THE talented bowlers who will fly the flag for East Lothian in the Scottish National Championships at Ayr Northfield have been decided following a thrilling district qualifying finals night on Monday.

Aberlady ace Gordon White produced a headline performance at Haddington and is heading to Ayr in the singles, with the scalp of Ormiston legend Stewart Johnston tucked in his belt.

The final was a cracking affair and lasted a mammoth 24 ends before White triumphed 21-20.

Meanwhile, East Linton star Grant Thomson booked his passage to Ayr in the junior singles for the second consecutive year at the 21-10 expense of Ross Irvine, taking 15 ends to beat the challenger from Prestongrange.

Tranent captured the limelight in the pairs thanks to a cracking performance from Stephen Whitson and John McCrorie that was reflected by a handsome 17-9 victory over North Berwick top notches David Middleton and Shaun Tuite.

The major drama of the finals was produced by the Cockenzie & Port Seton rink of Jamie Gordon, Gordon Baillie, Steven Thomson and Craig Valentine, who scored a last-end victory over Tom Shepherd, Gordon McNeill, Jim Pringle and Stevie Thomson of Castlepark in the fours.

It was a heart-breaking defeat for Castlepark as they had been the pacesetters with leads of 7-4 and 18-9 before Valentine & Co produced a purple patch run of 3, 2, (1), 1, 3 to 18-19 before a match-winning double on the final end.

West Barns were the favourites on paper in the triples and the trio of Ian Thorburn, Gary Landells and Billy Mellors produced scintillating form to lead 12-3 and reach Ayr with a 20-4 win over Brian Forbes Jnr, Billy Thomson and Stephen Cochrane of EL-Coop.

Haddington A prevailed in the Senior Fours, with Charlie Sobolewski skipping Peter Johnstone, Ian Gibson and Sandy Delaney to an 18-13 victory over Gifford B, while Michael Carey of Longniddry beat David Temperley of Ormiston 21-13 in the senior singles.

The strong Cockenzie & Port Seton partnership of Leanne Baillie and Derek Oliver captured the mixed pairs with a convincing victory over East Linton’s Patricia Kennedy and Grant Thomson.

And the ladies’ challenge has also been confirmed after their finals were held at Cockenzie and Port Seton on Sunday.

Flying the flag in the prestigious singles is Yvonne Veitch of EL-Coop, who won the national title in 2011 and will look to do so again after defeating Louise Morgan of the host club.

In the senior singles it is Joy McLeod of Aberlady who qualified, thanks to her victory over Castlepark’s Margaret Thomson, but Thomson and her club team-mates Agnes McLeod and Jean Russell will also be heading to Ayr, as they claimed the triples crown courtesy of their victory over Cockenzie and Port Seton’s Agnes Heaney, Beryl Greig and Joan Hastie.

In the pairs it is the East Linton duo of Agnes Thomson and Iris White who will compete, denying home duo Essa and Leanne Baillie – Leanne had been bidding for a fourth successive national title.

The East Linton four of Hazel Fender, Dawn Murdoch and Amy and Jennifer Newlands defeated EL-Coop, while in the senior fours Castlepark’s Betty Gunn, Barbara Macleod, Grace Thomson and Janet Fairnie were victorious over West Barns.