Bowls: Positive approach helps Veitch realise her dream at Northfield

Published on Monday 1 August 2011 11:55

Yvonne VEITCH plays her bowls with a winning mentality, and her positive approach paid her a rich dividend in the shape of the Ladies Singles title in the Prostate Cancer Charity sponsored Bowls Scotland championships that reached its climax at Ayr Northfield on Sunday.

The 49-year old day service officer with East Lothian Council had been granted special leave to play in the five-day long championships and the District champion from the East Lothian Co-op club was well fired up for the occasion.

"My opponent in the final was former internationalist Maureen Shimmons of nearby Annbank, so she was playing in her own backyard, but you have to ignore reputations on such occasions and just go for it."

Veitch lost the opening two ends of the final to singles but quickly found her own top gear and an exhilarating nine end run saw her accelerate into a 10-4 lead which visibly boosted her self confidence.

Shrugging aside the loss of two more singles, she set the crowded banking alight with a sizzling run of 3, 2, 2, 1 to bring the title into sharp focus at 18-6 although it was until six ends later with a double on end 24 that she clinched the title with a 21-12 score.

Veitch, pictured below, who beat Claire Watson of Broxburn 21-10 in the second round, had reason to show the fierceness of her fighting qualities when trailing Isobel Laing of Elgin 19-16 in the third round, but hit a 21 with a storming 1, 2, 1, 1 finish.

"Winning the Singles title at these championships is a dream come true for me," she added.

Stacey Laidlaw of Dalkeith didn't win the Junior Singles title for the Lothian area but the Under-25 cap came mighty close, losing 21-20 to 2008 champion Lesley Gordon of Strathmiglo in the final.

Laidlaw had her support biting their nails down to the quick with a 2, 1, 3 fight back to stand 20-20 and in a thrilling last bowl climax she just failed by an inch or so to card the title-winning single.

The final of the 4 bowl Pairs was an all Lothian affair with the Baillie sisters, Leanne and Lauren, from Cockenzie and Port Seton going head to head with Sandra Steven and Kirsteen McLelland of Uphall Station.

Both partnerships were former winners of the title so there was great expectation of an epic battle developing. However it proved to be one-way traffic with the sisters dominating play to triumph 21-7.

Watson Memorial of Armadale landed the Triples title for West Lothian with Jean Thomson, Jessie Bell and Sadie Spalding under pressure at 11-10 down to Chirnside before making space with 1, 2, 1 to go on and win 15-13.Craigentinny trio Jacky McFarlane, Marie Monteith and Elizabeth McConnell reached the third round and led 9-8 before tumbling to 16-9 down and losing 16-14 to Thurso who in turn made a 19-4 exit to Watson Memorial in the semis.

Newbridge brought more glory to the West Lothian banner with Jean Bryce, Margaret Johnson, Eileen Sangster and Jane Taylor capping a great campaign in the Seniors Fours to capture the title at the 17-7 expense of Bishopton, their chief highlight being a purple patch spell of 4, 1, 2, 4, 2 that transformed a 6-4 deficit into an overwhelming 17-6 lead.

Meanwhile, Mark Kelsey scored a rare success for Glasgow in the Gents Singles, with the 22-year-old maths teacher from Rutherglen often getting out of jail with last bowl escapes in the early stages before finishing strongly to beat Alan McKay of Westhill (Aberdeen) 21-9.

However, claims on the Bowls Scotland website that Kelsey is the youngest ever to win the title can be well and truly dismissed, as Frazer Muirhead of Uphall Station was only 19 when capturing the coveted title in 1981 at Queens Park.

Michael Nolan is celebrating a third championship success at Ardmillan having defeated Keith Shaw 21-7 in the final while Ann Kenny captured the ladies title for a second time when defeating holder Janet Gray, 21-13.

Joe Blair beat Scott Mitchell 21-12 to etch his name on the honours board at Corstorphine.