Play in the two divisions of the gents national premier indoor bowling leagues swing into action today and Bainfield launch their campaign in the B section with a home match at the Hutchison Crossway stadium with Blantyre the visitors. Blantyre represents the severest of tests for the Edinburgh elite as the defending champions have a strong recent record having also reigned supreme in 2015/16 and finalists in 2014/15.
Read MoreBainfields opening line up is packed with exciting talent including four top notch skips in Robert Marshall, James Hogg, John McDermott, and Paul ODonnell and the hope is that the home team will be fired up to capture what would be an awesome scalp. Teenager Craig Mackintosh makes his debut while last seasons team captain Alan Brown is an absentee. Rink 1. Mark McIntosh, Greg Walker, Danny Gormley, Robert Marshall (skip). Rink 2. David McNair, Brian Stoddart, Steven Pilley, James Hogg (skip). Rink 3. Craig Mackintosh, Stephen Pringle, John Kidd, John McDermott (skip). Rink 4. Graham Angus, Tam Ebbs, Craig Pateron, Paul ODonnell (skip).
Midlothian face a long trek North to face a strongly competitive home team in the shape of Turriff but team manager Ronnie Allen is enthused by the unusual luxury of most of his top players being available. Club champion Jamie Macnab is the exception but otherwise Allens opening line up is star studded. Rink 1. Jack Macnab, Sandy (AJ) Knight, Jim Cullen, Danny McDougall. Rink 2. Craig Hodge, Andy Caldwell, David Peacock, Graham Archer (skip). Rink 3. Dougie Russell, Liam Mackay, Kevin McDougall, Billy Peacock (skip). Rink 4. Ian Forbes, John Stevenson, Ronnie Duncan, Colin Walker (skip).
West Lothian parade their skills in the A section and a home carpet fixture gives them a big chance to hit the ground running at the expense of newly promoted West of Scotland. The opening line up includes a debut for Balbardie champion Gary Orr who has switched allegiance while the captaincy is in the hands of stalwart figure Ian Drysdale. Rink 1. Bryan Cooper, Connor McKendrick, Des Hagart, Neil Speirs (Skip). Rink 2. Ian Drysdale, Raymond Logan, Cameron Greer, Mark Allison (skip). Rink 3. Richard Mark, Alan McCormick, Gary Orr, James Speirs (skip). Rink 4. George Sneddon, Blair Mackie, Jamie Aitken, Craig Moss (skip). Reserve Pool; Dougie Mitchell, Darren Pearce, Duncan Lawson, Grant Knox, Jamie Edwards, Nathan McKendrick, Calum Logan.
Meanwhile the gents of Balbardie IBC will parade their skills in Division 1 North and have announced the under noted team for the opening match against Headwell at Bathgate. Rink 1. Paul Brown, Andy Forrest, Davie Ross, Ewan Shearer (skip). Rink 2. Tam Whitfield, Cameron Fraser, Calum Black, and Mark Bonar (skip). Rink 3. David Rodgers, Jimmy Mallon, John Ellis, Walter McDougall (skip). Rink 4. Steven McBride, Lindsay Forrest, Scott McMaster, Jim Speirs (skip).
Bryan Cooper has carried the West Lothian IBC banner into the semi finals stage of the Scottish Singles Championship with the 35 year old club champion in super form to rattle up a hat-trick of wins in last weekends play down action at Ardrossan IBC. Cooper launched his campaign for title glory with a 21-12 win over David Shields of Ayr then dealt a 21-18 exit to Gordon Cameron of Allander before booking his place in the Last Four at the 21-5 expense of Dundee champion Ross Carlin.
The climax of the national singles takes place at Midlothian IBC over the weekend of January 5/6 and Super Cooper will face Gordon McKenzie of Coatbridge with the other semi final featuring hat-trick seeking title-holder Paul Foster MBE against 2016 champion John Fleming Jnr of Inverclyde. Fosters passage into the semi finals was clinched in a clash of the weekend spectacular repeat of last season final against East Lothian champion Billy Mellors with Mellors setting up an 11-2 lead then still showing in front at 13-11 and 18-14. Mellors then held game on several breath-holding occasions but was denied by the brilliance of Foster in an epic 21-20 thriller.
Jamie Macnab (Midlothian) was piped at the post in a 21-20 thriller by John McCabe Jnr of Galleon in the prelim round; while Garry Orr (Balbardie) made a 21-16 first round exit to McKenzie of Coatbridge who then beat Chris Downie (Bainfield) 21-19.