MARK Hammond and Paul May still have a double vision in the Area 31 semi-finals of the English Indoor BA Championships.

The Banister Park duo are through in the pairs and the fours alongside Cliff Higgins and Barry Bendall.

In the pairs their path is blocked by the in-form Bill Ward, the East Dorset member who is also going strong in the singles, triples and fours.

Ward will not need reminding that last season he and Dean Morgan lost to Hammond and Higgins in the area final at Victory. This time both have different partners, Ward having teamed up with 1993 England singles king Russell Morgan.

The other semi-final is between Keith Cole and reigning Hampshire singles champion Graham Standley of Longmeadow and East Dorset's Steve Henry and Bill Belcher.

As for the fours Hammond's quartet face Jody Bright and his Atherley colleagues with Ward against Dean Morgan in the other half of the draw.

For the second year in a row Standley's hopes of qualifying for the national play-offs (April 1-8) at Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, in the singles were scuppered by East Dorset international Adam Tidby.

Playing at Christchurch Standley had his chances to win but eventually bowed out 21-18. The semi-finals are an East Dorset closed shop: Tidby v Bill Ward; Chris Martin v Peter Ward.

Banister Park are represented in the triples through Ken Prior, Steve Whitehead and Steve Rice who face Bill Ward with Russell Morgan and Nicky Jones at East Dorset.

Banister Park had a happy visit to the Christchurch club in the last round, hammering Ron Sparks, Terry Chivers and Ken Hann 19-4. Atherley's Dave Edmonds tackles Dean Morgan in the other tie.

The area finals are scheduled for Victory on the weekend of February 25-26 but other dates may have to be found if Bill Ward qualifies in all four.

l The first of this season's national championships will be decided this weekend when the over-60 and the under-25 singles are staged at Nottingham.