Bowls: England is hero of Northfield

Aug 22 2008

NORTHFIELD will meet Tarbolton in the final of the Ayrshire Top Ten at Saltcoats on Sunday....but only thanks to a grandstand finish by Craig England.

Northfield were tied 4-4 and 70-70 on shots with Saltcoats in the semi at Troon but scraped through because England won his singles, 21-20 against John Wardrop.

But he had to come from behind after Wardrop raced 10-0 ahead and held a 20-18 lead before England came with a late rally.

Pairs: Northfield 14, Saltcoats 19; triples: Northfield 12, Saltcoats 13; fours: Northfield 23, Saltcoats 23.

In the other semi, Tarbolton beat Dreghorn 6-2 (71-56). In the singles, the new Ayrshire singles champion, Colin Smith beat the experienced George Adrain (Dreghorn) 21-6.

Pairs: Tarbolton 18, Dreghorn 15; triples: Tarbolton 11, Dreghorn

18; fours: Tarbolton 21, Dreghorn 17. Sunday’s final start at 2pm.

GRACE McCulloch (Kilmarnock Portland) is the new Ayrshire women’s singles champion after beating last year’s winner Dorothy Marshall (Galston) 21-11 at West Kilbride.

In the pairs, Dorothy Foster and Margaret Henderson (Galston) scraped past Una Kerr and Margaret Hutchison (Crosshill) 15-14 in a tense final to reatin the title off the last end.

The triples also went to Galston as mother and daughter team, Jacqueline and Mary Grier, joined forces with Roberta Simpson to defeat Ayr’s Gena Adrain, Betty Stewart and Jennifer Reid, 18-8.

Ardeer Rec won the fours with Myra McCormick, Jessie Steed, Lorraine Fleming and Anna Hastie beating Seafield’s Joanna Currie, Marguerite Offord, Nancy Stirling and Cath Horn 15-9.

In the secretaries singles, Anne Banks (Galston) saw off Wilma Ogilvie (Ayr Hawkhill) 21-14.

And in the juniors, Coleen Cowie (Annbank) took the title after a thrilling 21-19 victory over Ayr Hawkhill’s Claire McCurdie.

AYR Indoor Bowling Club’s ladies section are going electronic after receiving a grant from Awards For All. They will use the money to install electronic scoreboards at Scotland’s oldest indoor club.

President Anne Brown praised the support of ladies and gents members and thanked proprietor Gordon Neil for the improvements he has made since taking over.

THE AGM of Prestwick Indoor Bowling Club will take place on Wednesday August 27 at 7pm.

League fixture lists are now available for collection and sponsors are asked to note that leagues commence from Monday September 1.