The defending pairs champions Mark Dawes and Jamie Chestney were knocked out of the World Indoor Bowls Championships today ©Getty Images

The defending pairs champions have been knocked out in the quarter-finals at the World Indoor Bowls Championships at Potters Resort. 

England’s Mark Dawes and Jamie Chestney fell to a 3-6, 6-6 defeat to Scotland’s Paul Foster and Alex Marshall. 

It means Foster and Marshall become the first pair to advance into the semi-finals at the holiday camp in Norfolk in England. 

Elsewhere, the 2016 champions also bowed out.

Stewart Anderson and Darren Burnett from Scotland initially led 4-1 in the opening set after three ends but, despite the early promise they failed to score again, meaning they fell to a 6-4 defeat at the hands of Australia’s Dave Rankin and Kyle McIlroy.

The pairs contest will continue tomorrow with quarter-final action ©Getty Images
The pairs contest will continue tomorrow with quarter-final action ©Getty Images

Posting on Facebook afterwards McIlroy said he and Rankin, both from Perth, were "stoked" to go through.

"It’s awesome being here at Potters and even better to know that our extensive family from WA [Western Australia] is with us."

They are now scheduled to face England’s Greg Harlow and Nicky Brett in the quarter-finals tomorrow, winners of the title in 2014.

Earlier in the day, English qualifiers Rob and Ed Elmore pushed compatriots Mark Royal and Andy Thomson all the way but eventually fell to a 4-4, 6-4 defeat.

The winners Royal and Thomson are set to continue their campaign against England's Robert Paxton and Mike Stepney.