Bowls: Logan wins WL Masters for record-equalling third time

Published on Monday 8 August 2011 16:01

GRANT Logan of Kirkliston won the Scotmid Co-operative-sponsored 13th West Lothian Masters for a record-equalling third time and picked up £1000 when defeating defending champion Gary Smith of Linlithgow in the final.

The 35-year-old's victory over a field of 238 means the coveted green jacket is destined for a Kirkliston wardrobe for an astonishing seventh time in the last eight years.

After a week of intense competition in which saw most of the 16 seeds fall early, No.?1 seed Smith and No.?2 Logan served up a fitting finale of 19 ends in which Logan won 21-13 at Linlithgow BC. Smith was on home territory from the quarter-final stage and it was a commendable effort for the 52-year-old defending champion to battle his way back into the final on a rain-hit day in which play was cancelled for one hour.

Logan's flowing follow-through delivery also seemed more appropriate for accuracy of weight and line in the conditions, to that of the short wrist and push action of Smith who perhaps delivered too many short and tight bowls.

The lead swapped hands over the first five ends with Logan leading 4-3. Smith suffered from four short bowls on end six and Logan punished him with a 3 to 7 then spread the jack at the next for a single to 8 before Smith retaliated with a great end of bowls only to be restricted to a single (8-4).

Smith opened the ninth end with a bowl six inches jack high but Logan (a left hander) was dropping them on a sixpence on his back hand and he chinned the No.?1 seed with three superbly drawn shots to lead 11-4. End 11 resulted in Logan carding another 3 to lead 14-6 but Smith fought back with a battling 2, 2, 1 before Logan smothered the jack at end 15 with a cluster of 3 to lead 17-10.

Logan was keeping Smith on the back foot so it was no surprise when he added 1, 1, (3), 2 to trigger the victory salute.

"Given that I could easily have gone out in the semi-final stage I am chuffed to bits at winning," he said.

Logan was 19-15 down to Alan McCormick of Bathgate in his semi-final but got himself out of jail with a 1, 2 and absolutely brilliant 3 to steal a 21-19 victory.

Smith was always the dominant force to beat No.?4 seed Neil Speirs of Kirkliston, 21-13 in their semi-final but the No.?1 seed was sensationally let off the hook in the quarters when 21-year-old Ryan Miller of Buchan Park conceded 3, 3 to blow a 20-15 lead.