Defending champion Mark Dawes, back, missed out on a place in the men’s singles semi-finals at the World Indoor Bowls Championships after losing to Scotland’s Stewart Anderson in Norfolk today ©World Bowls Tour

Defending champion Mark Dawes missed out on a place in the men’s singles semi-finals at the World Indoor Bowls Championships after losing to Scotland’s Stewart Anderson in Norfolk today.

The Englishman was beaten 7-8, 6-11 by Anderson, the 2013 winner, at Potters Resort.

"I knew it was going to be a tough game before the match," Dawes was reported as saying by the Great Yarmouth Mercury.

"The first set was one of the best sets of bowls that I have ever played and I lost it, which just shows how good Stewart was."

Anderson added: "The first set was a display of top-quality bowls and fortunately I managed to sneak it at the end."

England's Nick Brett is one win away from reaching the men's singles final ©World Bowls Tour
England's Nick Brett is one win away from reaching the men's singles final ©World Bowls Tour

Standing between Anderson and a place in the final is England's Les Gillett, a 10-2, 10-9 victor at the expense of compatriot Scott Edwards. 

The other semi-final is set to be an all-English clash between Nick Brett and Simon Skelton.

Brett defeated fellow countryman Greg Harlow 9-3, 9-1, while Skelton overcame Scotland's Darren Burnett, the 2014 champion, 6-6, 6-5. 

As well as the men’s singles semi-finals, the under-25s competition is also due to be held with the two semi-finals and final.

The under-25s penultimate-round encounters see Ireland's Chloe Watson face England's Jordan Phillpott and New Zealand's Dean Drummond go up against Scotland's John Orr.