Kirkliston win the Inter-County Top Ten Bowls for record third time

Jun 16 2011 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

Rattray seriously tested Kirkliston in the morning semi final but with five players of international experience in their team the “Cheesetown Boys” showed great fighting spirit, and killer instinct, in the closing stages to clinch a 6-2 victory.

Raymond Logan was their inspirational figure in the Singles with the 1998 national champion coming off a 12-18 pace to accelerate to a crucial 21-19 win over Scott Strachan.

A great result for Kirkliston but a real downer for a Rattray team that would add a last end single for Ian Brogan, David Grant and David Strachan to clinch a 16-15 win over David Masterton, Calum Logan and John Aitken in the Triples.

The Perthshire champions also had Kirkliston under pressure in the Fours but Grant Logan carded three at the last to skip Andrew Sudden, Gordon Logan and Greg Logan to a 20-16 win over Sid Kinnear, Neil Nicholson Graeme Lawrence and Steven Bodle.

Kirkliston, however, dominated the Pairs with Neil Speirs skipping Steven Forrest from 10-9 down to a spectacular 28-10 win over Kevin Nicholson and Scott Pirie.

Meanwhile, Strathmiglo carried the Fife banner into the final with an exciting 6-2 win over strongly fancied Edinburgh champions Carrick Knowe.

Colin Mitchell set Carrick Knowe up with a 21-11 win over Alan Pearson but Andrew Quigg and David Thomas perked Strathmiglo up with a double at the last to pip Kevin Tennant and James Hogg, 20-19.

Bruce Doig skipped Martin Dalrymple and Calum Young to an 18-14 win over Darren Hush (skip) in the Triples and another game-changer saw Ian Simpson, Bill Clark, Blair Doig and Steven Cormack win 23-18 from 16-7 down to Richard Tough in the Fours.

The final saw Strathmiglo draw first blood with Alan Pearson emerging best from the bowlers’ graveyard of 13-13 to beat Raymond Logan 21-16, but Kirkliston were again flying in the Pairs and converted a 19-3 lead into a 27-15 victory.

Grant Logan skipped his rink from 5-7 down to win the Fours 22-14, while a dour low-scoring battle in the Triples saw Aitken and Co win 10-6.

The Ceramic Tile Warehouse Group of Kirkcaldy provided the winners with special souvenir caps in the sponsors’ corporate colours.

The Logan dynasty formed the major part of the Kirkliston 10, with brothers Grant and Greg and cousin Calum joined by their respective fathers Gordon and Raymond.

THE semi finals of the WLBA Championships, sponsored by Winter Jack High Insurance, take place tonight (Thursday) at Broxburn and Uphall Station. The challenging clubs at Broxburn are: Blackburn against Philpstoun and Queensferry versus Kinneil in the Singles; Ratho against Queensferry in the Pairs; while Queensferry take on Philpstoun in the Triples.

While Uphall Station will feature: Buchan Park vs Bathgate in the Pairs; Mid Calder vs Buchan Park in the Triples; Kirkliston vs Newbridge and Glenmavis vs Polbeth in the Fours.

IT looked like a penalty kick against a patchwork team going nowhere but with everything to play for West Lothian failed to impress and suffered a miserable 112-100 defeat from Edinburgh and Leith at Hillside last weekend.

There is still a small chance West Lothian could scramble the second qualifying place in the East section of the Cities and Counties Championship, with wins over the current top two – East Lothian and West Fife – but if the Fifers win at home to Borders this weekend then it’s all over.

The atrocious weather didn’t help but wins for the rinks skipped by Thomas Mann and Grant Logan plus a peel for John Aitken was the best West Lothian could manage with Gary Smith, Neil Speirs and Raymond Logan losing.

Smith is having a torrid time of it without a campaign win and the latest setback in company with Gary Orr, George Sneddon and Andy Dunnett saw them crushed 28-11 by James Hogg, who counted a seven at the 19th end.

Speirs and his rink of Steven Forrest, James Speirs and Sandy McDougall were largely chasing in a 24-18 defeat from Colin Hutchison while Ewan Shearer, Greg Logan, Steven Fleming and Ray Logan were pipped 16-15 by Robert Marshall.

Aitken finished 1, 1, 4 to skip Bryan Cooper, Kenny Black and Calum Logan to a 17-17 peel with Willie McDonald while Grant Logan skipped Mark Allison, Stewart McMaster and Blair Mackie to a 16-15 win over Gavin Smith.

Mann was West Lothian’s top man as he skipped Frazer Muirhead, Walter McDougall and Alec Allan to a 23-12 win over Paul O’Donnell.

WL face undefeated leaders East Lothian at West Barns on Saturday.