Top-rated international stars Calum Logan and Neil Speirs are in the frame for capturing national title glory this weekend with the partnership bidding to emulate the year 2000 success of Joey Strickland and George Sneddon in the 2Bowl Pairs.
The West Lothian IBC champions head for the final showdown at Paisley and open with a semi final challenge on Saturday from Russell Hinson and Roddy McCready of Lanarkshire. The other semi final features Andrew Munro and Kyle Ross of Inverness against Drew Boyd and John McCabe Jnr of Kilmarnock club Galleon. West Lothian IBC's bid to escape the relegation zone in the A Division of the gents Premier League will go down to the wire as they will enter the final fixture sharing the same point mark as second from bottom rivals Lanarkshire. Lanarkshire's surprise 97-82 away win over joint leaders Midlothian came as bad news for their victims and a West Lothian team that had hoped their own 90-66 win over foot of the table Arbroath at Livingston would have eased them clear of the playoff place.
Blantyre's 93-62 away win over defending national champions Paisley was an impressive one and with a massive 206 shot advantage over Midlothian on top of their now two point lead rewarded by the A Division crown whatever the outcome of the final games.
WL enjoy a 52 shot advantage over Lanarkshire but visit the lions den at Blantyre, a week on Saturday, where the home team can't even remember when they last lost at home while their relegation zone rivals will feel they have a sniff of a chance to take something positive away from Paisley. The Rink Scores against Arbroath were; Thomas Mann 28 S Pirie 14; Calum Logan 28 D Garvie 16; Neil Speirs 20 P Carnegie 15; Mark Allison 14 A Furye 21.
Balbardie IBC gents have a history of blowing chances to regain their long lost Premier League status and have frustrated their loyal support once again by crashing to a shock 90-65 defeat at home to relegation zoned Stirling in Division 1North. The wound of a heavy 25 shot defeat became even more painful with the news that joint leaders Alloa had also slipped up albeit their 80-72 defeat away to Coatbridge was a distinct possibility. The bright side is that Balbardie is given a reprieve via a winner take all confrontation when the Bathgate based club visit Alloa in the final fixture a week on Saturday.
Meanwhile the ladies of Balbardie put up a bold show in losing by four shots (80-76) away to an East Lothian team crowned champions of Division 1C prior to this final fixture – the Bathgate based team finishing six point adrift in clear second. The rink scores were; Sharon Leitch 23 Yvonne Veitch 15; Angie Uttley 22 Lauren Baillie 16; Delia Flannigan 20 Irene Gray 23; Margo Duff 11 Janet Fairnie 26.
West Lothian ladies crashed to a 103-71 defeat at Teviotdale to suffer a sixth defeat in 10 that sentenced them to finish in bottom place – albeit just two points adrift of Balbardie.