Round the greens
Bowling news round-up
Bathgate BC are on cloud nine after capturing the Isle Of Skye Whisky WLBA Rosebery Cup with a commanding 26 shot victory (88-62) over Newbridge in the 21-end final at Winchburgh last Sunday.
It was a back-to-back title triumph for the defending champions who were winning the prestigious trophy for an 8th time having set the ball rolling as the inaugural Rosebery champions back in 1882 when - whisper it - Bo'ness refused to turn up for the final of the event that launched the Linlithgowshire Bowling Association.
Newbridge were hoping to repeat their 1977 success - one and only - against Bathgate and the signals looked positive when they led 40-36 after 11 ends. But Bathgate engaged a much higher gear for the final push and replaced Newbridge in the driving seat with a second half account of 52-22.
It was wins for the rinks skipped by Billy Arnott, Alan McCormick, and Gerry Duggan that kept Newbridge in their slipstream, and cushioned the defeat of David McCormick.
Arnott played the pivotal role for Bathgate, skipping Ian Drysdale, Cary Grant, and Grant Taylor, to a 31-6 victory over Alec Allan, a massacre that the recent West Lothian reject would have rejoiced in, in front of the County selectors.
Alan McCormick made a strong move from 10-12 to 22-12 then held off a late challenge to skip David Drysdale, Ian Fleming, and Alan Harrower, to a 22-18 win over Alex Paterson.
Duggan is a leading trombone player in brass band circles and recovered from a flat start (5-13) to finish on a high note having called the tune from 13-14 to skip Dick Saunders, John Gillogley, and Matt Thomson, to a 20-18 win over Ian Robertson.
David McCormick was always against the collar and in company with Ian Stewart, Alistair Hair, and Hugh Marshall, suffered a 20-15 defeat from David Mackie, Robert Rayner, Stuart Affleck, and Thomas Mann.
*******
Queensferry played host to the finals of the WLBA County Championships last night having become the preferred venue when local star Andrew Dunnett tumbled out in the semi final stage of the singles.
George Sneddon was a parachuted into the semi- final stage of the ''Belhaven Best'' singles by Broxburn as a substitute for Stewart Grant and the World and Commonwealth pairs champion beat Dunnett 21-17.
Dunnett, the first West Lothian Master, opened up a 9-4 lead and remained in the driving seat till 17-15 when Sneddon exploded on the scene with a 3,3, finish to triumph 21-17.
Meanwhile Neil Speirs (Ratho) shrugged off an 8-3 deficit to score a convincing 21-11 win over Paul Lynas of the Deans.
The final of the Motorway Cars WLBA pairs featuret Pumpherston duo, George Rarity and Paul Cumming against Peter and Paul Tinley, father and son, from Buchan Park.
Pumpherston tipped the scales with a single at the last to pip Ian McCallum and Sandy Bryant of Kinneil, 13-12 in the semis while Buchan Park beat Drew Reid and his son Andrew, from Winchbugh,14-10.
The Wessex Products WLBA Ttriples final was a battle between Stuart Williamson, Colin Forrest and Stewart Gibson, of Kinneil, and Broxburn's Mark Allan, Ian Laverie, and Colin Smith. Kinneil beat Glenemavis 15-4 in the semis while Broxburn produced a 3,1, finish to pip Linlithgow's Willie Punton, Jim Fraser, and Graeme Byrne 15-13.
It was Fauldhouse versus Kirkliston in the final of the Foremost Bowls WLBA fours, pitching Peter Lynch against Gordon Logan. Lynch skipped Jack McLaren, Willie Ross, and Sandy McDougall, to an 18-9 win over Armadale in the semis.
Logan skipped Ross Logan, Andi Gray, and Steven Forrest to a 23-7 success over J Duncan, D Alexander, C Stein, and S Fleming, of Linlithgow.
The final of the West Lothian Council sponsored WLBA junior open was also down for decision with Wednesday night's semi-final action.
*******
Simon Lamb captured the 21-18 scalp of holder and No1 seed Neil Speirs in Monday nights quarte-finals action of the West Lothian Council WLBA junior open for the Fred Meikle Trophy at Broxburn.
The Bellsburn star risked a last bowl draw into a dangerous head when already holding two shots at 18-18 and the No 8 seed reaped a rich reward when carding a magic three to 21 on an umpire's measure.
Ewan Shearer (No3) was involved in a tough battle with Graham Munro of Middleton Hall and the 2001 WL Master from Bo'ness had to burn the head at 18-16 then land a 1,2, to clinch his place.
Grant Logan continued his fine form ahead of next week's full international debut, the No4 seed from Kirkliston crushing the host club's 26-year old Ryan Devaney 21-7.
Alan Brown of Queensferry survived a roller-coaster experience to snatch a 21-20 win over Willie Crawford of Armadale. The epic saw Brown looking a winner at 18-11 up but Crawford set the match alight with a quick-fire run of 2,4,3, that shot him to 20-18 up. In a dramatic climax, a misjudged jack length cost Crawford dear as Brown punished the mistake with a 3 to 21.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Queensferry
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
