EAST Lothian Indoor Bowling Club gents' side captured the Scottish Cup for a record-making seventh time, claiming Galleon as their 87-57 victims in the final played at the Dewars Centre in Perth on Saturday.

East Lothian went into the final as overwhelming favourites to extend their cup record to a magnificent seven and right from the very outset the major gulf in class between the sides was very evident.

At no time did it ever look likely the Garden County were going to be Galleon’s third big-time victims in their sensational cup run.

“Galleon’s recent cup form demanded respect, so we needed to make sure we started well against them so they got no encouragement and we duly did that by winning the opening five ends 30-10, and from then on we comfortably controlled the game and the result was never in doubt,” said a jubilant team captain Scott Kennedy.

It was wins on the rinks skipped by Alex Marshall, Derek Oliver and Billy Mellors that tipped the scales in favour of an East Lothian team that easily coped with the narrow defeat suffered by Kennedy.

Marshall skipped Mark Johnston, Andy Burt and Jamie Higgins to an immense result, with the world-stage star picking up from 3-3 after three ends to lead 16-3 after eight. Marshall and co conceded a couple of doubles but it was only a short-term blip as they produced a whirlwind run to hit 26 without reply before going on to win 28-11.

Oliver and his rink of Malcolm Higgenbotham, Calum Darling and Ewan Fallen produced a 4, 4, 1 finish to register a 23-11 triumph, while Mellors led from start to finish as he skipped Lessel Middler, Willie Wood and Stuart Thomson to a battling 21-18 win.

Kennedy and his front three of Andrew Jeffrey, Glenn Blair and Graham Robertson stood 15-11 up before losing 17-15 to a 1, 1, 3, 1 finish.

East Lothian Indoor Bowling Club youngsters Dean Riva and Megan Kivlin were last weekend a major part of a successful and very impressive Scotland Under-17 side that put on an excellent display of bowling to record an overall 36-12 test series victory against Channel Islands at Falkirk IBC.

Riva was winning his first cap, while Kivlin her second, and both players gave brilliant performances over the course of the two-day test series.

The climax to the Jock Brodie Senior Challenge Cup, sponsored by Norman T Craig and Co-operative Funeralcare, will take centre stage at the Alex Marshall Arena on Wednesday and the final, which gets under way at 10.45am, will feature defending champions East Lothian and Dunfermline raiders Headwell.

In last Wednesday’s semi-final action, East Lothian proved too strong for West Lothian, while Headwell edged out Perth in a thriller.

Finals week at East Lothian IBC will reach its peak tomorrow (Friday) with a huge night of action as the finals of the gents' championship singles, gents' and ladies' junior singles, gents' and ladies' senior singles and youth singles are down for decision at 6.30pm.

The major crowd puller will be the ‘top of the bill’ confrontation between Mark Johnston and Dougie Berwick in the gents' singles. Both are former champions, with Johnston recording successes in 2001 and 2010, while Berwick was a worthy champion as recently as 2012. Johnston captured the national indoor singles crown in 2002 and 14 years on remains ambitious to qualify and have another tilt at national singles glory. Johnston has also reached the finals of the triples and fours.

A new name will be etched on the ladies' junior singles trophy when Beth Riva and Kim Hoggan line up against each other, while Rose Mackintosh and Alison Barclay contest the ladies' senior singles final.

In the gents' senior singles, Lessel Middler and BJ Smith meet in the final, while the youth singles final features Dean Riva against Lewis Betts.

Finals week will extend to Monday evening, when the finals of the gents' 2 & 4-bowl pairs, ladies' 2-bowl pairs and the 2015 Division 1 grand final take place.

In finals already played, Gifford emerged the kingpins in the East Coast Carpets-sponsored Top Club tournament, defeating defending champions Tranent by 15 shots in the final played last Friday evening. The rink skipped by Stevie Greenan held on to their Division 1 status after a thrilling extra-end win in the play-off decider against Alan Morgan.

Turning attention to the outdoor bowling season and the fixture list in Division 1 of the East Lothian Leagues recently issued by ELBA match secretary Keith Fender sets the scene for a cracking opening week of fixtures next Friday evening (April 22).

Champions Tranent begin their title defence with a home fixture against West Barns, while last season’s runners-up Haddington also open on home soil, with Gifford the visitors. Cockenzie & Port Seton play host to Castlepark, while East Linton visit EL-Coop. It’s the battle of the two promoted sides when Prestongrange and Elphinstone go head-to-head. All clubs are reminded that the starting time for the opening four games of the season is 6.30pm.

Meanwhile, East Lothian Bowling Association are presently compiling the necessary lists of players who, as the season opens outdoors, wish to play in any of the three representative teams this summer. The managers/team convenors are: Stevie Greenan of Prestongrange for the under-25s, Andy Burt of Haddington for the Purdie Seniors team, and Stuart Johnston of Ormiston for the Hamilton Trophy players.

Only those players who are nominated by their clubs will be considered for these teams and any player should contact their own club committees to be considered for nomination.

Club secretaries are reminded that all names should be in the hands of the ELBA temp secretary Andy Burt at andrew-burt1@sky.com by April 20. The team convenors will decide if practice games are to be played and details will be sent out at the earliest opportunity.

Finally, you can now keep up-to-date with all that is happening on the outdoor bowling scene in the Garden County by following the website by East Lothian Bowling Association at www.eastlothianbowls.com