England - There may have been a few tense moments but the news was all good at the close of the third day at the World Bowls Indoor Championship in Bristol.
The SA flag is well and truly flying in England. But there was plenty of drama before the high fives and jubilant chants following Wednesday evening's play on the slick indoor surface.
First, it was Proteas ace Colleen Piketh who survived a tie-break against Hong Kong to move into the last 16 of the women's singles, before Piketh and Jason Evans survived a tie-break in their last-16 encounter against Ireland to keep their tournament hopes alive.
Piketh, well known to all the international bowlers at the event following her success at the Commonwealth Games, moved into the knockout phase after ending the group stage with a tense win over Gloria Ha (Hong Kong).
After going down in the second set, and with only a win enough to advance, Piketh produced some quality bowls that left Ha in danger. The Hong Kong star missed with an attacking shot on her second last wood but then fell inches away from winning the game as Piketh survived with the scoreline 8-6, 3-11, 1-0.
After moving into the knockout phase with a perfect record, Piketh and Evans were pushed all the way in a titanic battle against the Irish team of Bailie and Duncan. After going down 7-10 in the first set, they edged themselves into a tie break thanks to a 7-6 win in the second set after Evans played a shot to save his side. It was Piketh though who put South Africa into pole position in the one-end tie break and was relieved at the end of it all as they survived a nail-biter.
Evans' Singles campaign continues to cruise along in third gear. He moved into Thursday's last 16 with another win to keep his record 3 from 3. Up next, he faces the Isle of Man for a quarter-final berth.
Mixed Pairs results, quarter-finals:
Reaney & Kelly bt Ogier & I Merrien 11-4, 12-7
A Merrien & S Anderson bt Hill &Walters 8-6, 5-14, 1-0
C Anderson & Stepney bt Packwood & Chisholm 11-6, 15-7
Piketh & Evans (SA) bt Bailie & Duncan (Ireland) 7-10, 7-6, 1-0
Ladies singles last-16 fixtures
Bailie v Kivlin; Van den Bergh v Williams; Packwood v Schaft; Cooper v Hill;
Ha v Reaney; Piketh v C Anderson; Jamal v A Merrien; Forrest v Nunes.
Men's singles last-16 fixtures:
S Anderson v Kadkhunthod; Lam v I Merrien; Chisholm v Motiwalla; McGreal v Evans;
Bolt v Jabal; Stepney v Kelly; Walters v Duncan; Hare v Bhartu.