Scarborough bowls star Jack Bird preparing for Paxton after World Pairs semi-final defeat

Despite bowling superbly, Bird and his partner Stuart Irwin lost to Mark Dawes and Jamie Chestney in the semi-finals of the competition, which is being staged at Potters Resort in Norfolk.

Bird and Irwin beat Scotland’s Katherine Rednall and Stewart Anderson in the first round on Saturday.

The pair then sealed victory over another Scottish duo, Mervyn King and David Gourlay in the quarter-finals of the competition on Sunday.

Bird will now switch his attentions to his assault on the World Singles title by taking on holder and current world champion Robert Paxton in the last 16 on Monday January 18, his encounter with the heavy favourite starting at 7.30pm.

Paxton not only claimed the world triples title for England in New Zealand in 2016, but also won a bronze medal in the singles as part of England’s 2018 Commonwealth Games team

The competition is being screened live on Facebook and YouTube, with the latter stages expected to be live on the BBC.

The final of the singles will be held on Sunday January 24, getting under way at 2pm.