Young Scots Crowned 2017 British Champions of International Bowls Competition
With the British Isles Bowls Council (BIBC) junior competition the last to take place on the outdoor lawn bowls calendar this year, the twenty-four male youngsters representing Scotland who made the trip to Llandrindod Wells, Wales over the weekend were ecstatic when they were crowned as 2017 Champions.
Playing against the old enemy England in the first game on Saturday morning, the Scots played brilliantly winning comfortably 128 – 96.
The team then went head to head with Wales where the game was extremely close right until the very end. With the Welsh taking the lead in the first half of most games, the Scots were determined not to let this continue into the second half and knew they had to score more shots in each end to ensure a win was still in sight. After a tough game and scoring some great shots the team were delighted to win 122 – 120.
The squad’s final game was against Ireland in a winner takes all match and Captain John Fleming Jnr was determined for his team to come out on top. Scotland started out with a lead of 31 – 21 but had a long way to go to secure the title. At the half way stage the team had managed to retain the lead and towards the end of the game with only three ends left to play Scotland were six shots up against the Irish. Securing a total of twenty two shots in the last three ends the young Scots were over the moon when they were announced as the 2017 champions after beating Ireland 116 – 110.
Having not won the competition since 2011 this was an amazing achievement for the team which included experienced players such as Captain and National Academy player John Fleming Jnr, 2017 Super Series Singles Winner and Regional Academy player Paul Kane Jnr and one half of the gents 2017 Super Series Pairs Winners and also National Academy player Jason Banks. Joining them in the squad included a number of other Regional Academy players, up and coming bowlers from all across the country and six new caps who secured their place in the squad through the new selection process this year and what a way to experience their first ever BIBC Junior Championships.
*Photo Credit - Trevor Robinson