Bowling: Ellis skips his rink to fantastic surprise win

Mar 19 2009 by Our Correspondent, West Lothian Courier

JOHN Ellis was the headline stealer in last week’s Division 1 action at the West Lothian IBC with the former Junior football star skipping his rink to a shock 9-4 win over title challenger Thomas Mann.

Ellis added 3, 1 to cross 5-3 then answered the loss of a single with a run of 2, 1, 1 to skip Mark McGhee, Kenny Ferguson and John McLeod to victory over Bryan Cooper, Dougie Mitchell, Neil Speirs and Mann.

Mann’s defeat leaves him two points adrift of joint leaders Billy Arnott and Stuart Johnston after nine of the 14 matches played while Ellis’s fourth win of the campaign moves his combine into eighth place.

The Arnott combine had an idle night and was joined at the top of the table on 16 points by the rink of Stewart Gibson Stuart Johnston Ricky Forrest and Graeme Archer who their eighth match in comfortable style.

Archer and Co opening up a 7-0 lead with a run of 3, 2, 2 then cashing in to triumph 14-6 over Bryan Walker Davie Anderson Derek Wardrop and George Marshall.

Kenny Black made it six wins out of 10 when skipping Craig Ramsay Sandy Grant and Grant Ramsay to a 14-6 success over Derek Mairs, Stuart Affleck, James Greenock and Martin Black having finished 1, 2, 1.

Mr Magnificent became the centre of attention early doors with a super count of 6 on his rink's opening end but Colin Russell, Frank Weir, Ronnie Martin and Bob Mackay were crossed 10-8 by Burnet Rose, Jim McCallum, Jim Speirs and Ewan Shearer.

Mackay and Co rallied to 12-10 with two 2’s but dropped a point to a 1, 1, finish from their opponents.

Raymond Logan is in seventh place after skipping David Brown Lee Fairlie and John Black to a 10-4 win over joint foot of the table Jim Fraser, George Rarity, George Clark and Gary Smith.

Jimmy Mallon served up last end drama in the shape of a 4 to skip Scott McMaster, Brian Saunders and Stewart McMaster to a 12-9 win over Andrew Cavanagh, Frazer Muirhead and Grant Knox.

Division 2 leaders John McLeod, Eddie West, Tom Stanton and Matthew Gorrie came under early pressure at 11-2 down after seven ends to middle table opposition Ian Sword, Ian Robertson, Alastair Small and David Ledgerwood.

But Gorrie and Co turned the tables with a purple patch spell of 1, 5, 2, 1, 1 and snatched a 14-12 victory make it an impressive 10 wins out of 10.

Colin Cruickshanks remained in second place but five points adrift after skipping his brothers John and Andrew to an 18-7 win over Neil McIhinney, Charlie Williams and Mark Finlayson.

John Lynas in ninth place inflicted damage on third-placed Charlie Thomson, Alex Hogg, James Lindsay and Gary Thomson of Forth by skipping Ged Borge, Paul Barrett and Ian McKeag to a surprise 11-8 win.

Brian Holloran looked a cert to move up to third place when skipping Bob McMillan, Jimmy Logan and Jim Craig into an 11-1 lead with a 5, (1), 4, 2 start against 10th-placed Alan Ure, Davy Simpson, John Meikle and Colin Forrest.

But they failed to count at any of the remaining nine ends as they collapsed to a 14-11 defeat.

Graham Lees led 15-5 after nine ends but with a penalty deduction to cope with ended up just doing enough to skip Stuart Smith and Adam Melrose to an adjusted 12-11 win over Drew Paterson, Paul Sweeney, Blair Mackie and John Aitken.

Neil Fisher celebrated his fifth win in 10 games on a penalty deduction after carding 4 at the last to skip Jim Anderson, Stuart Fisher and Davy Johnston to a 9-7 success over James Paton, Davy Paton and George Fordyce.

Jim Boyle eased out of the immediate relegation zone when skipping Gordon Johnston, Ian Greer and Ewan Wilson to a 19-4 win over Jack McLaren, Tommy Gunn, James Strain and Mark Bonnar.

A highlight from Division 3 saw Jimmy Shaw, Ian McGill, Andrew Semple and Frank Barker wipe out an 11-0 deficit and include two mighty 5’s as they stormed to an 18-15 win over Willie Griffith, Rab McNeill, Morris McCartney and Bobby Gilmour.

The Division 4 action included a 21-7 win for Davy Jones, Davy Allan, Steve Jenkins and Gary Mitchell who made the difference with a 3, two 4’s and a 5 against Eddie Scott, Charlie Kellett, Jim McDonald and Jim Davidson.

June Thorburn walked a tightrope before tipping the scales with a last end count of 4 to skip Creena Docherty, Jeanette Ross and Rita Lamond to a dramatic 12-10 win over Chris McCormack, Sandra Purdie, Margaret Russell and Ann Clark in the ladies Division 1 league.

Jim Beresford staged a thrilling fight-back from 14-5 down in Division 1 of the Morning Leagues to snatch a 17-15 win over Pat Wilson, Archie Jack, Alex Stein and Eric Sinclair.

Beresford and Co closed to 9 with a 4 then answering the loss of a single with a whirlwind finish of 4, 3, 1.