Today’s final of the Specsavers sponsored Edinburgh Cup is the 18th since the inception of the much coveted knockout team trophy of the EBL in 1998 and it promises to be a real humdinger between first time finalists Bainfield and Queensberry.
Summerside (2pm) is the venue and to heighten the intrigue of a status gap that sees Queensberry of Division 1 tackle Bainfield of Division 5 both teams are shy of publishing their respective 24 strong teams. The finalists are for the most part strangers to each other as they operate in opposite sectors of the Capital but that dynamic has been changed with the decision of Bainfield to take up membership of the EBL at the start of the season.Politics of the game dictated that the proud Water of Leith League giants had to start off life in the EBL as a lowly Division 5 club so in reality the gap between them and a top Division 1 outfit is not as great as it otherwise seems.
“The EBL is a new venture for us and an exciting one at that so our Bainfield camp is thrilled to reach the Edinburgh Cup final in our first season and our focus is on delivering a result that adds to our distinguished history as one of the cities top clubs”, said a spokesman.
Queensberry are not geared quite so much to the big occasions in bowls but are solid performers and very much in form as this season’s high level performance club in the top echelon division of the EBL.
Kirkliston’s bid to land the WLBA Top Five Singles title for a record extending 13th time is on track and faces its last major test against Bathgate in today’s final at Broxburn. (2pm). The Cheestown Boys’ have such strength in depth that the absence of former national champion Raymond Logan is solved by the call-up of another Scottish Singles Champion in the shape of John Aitken – recently crowned as the WL Master for a fourth time – a super sub indeed. Aitken is joined in the final by fellow internationalist’s Grant Logan, Neil Speirs, and Steven Forrest, plus Mark Allison.
Bathgate – four times winners – have a conflict of interest so their semi final five of Bryan Cooper, Brian Saunders, Stuart Johnston, Cameron Greer, and Robert Hilson haven’t been confirmed for today’s final
The two semi finals played on Thursday night turned out to be one-way-traffic affairs with Kirkliston beating Deans 4-1 on a lightening fast Queensferry green and Bathgate routing East Calder 5-0 at Armadale.