Balbardie duo secure Ladies' Scottish 4Bowl Pairs semi-final place

The title-winning champions of the 2006 and 2011 seasons launched their 2017 campaign in the playdown action at Glasgow IBC and captured the scalps of Alloa, East Lothian and East Fife as they reeled off a hat-trick of wins that qualified them for the semi-final stage at Aberdeen on March 25/26.

The duo trailed 17-11 with just five ends to play in their section final against their fellow caps Julie Sword and Lynn Stein of East Fife. The vastly experienced Fifers established a 15-7 supremacy after 13 ends.

But what happened entering end 17 onwards to the 21st was a spectacular fightback with the Balbardie partnership storming to a nail biting 19-18 victory having whipped up a whirlwind finish of 3, 2, (1), 2, 1.

“Games between us in the past have always been close and hard fought and this occasion was no different. They will be gutted as we got the break of the bowls at the second last end to card two shots to 18-18 then Lorraine played a running bowl into the head at the last end and we came out holding the match-winning single,” said Leitch.

“I suppose you would have to say that it turned out to be our day and carding four shots on end 14 not only kept us in the picture but fired us up for our successful fightback.”

Alloa had presented the first round opposition to Balbardie but suffered immediate damage with the loss of five shots on the opening end and that set the scene for Balbardie’s 34-10 win over Maisie Scott and Maureen Wallace.

East Lothian duo Megan Kivlin and Emma Logan enjoyed an impressive 24-13 win in the first round over Kimberley Dodds and Pat Johnston of Falkirk. And they set the early pace in the next round to lead 8-5 after nine ends and although crossed they still represented danger at 14-13 down after 15. However, a strong finish of 3, 2, 1, 1,2 allowed Craig to skip Leitch to a commanding 23-13 victory.

Balbardie opposition in the semi-finals is Dumbarton’s Michelle Keenan and Emma McIntyre who edged Rosemary Hill and Laura Hall, 20-18, in their section final at Inverclyde.