Wednesday, July 24, 2002
SUPER BOWL
Polmaise trio snatch Scottish title in last gasp thriller
SCOTTISH silverware was being flaunted in Fallin last Saturday evening.
The celebrations followed the magnificent achievement of three Polmaise bowlers becoming national champions.
John Johnstone, Derek Logie and Jason Williams were the men who sealed triples victory - in some considerable style - over Fauldhouse in a thrilling final encounter earlier in the day at Ayr's Northfield greens.
After seeing off the defending champions in the morning semi-final, they went on to stage a dramatic last end assault in the final to snatch victory.
Replay
Two shots adrift of the West Lothian trio playing final end and with a match-winning lie against him, Polmaise skip Williams managed to burn the end with his first bowl, forcing a replay!
On that subsequent end, Polmaise scored the required three shots with Johnstone, Logie and Williams each contributing to the all important count which survived a last bowl attack by Fauldhouse skip Francis.
Victory by 18 shots to 12 had given the Polmaise Club their first ever success at the national championships and provided the Stirling area with their first Scottish mens' winners since 1967 when Gary Craig took the junior title.
It was also the Stirling area's first success in the Scottish Triples since the event was introduced by the Scottish Bowling Association in 1971.
On their run to victory, Polmaise had overcome Edinburgh West End (19-9), St Rollox (22-4), Bogleha' (15-7) and last year's champions Chirnside (17-13) in the semi-final.
"To be honest, becoming Scottish triples champions hasn't quite sunk in yet," admitted an obviously elated skip Jason last Saturday evening - still on cloud nine after his team's magnificent three-day Ayr raid to capture the Cockburn trophy.
But worthy Scottish champions they are - and John, Derek and Jason are to be congratulated for turning in some top class performances throughout the championships and in bringing national glory to the Stirling area.
Challenges
Further challenges now lie ahead for the new Scottish champions who will fly the flag for their country in next year's British Isles championships being played on familiar territory - Ayr Northfield.
This year's national championship proved to be probably the best ever for District Nine bowlers.
Apart from the Polmaise triples' success, quarter-final placings were achieved in no less than three other events.
The Polmaise four of Alex McNeil, Mark Bone, Peter Black and Sandy Deans enjoyed victories over Helensburgh (24-13) and Keltybridge (18-8) before being edged out 16-17 by Blackwood Victoria in the last eight line-up.
Singles man David Stewart from Spittalmyre also made the last eight with wins over Burnhead's Keith Munn (21-11) and C Crawford from Castlehill Colliery (21-16).
David then lost out to former champion John Mitchell (Kirkintilloch) 9-21.
In the junior singles, Doune Castle's David Cronie won his opening encounter against Linwood's G Sadler (21-15), before seeing off Parkside's K Storf.
However in his quarter-final match with Andrew Lauder from Lockerbie, David lost by the narrowest of margins (20-21).
Dunblane's Steven Eddie and Neal Nairn made an early exit in the pairs, losing 11-18 to Longside, and likewise in the senior fours where Doune Castle bowlers Hugh Reid, Tam Muirhead, Sandy McIntosh and David Lauder went down 11-18 to Rothesay.
Historical Note: This momentous victory in 2002 marked Polmaise Bowling Club's first national championship success, breaking a long drought for the Stirling area that stretched back to 1967. The dramatic fashion of the win - with skip Jason Williams burning the end when two shots down, then securing the three shots needed on the replay - demonstrated the skill and nerves of steel possessed by the Polmaise trio. This Scottish title also qualified the team for the 2003 British Isles Championships, where they would go on to achieve even greater glory.
