CONSISTENT scoring saw Great Britain through to the Speedway World Cup final but Poole Pirates captain Darcy Ward suffered a night to forget with Australia.

Team GB's quartet of Tai Woffinden (12), Danny King (11), Chris Harris (11) and Simon Stead (10) all hit double figures as Alun Rossiter's men triumphed by seven points at the Norfolk Area, Kings Lynn last night.

Event one had been billed as a two-horse race between the Brits and Australia but it was America, expertly led by veteran talisman Greg Hancock with a haul of 19 points, who pipped the Aussies to second.

Ward picked up five points from his opening two races but things turned sour when he retired at the start of heat 11, his misfortune continuing when mechanical problems saw him drift out of contention in heat 16 behind Grand Prix rivals Hancock and Woffinden.

That was followed by a controversial exclusion in heat 18 when Ward pulled up during the first lap having seen a red light - the signal used when a heat is stopped - emanating from the crowd.

Ward gestured towards the referee and succeeded in getting the race brought back but was prevented from taking part in the re-run, ending with a meagre total of six.