The current World Pairs Champions Paul Foster MBE and Alex Marshall MBE have made the perfect start to the defence of their title. The champions, who have won the title four times together, opened up with an impressive two sets to nil victory (8-6 & 10-2) over Paul Maynard and James Rippey from England to set up a semi-final against fellow Scot David Gourlay MBE and England’s Mervyn King.
Read MoreAs mentioned in last week’s column Alex was due to open his singles campaign against Lawrence Quill from the USA on Tuesday whilst John McCrorie faced fellow Scot and number four seed David Gourlay on Wednesday 15 January. Should they win their games they would both be in action on Tuesday 21st January. A full report on their progress and on the Pairs Final will appear in next week’s column.
East Lothian Gents returned from their tough trip to Prestwick with a 77-74 victory. The victory was impressive enough on an away carpet but it was made more impressive as the men were under the cosh for most of the game and found themselves seventeen shots down after fifteen ends of the game. Over the four rinks the men scored around twenty shots without reply to hit the front over the last few ends and held on to win. There were excellent wins for the rinks of Billy Mellors (+16) and Derek Oliver (+8) whilst Scott Kennedy lost out by six shots and Joe Mower by fifteen shots to an impressive Darren Weir. The gents entertain league leaders Blantyre on Saturday and whilst mathematically they can catch the leaders this is highly unlikely due to Blantyre’s shot superiority. However, the gents will be out to inflict a first defeat of the campaign on Blantyre and enter their game with the following team: M Yuill, J Gordon, D Riva & D Oliver (Skip) M Johnston, A Jeffrey, S Thomson & J Mower, J Higgins, D Stevenson, S Morgan & S Kennedy,A Betts, C Darling, L Betts & B Mellors
The ladies play their last game of the campaign this Saturday when they travel to Abbeyview looking for a win before their cup campaign begins. Team manager Gordon Pryde has named the following team: B Riva, C Monro, K Hoggan & D Hoggan (Skip) M Penman, P Turner, M Thomson & J Fairnie,
J McFarlane, A Berwick, M Kivlin & L Baillie-Whyte, Res: M Murray
Unfortunately our Team Championship squad lost at the first hurdle last Sunday when they exited the competition at the hands of Balbardie by a 3-5 scoreline. In the singles Lessel Middler was involved in a great tussle with ladies internationalist Lorraine Craig who just got the better of Lessel by a 21-18 scoreline. Lessel had led 16-7 only for his experienced opponent to raise her game and take the lead 19-16. Lessel replied with two singles, however, Lorraine then seen out the game to claim the first two points for Balbardie.
In the triples Arlene Berwick, Dougie Berwick and Tommy Young had led their game 15-0 and 22-11, however, their opponents hit back with a six to cut the deficit and finished the game stronger to gain a peel and another point for Balbardie. Our four of Dee Hoggan, Hazel Fender, Stuart Thomson and John McCrorie had pulled away to a 14-7 following a close start to their game and seen out their game well to win 22-18. This left the deciding game as the pairs and a game in which Megan Kivlin and Gordon Pryde were involved in a close game and were peels at nine and then found themselves 11-14 down with two ends to play. Unfortunately a loss of four on the penultimate end meant a seven was required on the last end which was made impossible when the opposing skip removed two East Lothian bowls from the head.
The Garden County Senior brigade finished their league campaign with a comfortable 70-57 home win over Falkirk last Wednesday. There were three winning rinks with Andy Burt winning by eight, Graham Robertson by five and Tommy Young by one, whilst Willie Wood MBE was narrowly defeated by one shot. Their league win seen the team go forward to the national quarter finals and in this round they were due to face Alloa on Wednesday at West Lothian with the following team selected: L Middler, J P Hamilton, D Berwick & G Robertson (Skip) J Neilson, R Maguire, A Russell & W W Wood MBE
B J Smith, D Pryde, A McKenna & A Burt, P Fallen, K Fender, D McGill & T Young,Res: G Gray and R Douglas
At the same time as the quarter final the popular Jock Brodie Seniors Challenge Trophy begins with East Lothian “B” v Perth and Bainfield v West Lothian.
There was great news for three of our youth contingent last weekend when following a second trial match Aaron Betts, Beth Riva and Kieran Dodds were all named in the SYIBA Scotland Under 17 team who will play in County Antrim later this year with Logan Kennedy just missing out on selection.
The East Lothian youths resume their defence of the league this Saturday when they visit Bainfield and they line up as follows; R Glen, D Grieve, C Henderson & A Betts (Skip), E Gillies, A McNeill, L Rafferty & B Riva, L Cowan, D Kivlin, L Kennedy & K Dodds,Res: S Niven, R Anderson, D Gillies, K Johnstone, J Watling and L Fairgrieve.
Due to the youth team having away fixtures there will be no youth coaching sessions on January 18th or 25th, with the next session on Saturday February 1st at 8am.
Half year memberships remain available at the indoor for £38 for anyone interested in trying indoor bowls which will allow anyone joining to join a league rink or help out in Scottish ties.