Bowls: Gracie aims to etch his name on list of greats

Published on Friday 16 October 2009 10:03

JAMIE GRACIE carries the Bainfield banner into the playdown action of the national singles bowls championship at Arbroath this weekend and the 25-year-old champion of the Hutchison Crossway stadium hopes to follow in the most recent footsteps of Graeme Archer.

Archer brought the national title to Bainfield in 2000. Other local names etched on the coveted trophy are Harry Reston (1966 and 1967), Bob Sutherland (1975), Alex Marshall (1994) and Robert Marshall (1997).

Gracie – winner of the Edinburgh Open at Balgreen in 2002 – came to the Capital as a teenager from Auchinleck and has a CV that includes four junior international series on the indoor scene.

The Bainfield champion travels northwards tomorrow to tackle Ricky Taylor of Glasgow IBC in the prelim round action at 1.30pm. The winner will then go on to pit their skills against John Gilmartin of Paisley or Eric Gallon of Aberdeen.

The other half of the Capital challenge comes from Portobello champion George Johnstone. The player from Garden County is drawn against a former colleague in Alan Young of East Lothian.

Young plays Johnstone in the prelim round at 1.30pm with the winner next facing Allan Green of Nithsdale or Chris McGuiness of Coatbridge.

Colin Walker is unavailable to represent Midlothian. The 2008 runner-up is replaced by fellow cap Steven Currie, who faces host club champion Darren Burnett.

Burnett is already a three times winner of the national title and comes into the championship as favourite to make it four. His prelim round clash with Currie takes place at 9.30am. The winner then tackles Jim Meikle of Lanarkshire or Martin Williamson of Irvine.

Calum Logan represents the West Lothian IBC banner and the 20-year-old member of the famous Kirkliston clan faces a prelim round test against the experienced Gary Mackie of East Fife at 9.30am.

The winner faces either Abbeyview champion Stuart Pagan or Brian Rattray of Alloa.

Ewan Shearer is more noted as a singles player on the outdoor scene so the 36-year-old champion of Balbardie IBC will be keen to make an impression under the indoor code. He opens in the prelim round at 9.30am against Castlemilk.