E&L braced for stern test at Hawick

Borders will pose a difficult challenge to an Edinburgh & Leith bowls team bidding to sustain their qualifying ambitions in the East section of the Cities & Counties Championship at Hawick this afternoon.

E&L will bid to make it five wins out of six without former captain Robert Donaldson, who is unavailable, and, with Russell Wilson moved to the bench, team boss Willie Watson brings back David Brown and Alex Hurry. Brown will play second to Paul O’Donnell, with Andy Sneddon switched to play third to Mal Higgenbotham, while Hurry is brought in at second to beef up James Hogg’s rink.

“This is the penultimate game in our section and the stakes are high, with West Fife and West Lothian and possibly Midlothian battling it out along with E&L to finish in the top two positions,” said Watson.

West Lothian tackle bottom side Stirling County East at Linlithgow and go with the same team that just edged out Midlothian at Kirkliston last weekend.

Midlothian will bid to get back on track against West Fife at Abbeyview but face the leaders without ace trio David Peacock, Colin Walker and Ronnie Duncan. Ryan Yuill, George Yuill, and Sandy Dippie come in, while Craig McFarlane and Ramsay Blair move up to skip.