlin of Jersey defeating Genevieve Delves of Australia 5-4, 2-10, 1-0 and Amy Williams of Wales a comfortable 12-3, 11-1 victor against Marea Modultwa of Botswana.

In the gents' singles, World Bowls (WB) Men's World Cup winner Gary Kelly of Ireland, representing WB, made it two wins from two in Group 6 against Malaysia's Mohamad Fairus Abd Jabel, triumphing on a tiebreak after an 8-2, 1-9 draw.

Another of the favourites in England's indoor champion Andy Walters continued his 100 per cent record in Group 7 by beating Israel's Selwyn Hare 9-3, 9-2, while in Group 3 Wales' Robert Chisholm made it back-to-back victories by seeing off Kenya's Benson Wambugu 6-5, 7-4.

South Africa's Jason Evans is another who continued his fine start to the Championships in Group 4 with another win, this time on a tiebreak after an 8-4, 2-6 draw against Alexander Stewart of Jersey.

WB Tour top 16 member Mike Stepney of Scotland chalked up a second win in Group 5 by beating Namibia's Ronan Oliver 11-5, 10-4.

He is set to face England's David Bolt tomorrow to decide who tops the group, after he continued his perfect record with a 9-3, 10-2 win against Spain's Graham Cathcart.

Canada’s Hirenra Bhartu is on course to top Group 8 after his second victory of the Championships was clinched 5-5, 4-3 against Ireland's Andrew Duncan.

Scotland's Stewart Anderson, a five-time world indoor champion, leads the way in Group One on six points after beating Arthur Lam of Hong Kong 9-6, 11-2.

In Group Two, Ian Merrien of Guernsey won his second match by overcoming Robert Briglia of Australia 6-7, 7-4, 1-0 and tops the standings. 

The group stage of the ladies' and gents' singles is set to conclude tomorrow at the World Bowls Indoor Championships.