Walker is an inspiration as Scotland take Test

Published on Tuesday 11 November 2008 08:45

THE 12-man Scotland Select team under the captaincy of Midlothian star Colin Walker powered to a commanding 23½-6½ victory over Team Guernsey in the two-day Test Match played at Inveralmond stadium, Livingston.

Walker led by example from the off, defeating Steve Le Noury in straight sets (8-3, 10-4) in their singles clash on the first session.

He followed that up by skipping Jamie Higgins and Gavin Smith to an 18-11 win in the triples.

Walker then completed the hat-trick thanks to a last-end double from Mark Allison in a dramatic 15-14 success in the pairs.

The final session saw Walker back in pairs' action with Colin Hutchison as his partner and they raced to a 22-10 win over Michael and Steve Le Noury.

Scotland launched the Test match with a 4-1 result on the first session with Walker's success in the singles supported by Iain McLean defeating Michael Le Noury 7-4, 6-4 in the other match.

Mal Higgenbotham skipped Higgins to a runaway 25-7 win in their pairs match but Guernsey inflicted a 16-14 defeat on Hutchison and Smith while Cameron Greer, Paul O'Donnell and Mark Allison were held to a 16-16 peel in the triples.

However, Thomas Mann skipped James Gibson and Paul Boyd to a 21-10 triumph, having exploded into a 20-6 lead.

Scotland found themselves under pressure on the second session and it took a third-set win in the singles for Allison (8-9, 5-3, 8-4) over Steve Desperques for the home team to triumph 4-2 but Gibson in the singles and the Greer/O'Donnell partnership in the pairs lost out.

However, Higgenbotham skipped Iain McLean and Hutchison to an 18-9 win while Boyd and Mann triumphed 19-9.

Scotland launched the second day with a 5-1 domination sparked by a straight sets triumph (9-2, 8-3) for Mann over John Wallis in the singles.

O'Donnell skipped Higgenbotham and Smith to an 18-10 win from 9-2 up but Higgins, Greer and Hutchison lost 17-12.

In the second session, Scotland won 5-1 with wins for Greer, Higgenbotham, Higgins, O'Donnell, and Smith, while Hutchison was edged out 6-4 on his third set.

Scotland climaxed the event with a 5-1 win on the final session.