Craigentinny must call on their reserves

Holders Craigentinny beat Dudley in the preliminary round of the Specsavers Opticians EBL Edinburgh Cup and now step up their defence of the title against fellow Division 1 bowls club Northern.

But the champions have team problems to overcome as top players Darren Smith, Gary Nisbet and Andrew Caldwell are down at Llandrindod Wells in Wales bidding to capture the Triples crown in the British Isles Championships.

And they are taking a strong travelling support that will further weaken their resources against a Northern team that will be ambitious to make progress having previously reached the final in 2009.

Tonight’s full line-up features: Brunstane v Willowbrae; Hillside v Goldenacre; Summerside v Liberton/Mayfield; Portobello v London Road Foundry; Whitehouse & Grange v Corstorphine; Postal v Pilrig; Craigentinny v Northern; West End v Maitland.

Carrick Knowe have also travelled to Wales with ambitions to capture a British Isles title with their rink of Graham Pringle, Craig Aitken, Richard Tough and James Hogg representing Scotland in the Fours.

E&L star Neil Watson has been named in the Scotland squad of players to challenge for the Under-25 Home Championship title in the International series at Uddingston come September 8 and 9.

Watson is joined in the squad by East Lothian trio Jamie Blair, David Sked and Grant Thomson plus Calum Crawford and Scott Runciman of Midlothian, and West Lothain duo Calum Logan and Andrew Semple.

And former Slateford and E&L favourite Allan Ramsay, who now plays his bowls in Fife, continues to find favour.