Jedburgh bowlers win Borders league

The triumphant Jedburgh Bowling Club squad which beat Galashiels in the League Cup Final at St Boswells on Friday (picture by Bill McBurnie)

Owing to Covid-19 restrictions, this year’s league had a change of format, with all participating clubs going into two pools. Each played with two rinks at home and two away, with points given for winning rinks and shots overall.

The league was decided when the winners of both pools played off at Newtown Bowling Club in a winner-takes-all shootout.

Pool A winners Gala A took on Jedburgh from pool B, with the final result of 5-0 in the latter’s favour slightly flattering the victors as three of the four games were hard fought.

Delighted Jedburgh president David Lightbody said: “After the tight restrictions that curtailed most of last year’s play, it was great to get some competitive bowling.

“The change in format to this season’s league was a happy compromise to allow us to compete with other clubs.”

From the beginning of the game until just past the halfway stage, said a Gala spokesman, three rinks were still competing, with some great bowling, but it was a step too far in the end for the Scott Crescent players.

Jedburgh will now take on Gala Waverley at St Ronan’s Bowling Club in Innerleithen on Friday, August 20, at 6.30pm in the final of this year's knockout cup as they seek a double.

This weekend sees the gents’ Border tournament area play-offs being held on three greens – Gala, Gala Waverley and Melrose. In the Border Senior Bowling League last week, Gala went down 33-53 in their last game of the season to league winners Earlston/Melrose.

Saturday at Gala featured the Tully Cup contested by 15 pairs in three sections. James Charters and Robert Fox became the winning pair over runners-up Sheena White and Alan Turnbull. Semi-finalists were S. Firth and N. Tough, plus P. J. Devine and A. Scheibe. The next contest is Scheibe’s open pairs on Saturday, August 21.

On Sunday, Gala welcomed players from the Borders Disability Sport bowls team, including the club’s own Danny Porter, for a practice session.

Senior knockout cup group games kick off on August 31 and, until then, Gala’s seniors are meeting on Tuesdays for practice matches.