Test clash is a bowling feast for county fans

Nov 13 2008 by Our Correspondent, West Lothian Courier

WEST Lothian IBC acted as superb hosts to a Test Match played between Team Guernsey and a Scotland Select at the Inveralmond stadium last weekend and the large turnout of spectators were treated to two days of entertaining contest.

The presence of WLIBC stars Thomas Mann, Mark Allison, and Cameron Greer boosted the local interest and all three acquitted themselves with distinction.

Mann emerged from his four games with a 100 per cent record comprising one Singles two Pairs and one Triples while Allison won a singles and two pairs but was held to a peel in the Triples. Greer won his singles and one pairs, peeled in the triples but lost a pairs and a triples.

The 12 man Scotland Select team under the captaincy of Midlothian star Colin Walker powered to a commanding 23.5-6.5 victory over a competitive and sporting Team Guernsey

Walker answered the challenge of his high profile appointment by leading with example from the off producing a signal of inspiration by defeating Steve Le Noury in straight sets (8-3,10-4) in their singles clash on the first session.

And a highly successful series for the team captain saw him emerge with a 100 per cent record having next skipped Jamie Higgins and Gavin Smith to an 18-11 win in the Triples.

Walker then found himself hard pushed to complete the hat trick and it was thanks to a last end double that he skipped Mark Allison to a dramatic 15-14 success in the Pairs.

The final session saw Walker back in Pairs action with Colin Hutchison as his partner and there was no stopping them as they raced to a commanding 22-10 over Michael and Steve Le Noury.

Scotland launched the Test Match with a 4-1 result on the first session with Walker's success in the Singles supported by Iain McLean defeating Michael Le Noury 7-4, 6-4, in the other Singles match.

Mal Higgenbothman skipped Jamie Higgins to a 25-7 win in the pairs.

However, Guernsey inflicted a 16-14 defeat on Colin Hutchison and Gavin Smith while Cameron Greer, Paul O'Donnell and Mark Allison were held to a 16-16 peel in the Triples.

However more opening cheer for Scotland came with local hero Thomas Mann skipping James Gibson and Paul Boyd to a 21-10 triumph, having exploded into a 20-6 lead.

Scotland came under greater pressure on the second session and it took a third set win in the Singles for Mark Allison (8-9, 5-3, 8-4) over Steve Desperques for the home team to clinch a 4-2 triumph.

Setbacks coming for James Gibson in the Singles and the Cameron Greer/Paul O'Donnell partnership in the Pairs.

However, Mal Higgenbotham skipped Iain McLean and Colin Hutchison to an 18-9 win while Paul Boyd and Thomas Mann triumphed, 19-9.

Scotland launched the second day of the Test Match with a 5-1 domination sparked by a straight sets triumph (9-2, 8-3), for Thomas Mann over John Wallis in the Singles.

O'Donnell skipped Higgenbotham and Smith to an 18-10 win from 9-2 up but Higgins Greer and Hutchison lost 17-12.

Day two session two comprised six singles (all Edinburgh and Lothian players), which Scotland won 5-1 with wins for Cameron Greer, Mal Higgenbotham, Jamie Higgins, Paul O'Donnell, and Gavin Smith. Colin Hutchison was edged out 6-4 on his third set.

Greer's success came in the shape of a straight sets win (11-4; 6-4) over Gary Pitschou.

Scotland climaxed the event with a 5-1 win on the final session -all pairs-.

Boyd/Allison held on from 17-8 to win 17-16; Higgins/Mann triumphed 21-12; Greer/McLean won 14-11; Higgenbotham/Smith led 15-4 and won 17-15; while Gibson/O'Donnell lost 18-5.

"The result was great, the individual performances tremendous, the team spirit magnificent and it was an honour and privilege to be part of it," summed up Thomas Mann.

Mark McCullagh was going great guns for Balbardie in the playdown action of the Scottish Under 25 Singles championship at Portobello last weekend game to grief with a 21-6 defeat from Steven Allan of Alloa in their section final.

McCullagh opened his challenge with a 21-10 win over Tweedbank then beat M McCauley of Falkirk 21-13.

West Lothian IBC challenger Calum Logan defeated Stirling 21-15 in the prelim round then the teenager dealt a 21-13 exit to Kevin McDougall of Midlothian before edged out by Steven Allan in a 21-19 thriller.

Allan is joined in the finals stages at East Lothian on November 29/30 by Brian Irvine (Blantyre), Andrew Barker (Elgin), and Mark Kelsey (West of Scotland).

Continuing play in the national seniors fours saw the West Lothian IBC rink of Alistair Lindsay Stewart Orr Ron Scott and John Murphy score a great 18-8 win over East Lothian but suffer a 20-12 defeat from Falkirk in their section final at Portobello.

World Under 25 Mixed Pairs champion Lisa Barrett made an agonising 21-20 exit to Sarah Ewing of Headwell in her section final of the Scottish Junior Singles Championship at Portobello last Saturday.

The 17-year-old Under 25 champion of West Lothian IBC opened the day with a commanding 21-6 win over East Fife then battled to an exciting 21-18 success over fellow junior cap Emma Brown of East Lothian.

Barrett and Brown both took part in the junior international trial match at Falkirk the next day and were named in company with Stacey Laidlaw (Mid) Gaynor Blair (Mid) and Mandy O'Donnell (Bainfield) in the team for County Antrim series in January.

West Lothian IBC visit Arbroath in the return of the Premier League action this Saturday while Balbardie visit Tweedbank in Division 1B. Home matches for the ladies find West Lothian against Lanarkshire at Livingston and Balbardie against Coatbridge at Bathgate.