East Lothian bowling icon Alex ‘Tattie’ Marshall and partner Paul Foster are chasing further glory after producing a grandstand finish in Monday’s all-Scottish semi-final pairs clash in the Just Retirement World Indoor Championships at Potters Leisure Resort, to secure their fifth successive pairs final in this event.

Winners of the title in 2011, 2012 and 2013, the Scotland golden boys lost to Nicky Brett and Greg Harlow in last year’s title decider and once again the high-flying duo, who won the outdoor pairs title in Australia in 2012 and Commonwealth gold last summer, didn’t get things all their own way.

Their international colleagues Jonathan Ross and former Garden County star Wayne Hogg turned in a superb performance to push the title favourites every step of the way before edging a 7-7, 8-6 victory with the last bowl of the match.

On the world ranking list at 13 and 16 respectively, Ross and Hogg, a scratch pairing who only teamed up for this event, commanded the early stages of the first set, only dropping one of the first five ends to take a 6-1 lead, but Foster and Marshall reeled off a 2, 3 and 1 to hold a 7-6 penultimate end lead, only for Hogg to play the perfect shot to count the vital single and share the set at 7-7.

The second set was a closer affair, with the match tied at 3-3 and 4-4. A double followed by a single gave Foster and Marshall the upper hand with two ends remaining, but two sensational draw bowls to the lip of the ditch saw them count a double and brought Ross and Hogg to within one shot playing the last, where a single would have taken the match to a three-end shootout or a double would give them a place in the final.

After five bowls, the outsiders held a match lie with two touchers to a full-length jack, but Marshall played up to the head and sprung the jack.

Then, with just two bowls remaining, under pressure Hogg drew the vital shot to within a foot of the displaced jack, which would have sent the match into a tie break, but once again Marshall rose to the occasion, playing an inch-perfect bowl that carried the back to the ditch to secure their berth in the title decider.

“That was one hell of a match,” said Marshall afterwards.

“Wayne drew a miracle shot to draw the first set, although both players were outstanding. In the second Jonathan never missed a running shot once and they both turned a lot of heads.

“On the last end of the match I knew any solid connection would be needed to alter the head so was happy to punch the jack into the open, but when Wayne drew the shot I was left with no other option than to go for the bowl or jack for the match.

“We’ve had two really testing matches and that will stand us in good stead in the final.” The number 2 seeds will tackle the English pairing of Simon Skelton and Robert Paxton, who defeated defending champions Brett and Harlow in their semi-final clash, in the final on Monday, screened live on BBC television.