Bowls: Hogg leads Scots in Belfast

FORMER East Lothian bowler Wayne Hogg was spearheading Scotland's challenge at the Men's individual British Isles Championships at the Belmont club on the outskirts of Belfast today.

Five titles are up for grabs with Scots involved in three of the five preliminary rounds with singles star Hogg, along with Campbelltown Arygll's Ian McMillian straight through to the semi-final stages.

All of last year's champions from the national title deciders at Northerfield will be in action and first up will be the triples and fours where Clackmannan and Gourock Park meet England and Guernsey respectively. Edinburgh duo Darren Hush and James Hogg from Carrick Knowe were also due get their campaign off the ground against Jersey, with the winner heading for a late semi-final clash tonight against Guernsey.

At the same time, England will provide the opposition in both singles semi-finals for the Scots. World triples lead Hogg, who now represents the Markinch club in Fife, will be facing either new English golden boy Sam Tolchard from Torquay or Welsh champion Roger Jones from Panteg Park in the blue riband singles and in the Under 25 Junior Event, McMillian will go head to head with Aaron Sexton from Brighton for a place in tomorrow's finals.