Bowls: Bainfield welcome players back for Midlothian clash

Team captain Craig Moss continues to be an absentee but team manager John Bell is able to reshape his struggling side as he welcomes back three stars in Robert Marshall, Alan Brown, and Stevie McLeod.

The trio moved to the bench are Graham Pringle, Gary Robertson, and Adam Brock.

Bell takes the opportunity to link up McLeod at third to Marshall with Graeme McIntosh and Brian Stoddart forming the front end, while captain Paul O'Donnell gets Chris Wilson at third and a front two of Craig Paterson and Neil Watson.

Jamie Gracie has a front three of Stephen Pringle, Alan Trotter and Brown, while Gavin Smith skips Chris Downie, Jamie Aitken and Colin Hutchison.

"Midlothian are flying and trying to preserve an undefeated record so we will be asked plenty big questions, but if we play up to our best then we will have the answers," said Bell.

Midlothian had hoped to welcome back Delhi returnee David Peacock, but he is unavailable, so manager Frank Gray continues with Billy Peacock, Willie Rankin, Colin Walker, and Graham Archer as his four skips.

Junior cap Calum Crawford can't make it either, but Gray has a ready made replacement in full cap Steven Currie.

West Lothian, whose appeal against forfeiting the points in favour of Aberdeen when failing to reach the northern venue due to a road closure was dismissed, travel to Auchinleck tomorrow and welcome back two top stars in George Sneddon and Neil Speirs, who join forces with Thomas Mann and Mark Allison as the four skips.

East Lothian entertain Aberdeen, while Portobello go to Bathgate to take on Balbardie in Division 1B.

The Edinburgh challenge in the playdown action of the ladies national singles at Lanarkshire IBC at the weekend is represented by Bainfield champion Kathryn O'Donnell and her Portobello counterpart Izzy Dixon, while West Lothian champion Wendy Purdie, Midlothian's Gaynor Blair and Yvonne Veitch of East Lothian are also in attendance.