The talented East Lothian IBC trio of Emma Logan, Yvonne Veitch and Dee Hoggan were last weekend part of a Scotland Ladies senior side that captured the British Isle Home International Championships for a second successive year and retained the Clara Johns Trophy.
Read MoreThe series was staged at Belfast IBC in Northern Ireland and the Scots opened their campaign with a commanding 151-88 win over Wales and celebrated victories on all 6 rinks. Next up was a clash against the host nation and Scotland once again totally dominated proceedings for the opening end and coasted to a whopping 172-85 with this time 5 rinks posting triumphs. The final match of the series was a winner takes all clash with England and a much sterner test was expected against the ‘auld enemy’. However, this surprisingly never materialised as the Scots came out the traps in fantastic fashion and assembled a 43-19 lead after 7 ends completed. To their credit, England did mount a spirited fight back in the middle part of the contest and closed the overall shot to just 12 shots behind. But Scots players were in no mood to give up their title and moved away from their opponents from the thirteenth end onwards and never let up recording a very satisfying 129-84 win and returned winning performances on 5 of the 6 rinks. During the whole series, Scotland posted 16 wins out of a possible 18 and had a shot aggregate of plus 195. Veitch and Hoggan played in rinks that boasted 100% records while the rink Logan played in recorded 2 wins but suffered defeat against Ireland.
This weekend (Thursday to Saturday), it’s the turn of the men with the garden county contingent of Alex Marshall MBE, Scott Kennedy, Billy Mellors, Derek Oliver and Jamie Higgins making the trip to Belfast to join their colleagues in an ultra-talented Scotland gents team. It will be an extra special occasion for Kennedy as he has the honour of being team captain for his country.
Scottish Cup fever returns to the East Lothian IBC ladies side camp with the temperature rising ahead of Saturday’s quarter-final challenge against fellow East Premier league opposition in the shape of Balbardie at Bainfield IBC. The garden county will go into the eagerly awaited clash on a real high after two magnificent results in the previous rounds but on their day Balbardie are a very good side so another big performance will be required if East Lothian harbour hopes of making the semi-final stage for a first time. The fantastic news for team manager Sheena Currie is she had a near full-strength squad to pick from and she has named the following side: – M.Murray, J.Russell, M.Kivlin, E.Logan skip M.Penman, M.Hamilton, I.Gray, Y.Veitch skip P.Turner, M.Devine, G.Mackintosh, L.Baillie skip H.Fender, C.Ward, M.Thomson, J.Fairnie skip
World stage icon figure Alex Marshall MBE hopes of ending the 2016/17 World Bowls Tour season with a title triumph ended in disappointment after he suffered defeat at the second-round stage in the Co-operative International Open at Blackpool Newton Hall IBC. ‘Tattie’ came up against an inspired performance from Englishman Mark Dawes last Wednesday and lost out in straight sets.
There were scenes of title winning jubilation at Alloa IBC last Friday evening when the super youth team from East Lothian IBC captured the East of Scotland Junior League with a game to spare. The garden county young brigade won the title in some style, posting a 7-0 points win over their closest rivals in the race for the title and done so despite being a player down after Craig Mackintosh was a late call-off due to illness. This resulted in Kieran Dodds, Robbie Shields and David Young having to play as a triple and they performed admirably to post a 15-4 win. Lucy Hogg, Melissa Penman, Danny Stevenson and Lewis Betts faced a 12-4 deficit but finished with an outstanding 6, 2, 4, 5 to win 21-12 while Aaron Betts, Beth Riva, Cameron Shaw and Megan Kivlin completed the clean sweep with an 18-14 triumph. “Brilliant performance from the team against probably the next best team in the league this season on their own carpet”, beamed Youth Convenor Peter Fallen. On Saturday morning, the side rounded off their league campaign with a home fixture against Falkirk and there was certainly no title winning hangover as they produced another tip-top performance to inflict 7-0 pain on their opponents. The league champions finished the campaign undefeated and will be presented with the trophy at the East of Scotland Top Ten next Saturday. Meanwhile on Sunday, David Young, Megan Kivlin and Craig Mackintosh put up a bold showing in the
SYIBA National Triples Championships at Aberdeen IBC but in the end had to settle for being runners-up as Abbeyview went on to capture the title that was won by Young and Mackintosh along with Dean Riva 12 months ago.
On the international stage, it’s huge congratulations to the East Lothian young duo of Megan Kivlin and Craig Mackintosh after both were selected for the Scotland Under 18 side that will participate in a British Home International series on weekend of Friday 13 to Sunday 15 October at a venue still to be confirmed. Both players have been selected for the Scotland 2 team and will participate in the triples and fours disciplines. Unfortunately, garden county star David Young never made the final line-up but by all accounts, gave an excellent account of himself at the recent trial match at Abbeyview IBC. It has also been announced that East Lothian’s Scott Kennedy will be team manager for the young Scots for a third successive year.
The qualifying play in the Jock Brodie Senior Challenge Cup, sponsored by Norman T Craig and Co-operative Funeralcare, continued at the Alex Marshall Arena last Wednesday and Teviotdale won the all ‘Borders’ derby clash against Berwickshire, 5-3 while Abbeyview coasted to an 8-0 win over an out of sorts Tweedbank side. The qualifying play continued Wednesday when Abbeyview and Perth went head to head and it was a must win for the latter side while the other fixture was a local affair between Midlothian and Bainfield. Meanwhile Midlothian IBC in Dalkeith will stage the semi-finals of the ever increasingly popular Central District Seniors Top 6 next Sunday (March 26) from 2pm. The last four line-up features defending champions Abbeyview against two time previous winners Perth while Alloa play Balbardie in the other tie with neither team having won it previously. The final is due to be played at Abbeyview IBC in Dunfermline on Saturday April 8 with again play commencing at 2pm.
Turning attention to the fast-approaching outdoor season and members of Gifford Bowling & Sports Club are remined that their AGM will take place on Sunday from 2pm. Meanwhile bowling members of Cockenzie & Port Seton Bowling Club should note that their AGM will take place this coming Tuesday evening at 7pm.
All outdoor club secretaries are reminded the AGM of the East Lothian Bowling Association takes places at Haddington BC on Wednesday from 7pm. Two representatives from each affiliated club are formally requested to attend the meeting.
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