Cup final fever plays havoc on the Capital bowls scene

Cup Final mania has wreaked havoc on tomorrow’s bowls in the East section of the Cities & Counties Championship with Edinburgh & Leith losing six players from their team of 24.

E&L did their utmost to arrange a compromise that would accommodate the desire of those players desperate to attend the Hampden Park spectacle but a 9am start against Midlothian at Sighthill fell some way short of achieving that.

It’s a crucially important match for E&L to win having already lost to West Lothian so new team boss Willie Watson will be on tenterhooks waiting to see how his team handles the loss of Colin Hutchison, Alan Brown, Ian Paterson, Kevin Hunter, Alan Trotter and Alex Hurry. Watson, however, is confident that in bringing in Andrew Caldwell, Russell Wilson, Brian Stoddart, Gordon Bold, Gavin Smith and Daniel Gormley, the team retains a strong competitive shape.

Midlothian aim to build on their opening win over East Lothian but they also have challenges to face with Brian Yuill, Andy Wilton, Craig Hodge and Colin McFarlane adding to already absent stars David Peacock and Graeme Archer.

West Lothian are unchanged against East Lothian at East Calder (2pm). East Lothian are without Derek and David Oliver, Jamie Gordon and Grant Thomson while Alex Marshall and Willie Wood are still unavailable.