Triples title chase

The national calendar this weekend is dominated by the play-down action in the Scottish Triples Championship with Abbeyview the venue for West Lothian and Balbardie trios in both the gents and the ladies.

The West Lothian Indoor Bowling Club banner is being carried by Stuart Johnston, Craig Moss and Mark Allison in the gents and Jenifer Richardson, Anne Muirhead and Liz Boyle in the ladies competition and hopes are high for both teams to advance.

Walter McDougall comes in for David Rodgers and joins brother Sandy and Mark Bonar in the Balbardie gents line-up while Kim Ross comes in for Helen Wilson and joins up with Betty Johnston and Pat Purdie for the ladies.

It is great news that local star figure Lorraine Craig of Balbardie is named at skip in the Scotland team to play in the International Series which is being held in Essex in March.

The squad also heralds the return of West Lothian’s Wendy Purdie, who last featured for the national team back in 2014 but will be hoping to make the most of her latest opportunity with the Scotland squad.

Four West Lothian stars will be aiming to get a national team call-up as Neil Speirs, his brother James, Bryan Cooper and Mark Allison are all named in the Scotland international trial at Auchinleck, which will be held on Sunday, December 16.