East Lothian icon figure Alex ‘Tattie’ Marshall will begin his quest next Wednesday (January 17) to extend his remarkable record to seven title successes in the Just Retirement World Indoor Singles Championships.
Read MoreThe World Singles Championship is the flagship event of a two-week festival of world-class bowls at Potters Leisure Resort in Hopton on Sea, from 13-28 January, which also includes the World Indoor Pairs Championship, the Ladies World Matchplay Championship and the Mixed Pairs World Matchplay Championship.
Marshall will open his 2018 singles campaign against New Zealand qualifier Andrew Kelly at 2pm. Before that, he will again team up with ex garden county teammate and good friend Paul Foster MBE as they bid to win the World Indoor Pairs title for a remarkable fourth time. The multi-talented Scottish pairing play their opening match on the famous portable rink at Potters on Saturday at approximately 3.30pm and will probably face the very talented young English pairing of Jamie Chestney and Mark Dawes.
Following his victory in the Scottish qualifying event Marshall’s garden county teammate John McCrorie is also competing on the premier World Bowl Tour event and will enter the portable rink on Tuesday (January 16) at 2pm when he faces a mouth-watering opening round match against fellow Scot and Number 5 seed David Gourlay. All matches on the portable rink are being streamed live on www.youtube.com/worldbowlstour
East Lothian IBC bowler Billy Mellors bid to win the Scottish Indoor Singles crown for a second time in four years has fallen at the final hurdle. Mellors was defeated by world stage star Paul Foster MBE of Prestwick Ambassador in a high-quality final staged at Blantyre IBC last Sunday.
Foster equalled the record number of wins of the blue riband event when he claimed his third championship success with a 21-19 win over another champion in the form of Mellors. The final was evenly poised at the halfway point of the match with Mellors holding a slender 12-10 lead. However, the next phase of the match was completed dominated by Mellors and some precision drawing saw him build up a 17-10 lead. Foster though responded in brilliant fashion scoring 2, 3, (1) and 3 brought him level at 18-18 with the outcome of the encounter firmly in the balance. Mellors secured a single on the next end to regain the lead but a brilliant third bowl from Foster on the next end forced the shot and he claimed a double to move in front for the first time. Foster brought the mat up and tried to ditch the jack with his opening delivery but only managed to clip the jack to the side and after two bowls played by both players Mellors lay a match winning double. With his third bowl, Foster drew shot to set up a championship lie. Mellors opted to attack and with his third bowl, he remarkably went through the space between Fosters bowl and the jack, brushing the bowl on passing but not enough to move it. The garden county ace had another chance with his last bowl but despite another valiant effort, he could not remove the match-winning single for Foster.
“Losing two national singles in the space of six months is tough to take but that’s bowls”, said a disappointed Mellors afterwards.
The men’s side from East Lothian IBC is back in Scottish Premier League action on Saturday and face a tough away test at Falkirk. Going into the final four fixtures the garden county have a two-point advantage over the chasing pack and are in pole position to grab the top of the table honours in the highly competitive B section. World stage star Alex Marshall MBE is a significant absentee from the line-up but other than that it is still a strong looking line-up that reads: – M.Johnston, D.Sked, D.Riva, B.Mellors skip E.Fallen, W.W.Wood MBE, J.Mower, G.Robertson skip M.Yuill, L.Betts, S.W.Thomson, D.Oliver skip C.Darling, G.Blair, J.Higgins, S.Kennedy skip
The high-flying ladies side have taken the East Premier Division of the Scottish Ladies League by storm this campaign with a whirlwind start to win six out of six but yet haven’t quite shaken off their neighbours Midlothian who are just two points off the pace. They enter the final straight with just two hurdles to clear in the shape of a home challenge against Bainfield on Saturday and a juicy away visit to chief rivals Midlothian the following week. Team manager Gordon Pryde has announced the following side:- M.Murray, K.Hoggan, M.Devine, N.McNeil, D.Hoggan, Y.Veitch skip J.McFarlane, A.Berwick, G.Mackintosh, L.Baillie skip/capt
The excitingly talented senior side look set to clinch the qualifying honours in the East B section of the Scottish Senior League as having won 10 out of 11 they hold a 2-point lead and a massive plus of 112 shots over second placed Bainfield. With just one fixture to fulfil the side was due back in action on Wednesday when they entertained their closest rivals but would have to collapse to an unlikely 57 shot defeat.
A mixed side from East Lothian IBC are in Scottish Under 35 Cup qualifying round action this coming Sunday when they make the short journey to Midlothian IBC in Dalkeith to tackle an Abbeyview/East Fife select side at 12 noon. The following side has been announced: – D.Hoggan, J.Blair, M.Greenan, G.Blair skip C.Johnston, S.Johnston, D.Sked, E.Fallen skip C.Darling, L.Betts, D.Riva, J.Mower skip R.Thomson, C.Fallen, M.Yuill, S.W.Thomson skip
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