Bowls: Bainfield boss aiming to seal the championship in style

Bainfield are coasting into the indoor bowls Premier League as champions elect of Division 1B and, with just two games left, should be unsinkable with a four-point lead over Tweedbank and Balbardie.

Shot margin is also greatly in favour of the Hutchison Crossway crew as they hold an advantage of 106 and 129 over Tweedbank and Balbardie respectively. The climax to the ten-match campaign pitches Bainfield against both of their closest rivals starting with home advantage over Tweedbank tomorrow and followed a week later by a visit to Balbardie.

“We could lose both games yet still be promoted as champions but I would rather we went up in style rather than just stumble over the line,” said team manager John Bell.

Bainfield have suffered their only campaign defeat away to the Border outfit so Bell is keen to get even and is confident of doing so with a team that has Jamie Aitken as an absentee.

“Jamie will be down South as part of the Scotland Under-25 team competing in the Junior International series at Nottingham but I am compensated by the return to action of Stevie McLeod,” he said.

McLeod will line up at third to Paul O’Donnell while John McDermott is moved from second to Robert Marshall to play third to Colin Hutchison. Gavin Smith is the fourth skip. Balbardie face a challenging visit to fourth-placed Stirling so could struggle to finish a clear second as Tweedbank are almost invincible at home and finish at Galashiels against bottom club East Fife.

The top fixture in the A section of the Premier League features leaders West Lothian against East Lothian. It is a must-win fixture for the home side as Blantyre are breathing down their necks.