West Lothian face Highland at Kirriemuir in Saturday’s semi final of the Hamilton Trophy and there is raised hope that Opportunity Knocks following a strong spirited team performance to beat Lanarkshire West in the quarterfinals.
Read MoreHighland represents shock opposition and its hats off to them for a stunning victory over defending champions, and hot title favourites, Lanarkshire South a result that must command the respect of the bowling world at large in Scotland. West Lothian are now aware of the red for danger signal that is flashing so are unlikely to sleepwalk into a potential nightmare scenario as they pursue their ambition to capture the Holy Grail Trophy of the Cities and Counties Championship. Team manager Gordon Logan covers the enforced absence of Bryan Cooper with the introduction of emerging Kirkliston star Robbie Cuthill whose selection at lead to Neil Speirs pushes Scott Logan up to second. The other semi final features Edinburgh & Leith against Bon Accord at Glasgow venue Bellahouston.
Wins on the rinks skipped by Neil Speirs, Steven Fleming, and Raymond Logan, plus a peel for Andrew Dunnett inspired WL to a battling 10 shot victory (117-107) that saw narrow defeats suffered by Grant Logan and Thomas Mann. Speirs made the most significant contribution in the shape of a strong 1, 2, 2, 2, 1 finish to skip Scott Logan, Bryan Cooper, and Gary Orr to a 22-10 win.
The final of The Rosebery Cup (1882) played on a splendid East Calder surface was a great spectacle for the large banking in attendance with the players of both Newbridge and Whitburn parading their skills with great enthusiasm. Played over an extended 21 ends that takes many club bowlers into unfamiliar territory the test of stamina was best answered by the team of16 that contained 8 players of Hamilton Trophy status and that was Newbridge Whitburn’s record 27 wins are a legend of The Rosebery but their last triumph was in 1984 so there was a great buzz of excitement in the air when showing great spirit and enthusiasm they powered into a 42-30 lead after 10-ends.
But Newbridge showed great resilience to bounce off the ropes and wins on the rinks skipped by Jamie Aitken and Blair Mackie plus a peel for James Speirs Jr saw them cover the defeat of Thomas Mann and deliver a 87-75 victory to celebrate a second Rosebery success. Mann had looked destined for a result damaging mauling at 18-4 down after 10-ends to a rampant James Ure Jr, Rab Saunders, Dean McNeill, and James Halliday however in company with Bobo Forrest, Robert Rayner, and Alec Allan closed the final score to 26-18. Aitken lost 5 shots on his opening end but recovered magnificently to skip Stuart Bremner, Ian Greer, and Paul Sweeney to a 30-16 win that included a gilt edged 5, 2 finish against Cammy Mighton. Blair Mackie crossed from 4-10 to 17-10 with a run of 5, 3, 3, 2 then defeated Colin Fraser, 22-16, while James Speirs peeled 17-17 with Peter Lynch.
The Seniors brigade of the WLBA are on a fishing expedition to Anstruther this Monday and hope to net a win over Fife in their league match of The Matt Purdie Trophy. Rink 1. Jim Davidson, Brian Walker, Jim Hannah, and Gordon Logan. Rink 2. Tommy Turnbull, Davy Peel, Raymond Reid, and George Sneddon. Rink 3. Robert Saunders, David Gemmell, Alistair Stenhouse, and Bob Mackay. Rink 4. Dave McQueen, James Paterson, Gordon Scott, and Colin Stein. Rink 5. Alistair Wilson, Gordon Kain, Drew Reid, and David Boyd.