Jason Greenslade Les Gillett have been defeated today at the World Indoor Bowls Championships ©World Bowls

Defending pairs champions Jason Greenslade and Les Gillett were dumped out of the 2018 World Indoor Bowls Championships at the quarter-final stage at the Potters Leisure Resort, in Norfolk, today.

The Welsh-English duo were defeated 10-2. 4-4 by an inspired performance by England's Robert Paxton and Scotland's Jonathan Ross.

They were too strong and too consistent after the two sets.

On a mixed day for Scotland's open pairs players, Alex Marshall and American partner Neil Furman were also defeated.

They lost 1-8, 5-7 to English qualifiers Jamie Chestney and Mark Dawes. 

Marshall had been due to play with fellow Scot Paul Foster.

Paul Foster, pictured during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, pulled out of the open events ©Getty Images
Paul Foster, pictured during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, pulled out of the open events ©Getty Images

Foster withdrew, however, following the sad death of his father and bowls mentor, Hugh, on his way to the tournament.

He consequently pulled out of both the pairs and mixed pairs tournaments.

The remaining two quarter-finals are due to take place tomorrow.

Scotland's David Gourlay and England's Mervyn King will play England's Andy Thomson and Mark Royal.

English duo Greg Harlow and Nick Brett will then face Stewart Anderson and Darren Burnett of Scotland.