Bowls: Big changes as Bainfield try to step up promotion bid

Published on Friday 20 November 2009 10:14

BAINFIELD launch the second half of the national bowls league programme with a tough visit to Tweedbank tomorrow and team manager John Bell has shuffled the pack for the crucial crack at the table-toppers in Division 1B.

Tweedbank held Bainfield to a surprise peel in the away fixture at the start of the season and the Scottish Cup holders have done well since but only lead their Edinburgh rivals by two points and have a poorer shot-margin bank.

Bell said: "Given our setbacks in the first half of this campaign we are fortunate to still be in touch with the top of the table and to win away at Tweedbank would re-establish us as promotion favourites."

Bainfield have lost the services of Willie McDonald and Alan Brown so Bell brings back former junior cap Chris Downie and talented teenager Neil Watson.

But there are big changes to the team formation including captain Craig Moss being switched from third to lead and Jamie Gracie moving over from Robert Marshall's rink to form a back-end partnership with Paul O'Donnell.

Brian Stoddart moves up from second to play third to Marshall while Alan Trotter is moved from lead to Gavin Smith to third for Stevie McLeod.

Balbardie share joint third place with Bainfield and Stirling – one point adrift of second-placed Alloa – and the Bathgate-based side get a big chance to enhance their promotion challenge with home advantage over Stirling.

Portobello top Division 2B, four points clear of Cumbernauld and they will hope to make it six wins in row when they visit second from bottom Fintry.

Chris Steven made a successful debut for Porty last weekend but the former Edinburgh and Bainfield star is an enforced absentee tomorrow and his place at third to Andrew Caldwell is given to club champion George Johnstone.

Craig McCall is also forced to miss the action and is replaced by John Lockhart.

West Lothian are back in the frame as joint leaders of the A section of the Premier League but they tackle Lanarkshire without ace skip George Sneddon.

WL have home advantage and bring back former cap Joey Strickland to fill Sneddon's shoes.

Midlothian are out of the relegation zone but only just and face a tough test with an away visit to fellow strugglers Auchinleck.

East Lothian have closed the gap with B section leaders Blantyre to two points and, with home advantage and a better shot-margin bank, the four-in-a-row premier league title holders have the chance to go top when the two clash.