Alex ‘Tattie’ Marshall MBE is in World Bowls Tour action this week in the Co-operative Funeralcare sponsored Scottish International Open. The event finishes on Saturday. Marshall opened up with a comprehensive 14-1, 11-3 first round win over Canadia qualifier Mark Sandford and was next due to face Englishman Jamie Chestney in the last 16 on Wednesday afternoon.
The ladies side from East Lothian IBC turned in a strong performance on home terrority at the Alex Marshall Arena to score a resounding 52.5 shot victory (99-46.50) over Balbardie last Saturday in the Scottish Ladies League East Premier Division It is a result that moves East Lothian up into second position on the 6-point mark but it is still local rivals Midlothian who top the table on 8 points as the campaign enters the second round of fixtures. “It was another good win for us but it was a strange match as Balbardie were only able to field 12 players so we had a situation on all four rinks where it was 4 against 3 and it took our players a few ends to familiarise themselves with the unique set of circumstances”, said team manager Sheena Currie. It was greatly satisfying for Currie that her team held supremacy on all four rinks with Yvonne Veitch, Janet Fairnie, Emma Logan and Lauren Baillie all having the measure of their respective opposition. The side is quite rightly in buoyant mood but they have a massive challenge on their hands this Saturday when they tackle current table toppers Midlothian at Dalkeith. Currie is rocked by the news that regular stalwart figures Janet Fairnie and Alicia Irvine are enforced absentees while Arlene Berwick is also unavailable. Currie has addressed the situation by recalling Irene Gray to the line-up while she hands seasonal debuts to Rose and Gillian Mackintosh in a slightly recast side that reads:- M.Murray, J.Russell, M.Kivlin, E.Logan skip P.Turner, R.Mackintosh, N.McNeil, Y.Veitch skip C.Ward, M.Devine, G.Mackintosh, L.Baillie skip B.Riva, M.Hamilton, I.Gray, M.Thomson skip
Meanwhile the men’s side went head to head with Balbardie at Bathgate last Saturday and turned in a highly impressive overall team performance to celebrate a 90-62 victory that kept them at the top of the table in the B section of the Scottish Premier League. Wins on all four rinks – skipped by team captain Graham Robertson, Willie Wood MBE, Billy Mellors and Joe Mower made for a happy team bus on the way home to the Alex Marshall Arena. The side is back in action this Saturday and will be confident of keeping the winning run going when they have home environment advantage against fourth placed Lanarkshire. Unfortunately, at the time of this report going to press no team news was available from the EL selectors.
The talented senior side made it four wins out of five to remain hard on the heels of leaders Midlothian in the East B section of the Scottish Senior League having performed up to the mark to score an impressive 70-44 away win over Bainfield. The garden county ‘auld yins’ fired on all four cylinders to score a commanding victory with Willie Wood MBE, Peter Laidlaw, Tommy Young and Alastair Russell all skipping their rinks to excellent victories. The side had no fixture on Wednesday but will return to action this coming Wednesday (November 16) when they make the trip to Hawick to tackle foot of the table Teviotdale.
The playdown action in the gents and ladies national senior tournaments were played last Sunday and the East Lothian IBC rink of Peter Fallen, Davie Pryde, Alan Morgan and B J Smith progressed through to the second round following a hard fought 15-13 triumph against Balbardie in the first round action played at West Lothian IBC. They now play Stirling at Bainfield IBC on Sunday November 27. In the ladies singles club champion Ann Barclay was a 21-12 first round casualty against Falkirk while in the pairs Margaret
Devine and Muriel Hamilton opened with a good 14-9 win over Teviotdale but failed to survive their second challenge; going down 14-10 against Headwell. This coming Sunday the action continues with all the remaining garden county representatives parading their skills at Midlothian IBC in Dalkeith. In the pairs action the strong looking partnership of Lessel Middler and Willie Wood MBE carry the local’s hopes and face a second-round test at 10am from East Fife in the shape of Mike Rollo and John McDougall. In the triples Jim Neilson, Billy Higgins and Tommy Young fly the local banner, they face a tough looking second round assignment against Mark Wilson, Ronnie Erskine and David Wilson of West Lothian, and they also play on the 10am session.
On the international stage its congratulations to the East Lothian IBC duo of Megan Kivlin and Kim Hoggan after they received news they have both been included in the Scotland Ladies Under 25 trial match to be played at Cumbernauld IBC on Sunday November 27. Meanwhile Emma Logan and Yvonne Veitch head to Glasgow IBC this coming to play for a Scotland select side that will tackle current ladies national league champions Auchinleck.
The youth side launch their campaign in the East of Scotland Junior League tomorrow (Saturday) morning and face a tough opening away game at Stirling. Youth convenor Peter Fallen has the unusual luxury of being able to call upon in the main the same squad of players from last season and he will be hopeful his team will be on the bus over River Forth in great heart to face a testing challenge.
Gifford Bowling & Sport Club stage their annual Presentation of Prizes Evening on Saturday November 19 and tickets for the event are now on sale and available from club committee members. On the same evening Tranent Bowling Club stage their equivalent in their Polson Park clubhouse and tickets can be purchased from club officials.