Scotland has named their team to compete in the gents British Isles indoor bowls Home International Series at Stanley in County Durham from March 12 to 14 and the headline figures in the 24 strong line up are East Lothian legends Willie Wood MBE and Graham Robertson.
Wood is set to retain his status as the most capped Scotland player with the phenomenal tally of the much celebrated Legend of the Sport moving from 87 to 90 a figure that represents playing in 30 series.“The Wizard from Gifford” made his debut in season 1972 under the banner of the sadly now defunct Edinburgh IBC but he is only three caps ahead of his club-mate Graham Robertson who made his debut under the same banner in 1987.Robertson moves from the 84 mark to 87 and has the remarkable distinction of having represented his country with an unbroken run of 29 series.East Lothian have four more stars extending their international careers in the shape of Scott Kennedy, Billy Mellors, Derek Oliver, and Jamie Higgins.Kennedy moves his cap mark up to 45 having played in all the Home Championship Series since making his debut under the Edinburgh IBC banner in 2001 while Mellors made his debut under the Edinburgh banner in 1997 but with broken service moves up to 42.Oliver made his debut in 2009 under the East Lothian banner and is an ever-present with 21 caps to his name while Higgins retains the confidence of the national selectors having made his debut last season and now moves onto the six-cap mark.It is welcome news for Edinburgh circles that the troubled relegation zoned season of Bainfield hasn’t worked against Colin Hutchison who made his debut last season and has continued to find favour with the selectors.“I am delighted for Colin as it is a worry that our poor results this season might have worked against him but he has much to offer” said Bainfield team manager Alan Brown.West Lothian IBC may have failed to make a successful defence of their three-in-row premier league titles but they – like East Lothian – continue to provide the backbone of the Scotland team with five of their stars holding on to their places. Neil Speirs will move onto 39 caps from his 13th series in a row and The Glasgow 2014 gold medal hero is joined on the journey south by Thomas Mann (24), Calum Logan (15), Mark Allison (15) and Bryan Cooper (9).The Midlothian banner continues to be represented by two of their top-notchers in the shape of Colin Walker and Ronnie Duncan who moves their cap tally to 33 and 24 and are ever-presents since making their debut in 2005 and 2008 respectively. he full Scotland line-up reads,
Rink 1. Jamie Higgins (EL) Willie Wood (EL), Iain McLean (Blantyre) and Colin Walker (Mid).Rink 2. Gary Hutchison (Falkirk), Calum Logan (WL), Scott Klennedy (EL), and Stewart Anderson (Auchinleck).Rink 3. Bryan Cooper (WL), Martin Williamson (Ardrossan), Thomas Mann (WL), and Neil Speirs (WL).Rink 4. Martin McCalley (Falkirk), Callum Taggart (Paisley), Mark Allison (WL), and Darren Burnett (Arbroath).Rink 5. Ronnie Duncan (Mid), Graham Robertson (EL), Billy Mellors (EL), and Derek Oliver (EL).Rink 6. Paul Boyd (Prestwick), Colin Hutchison (Bain), Mike Stepney (Elgin), and Paul Foster (Prestwick). Reserves – Steve Allan (Falkirk), and Graeme Sloan (Paisley).