The Middleton Cup final at Worthing on 28 August could be an all-South West affair, after Devon and Cornwall came up with superb wins in the quarter-finals of the national inter-county championship at the weekend.

Cup holders Cornwall worked hard to overcome Northamptonshire at Swindon, showing character and skill to achieve a 127-121 victory, while Devon, who are hoping to win the title for the sixth time in nine years, were always in control against Durham in Studley (Warwickshire), where they won, 130-114.

"I've got a sore throat after shouting at the boys all afternoon," said the Duchy team manager David Perrin. "But it was all worth it, because they turned on an incredible display after trailing by 23 shots at the halfway stage."

Ian Ball led the charge, inspiring his rink to a pivotal 35-17 win over John Haines, Tim Phillips won by six, and Ian Drew by five, while Mark Read earned a creditable 18-18 tie with Roger Tansley.

"We must be the comeback kings," said Perrin. "We seem to start badly in all our matches, but team spirit and sheer determination has seen us through."

Devon shared the rinks honours, three-apiece, with Durham, but their winning rinks, skipped by Rob Paxton, James Webber and Griff Sanders returned impressive cards of 35-17, 28-11 and 25-19 respectively, so that the result was never in doubt.

Even though they are the defending champions, Cornwall will start as underdogs against Kent in the semi-finals, but will prefer it that way, and, with last year's success embedded in their memory, will certainly be up for it.

Devon will be fancied to beat Huntingdonshire in the other semi-final, and the prospect of a final between Devon and the Duchy is an intriguing one.

Torquay Kings duo Natalie Melmore and Sophie Tolchard helped England to a huge 70-shots win over Ireland in the women's under-25 international series in Worthing yesterday.

Melmore skipped her rink to a 25-11 win over Cliodhna Eadie, while Tolchard made an impressive debut at lead for Debbie Sarratt, who powered to a 32-7 win over an Irish rink skipped by Sarah Jane Coleman.

England achieved an even more significant 88-63 win over defending champions Scotland after lunch, and need merely to draw with Wales to regain the title they lost to the Scots last year.