Six through to Scottish finals

The first to make it through were the ladies’ rink of Helen MacDougall, Siobhan Ramage, Val Alexander and skip Betty Paterson. They came through many weeks of qualifying rounds, from the start of the season and sometimes had to play two games of 17 ends in one day, so the rink’s skill and stamina was tested to the full to reach the finals.

Two weeks ago Jack Bulloch successfully defended his singles title in the Central Area West district of the under 17s Scottish Junior Bowling Association’s Championship. Jack had to play five games before making it through to the final, which he comfortably won, all in one day. Whilst he aquitted himself very well at the national finals last year, the experience he gained should hold him in good stead for this year’s championship and may allow him to go even further.

On Thursday, June 30 Kelly Anne Carmichael at just 16 years old won the Ladies’ Inter-District Under 25s Championship at Lenzie Bowling Club. In an enthralling game, Kelly Anne led from the start and had her opponent under pressure and held a commanding lead. However, Kirsty from Kirkintilloch BC would not give in easily and came back strongly and when she won three shots to make the score 20-19 to Kelly Anne, the crowd who were watching thought she may be able to clinch the victory. Thankfully for Kelly Anne and the many who had come to support her, she played two super shots right on the jack that Kirsty couldn’t dislodge and that gave her the game.

Everyone at Condorrat BC wishes the six members the very best of luck, and hope they enjoy the occassion at the Scottish Finals which will be held at Bowls Scotland’s headquarters at Northfield in Ayr from July 26 to 31.

To keep the Condorrat members company the senior gent’s rink from Greenfaulds BC and the gent’s pair of Marshall Irvine and Ken Robbie, from Cumbernauld BC, also qualified for Northfield, when they won in the Inter-District Finals at Kilsyth BC, on Thursday, June 23. We are sure everyone from the Cumbernauld area wish their local bowlers the best of luck at the Scottish Finals.

As previously reported, bowlers from two clubs in the Cumbernauld area had reached the finals of the Dunbartonshire Bowling Association’s 2011 Championships. Unfortunately none of them – Frank Hillis, from Cumbernauld BC in the singles, the Cumbernauld triple of Robert Currie, Jim McAllister and William McKinnon, and the Condorrat rink of Davie Cowie, Tom Smith, John Cowie and Willie Sommerville – were victorious. In fact nobody from the east of the county was successful on finals day at Yoker BC on Sunday, June 26. This said, it was no disgrace for any of the local bowlers not to have won, as to reach the finals in itself is a wonderful acheivement and every one of these gents should be very proud of themselves, as should the members of their respective clubs.