BOWLERS GEAR UP FOR MASTERS
Opportunity knocks for West Lothian bowlers in the shape of a £1000 title and a range of attractive prizes in return for opting to test and parade their skills in the upcoming Johnston Oils-sponsored West Lothian Masters.
Entering its 19th season, the high-profile week-long WLM will run from July 17-23 and continues to attract investment from West Lothian and further afield.
The return of the cost free Players’ Sweepstake creates the opportunity for a second chance of landing a sizeable prize with the ticket holder of The Master, the runner-up and losing semi-finalists collecting £300, £200, and £100 respectively.
Entry to the West Lothian Masters is open to all age ranges of membership of the WLBA through its 34-constituent clubs or direct to Championship Convener Davy Doyle on 01506 494944 or by text to 07896642669 by June 25.
Elsewhere, Harrysmuir BC is the centre of the WLBA scene this Sunday with the home club’s Association President Joe McClelland hosting the final of The Rosebery Cup featuring Linlithgow versus Kirkliston.
West Lothian thrilled their home support at Whitburn last Saturday with a power-packed display that produced an explosion of shots and a spectacular 142-95 annihilation of Stirling County East in the penultimate section fixture of The Hamilton Trophy.
But the loudest cheer of what was an extraordinary day was sparked by the breaking news that qualifying rivals East Lothian had slumped to a shock 110-96 defeat at home to a previously winless Fife County.
The significance of that result being that West Lothian moved up to second spot, on the same points mark as East Lothian, but with a sizable shot margin advantage of 53.
West Lothian’s final match in the East section could be an extremely tough one away to a revitalised Edinburgh & Leith who will be fired up to end a troubled campaign on a high note.
East Lothian – the reigning national champions – are away to undefeated table-toppers Midlothian at Rosslyn where a win for them would need to go hand in hand with a defeat for West Lothian with that sizeable shot margin also being overturned.
West Lothian’s world stage star Neil Speirs returned from playing for Scotland in Australia to skip Andy Semple, John Aitken and Mark Allison to a 36-7 win over a luckless Stuart Williamson at Whitburn.
There were sizeable wins for the rinks led by Grant Logan (24-15), Andy Dunnett (26-19) and Thomas Mann (23-17) which were more than enough to off-set the narrow losses suffered by both Raymond Logan (23-21) and Steven Fleming (14-12).
Experienced campaigner Drew Paterson returns in place of emerging talent Jamie Edwards at lead to Thomas Mann in the only change to team manager Gordon Logan’s line-up for this weekend’s crucial clash.