Bowls: Auld Enemy are too strong

SCOTLAND'S bowlers failed to hold off the strong challenge of defending champions England as they crashed 126-94 in yesterday's title decider of the Women's Home International Series at Perth.

However despite suffering a mid match drama when West Lothian's Angela Uttley had to retire after the eighth end, Midlothian's Agnes Melrose and her re-formed line up of Falkirk's Jane Brooksby and Vikkie Leishman with Ardrossan's Michelle Cooper moving up to third, chalked up their third victory in a row to finish the Series unbeaten along with Auchinleck's Jean Sykes.

Melrose and her team trailed 14-4 when Uttley called off but slowly gelled together and, in a battling finish, wrapped up a 24-21 victory over Penny Strong.

Sykes, from Auchinleck, guided Blantyre's Caroline Brown, Lorna Cameron from Whiteinch and Turriff's Liz Fraser to a 100 per cent record, wrapping up the Series with a 23-14 win over Wendy King.

But Auchinleck's Josephine Williamson, with Lorraine Malloy from Balbardie playing third, lost her first match of the series, going down 21-14 to Catherine Popple, and East Fife's Celia Smith, who lost 28-10 against Ellen Falkner.

East Fife's Lynn Stein and Margaret Letham both suffered their second defeat. Stein only scored on one of the last four ends and bowed out 18-14 to Sandy Hazell while Letham's rink, with Teviotdale's Julie Forrest at lead and West Lothian's Wendy Purdie at third, only scored on three ends and lost 24-9 to Debbie Stavrou.

Ireland took the wooden spoon after suffering their third successive defeat, 120-100 to Wales.