Bowls: Scots' Test Series hopes rest with trio

Published on Saturday 10 April 2010 11:22

HOPES of Scottish success in the 8 Nation Test Series in New Delhi will be pinned on East Lothian talent Paul Foster and Lanarkshire duo Margaret Letham and Caroline Brown.

In yesterday's concluding round robin section qualifiers, the mercury soared to above 40C and played a major part in the proceedings but the Scots contingent managed to keep their cool and stay focused on the task at hand to make it through to the knock-out stages in five of the six events.

East Lothian's Paul Foster reached his first target when he secured a top-two finish in the single which granted him direct entry to the semi-final stages.

They don't come much more decorated than Aussie No.1 Leif Selby, but the big Scot needn't have worried as he eased through 8-6, 12-1 to finish in second place behind 20-year-old Gary Kelly from Northern Ireland who suffered his first defeat at the hands of Springbok Wayne Perry 12-4, 8-8 but still managed to finish two points clear of the field.

Taxi firm owner Foster will go head to head in today's semi-finals against Kiwi Ali Forsyth while Kelly faces Malaysian world number 1 Safuan Said. Forsyth ended the challenge of Selby while Said got past Perry. Atlantic champions Letham and Brown showed their class, coming through their pairs group with a 100 per cent record, finishing four points clear of their nearest rivals South Africa after wrapping up their seventh round match against Malaysia 11-8, 11-9.

They too will be in action today and continue against Commonwealth pairs title holder Lyndsey Armitage and newcomer Natasha van Eldik from Australia.

It was a disappointing end though for the men's triples and the women's triples and singles.

Wayne Hogg, Willie Wood and David Peacock failed to win an outright semi-final place in their last section match, finishing in fifth place on shot after losing to Northern Ireland 15-1, 6-4. Australia and the Irishmen took the top two places. Then in their play-off match they were unlucky against Kiwi duo Richard Collett and Dan Delaney, bowing out 9-9, 12-6.

And although they failed to make the cut after a series of defeats on tie breaks, West Lothian's Neil Speirs and Darren Burnett from Arbroath did finish on a high note when they got the better of England's Mervyn King and Stuart Airey in straight sets.