Events are listed alphabetically by sport,
then by day. Sport Listings compiled byTom ; Lappin. '
ATHLETICS Friday 5—Saturday 6 i
SCOTTISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Crownpoint. Glasgow. Supported by Glasgow City Council. this eventhas E attracted some of the top names in Scottish l Athletics. Sprinter Elliot Bunney will be contestingthe 100 metres. and. inthe women's section. Commonwealth Games heroine Yvonne Murray goes in both the 8(Xland 1500 metres.
BASKETBALL Saturday 29—Sunday 7
COMMONWEALTH BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS Meadowbank Stadium. Edinburgh. This is a major coup for Edinburgh. after the disastrous results the last time they attempted to host a Commonwealth sporting event. In the mens‘ competition England will be the favourites. but Scotland and Trinidad and Tobago are expected to offer strong competition. in the women‘s competition. England's main rivals will be New Zealand.
CRICKET Fflday28
I Scotland 8 XI v Star OI India XI The Tryst. Stenhousemuir CC. 11am. Despite appearances. Scotland have not resorted to taking on local Tandoori restaurants in the hope ofgaining a victory. This one-day } game is intended to give players on the fringe ofthe First lX vital experience.
Saturday 29
SCOTTISH COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
I Ayrshire v Strathmore County The Oval. Prestwick. lpm. 5 I Fileshire v West Lolhlan McKane Park. Dunfermline. lpm. HALL WESTERN UNION
I Greenock v Ayr Glenpark. Brisbane St. Greenock. 1pm.
I Uddlngston v Kilmamock Bothwell Castle ; Policies. Uddingston. lpm.
I West oi Scotland v Clydesdale Hamilton Crescent, Peel Street. Glasgow. lpm.
I Drumpelller v Ferguslie Langloan. Coatbridge. 1pm.
I Poloc v Kelburne Shawholm. Pollokshaws. Glasgow. 1pm.
RYDEN EAST LEAGUE
I Heriots FP v Klrkcaldy Goldenacrc. lnverleith Row. Edinburgh. 1pm.
I Edinburgh Acads v Stenhousemulr Raeburn Place. Stockbridge. Edinburgh. lpm.
I Watsonians v Royal High Myresidc. Colinton Road. Edinburgh. 1pm.
I Grange V Carlton Raeburn Place. Stockbridge. Edinburgh. lpm.
Saturday 6
SCOTTISH COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
I Ayrshire v Aberdeenshlre The Oval. Prestwiek. 1pm.
I Clackmannan County v Stirling County The Arns. Alloa. 1pm.
I West Lothian v Perthshire Boghall.
Scotland’s lain MacLean bounces in
It’s strange how American sports seem geared to appeal solely to Americans, and the American way oi llie. They call the baseball iinal the World Series, but no one else in the world outside a couple oi Home Counties girls’ schools plays the game, which seems to have evolved solely for the purpose oi selling hotdogs and TV advertising space in the huge gaps between play. Similarly American Football seems little more than an expression oi US iasclnatlon with physical size. It’s hardly surprising that they are so bemused by soccer, where the most talented players can be small, overweight, and prone to sobbing iits. Basketball , invented by the American DrJames Nalsmith In 1891, is tailor-made tor the American psyche. Not only does someone score every 15 seconds or so (whatever the disparity between teams’ skill, games always seem to end 98-96, why is this?) but freakish giants around seven ieet tall
are commonplace. Add in the showbiz element, and the old American Dream story (‘irom ghetto to millionaire in two
years’) and you’ve got a sure-lire winner.
The razzamatazz attached to the third Commonwealth basketball championships taking place In Edinburgh will be of the somewhat more subdued variety, although there will be heity TV coverage trying to interest a hitherto largely apathetic British public In the sport. It’s quite a coup tor the city to stage such an event, albeit weakened by the non- partlcipatlon oi the Canadians, who could have iielded a poweriul side but were unable to attend because oi lack oi iunds and commitments at the World Student Games.
DI the sides that are competing, England will be favourites in both the men’s and women’s tournaments. The men’s side will Include Kingston’s Alton Byrd whose nationality has shuttled between American, Scottish and English in recent years (eat your heart out Nigel Spackman). Scotland will be second iavourites, relying heavily on lain MacLean and youngster Philip Birch, who has been at college in the USA for two years and might have picked up a lew tricks.
The rest, as they say, are unknowns. Gibraltar will be Iielding ex-Edinburgh lad Willie Davltt, and Barbados are the Caribbean champions, but little inlormation is available about teams like Nigeria or Uganda. For spectators who want to find out, the admission price of £2.50 a day seems eminently reasonable, working out at about 25p a game. (Tom Lappin)
The Commonwealth Basketball Championships start with the opening ceremony on 28 June at Meadowbank Sports Centre. Tickets are available irom Meadowbank10am—8pm, or irom a kiosk in Princes Street (opposite British Home Stores) open loam—5pm Monday-Friday.
Linlithgow. 1pm.
HALL WESTERN UNION
I Clydesdale v Greenock Titwood. Beaton Rd. Glasgow. 1pm.
I Ayr v Uddlngston Cambusdoon. Alloway. lpm.
I West of Scotland v Kilmamock Hamilton Crescent. Peel Street. Glasgow. 1pm. I Poloc v Ferguslie Shawholm. Pollokshaws. Glasgow. 1pm.
I Kelbume v Drumpelller Whitehaugh. Paisley. lpm.
RYDEN EAST LEAGUE
I Stenhousemuir v Cupar The Tryst. Larbert. 1pm.
I Carlton v Watsonlans The Pavilion. Grange Loan. Edinburgh. 1pm.
I Heriots FP v Grange Goldenacre. lnverleith Row. Edinburgh. lpm.
I Royal High v Edinburgh Academyloek‘s Lodge. Edinburgh. lpm.
I Kirkcaldy v Freuchie Bennochy. Kirkcaldy. lpm.
iSundayT
WHYTE AND MACKAY SCOTTISH CUP
QUARTER-FINALS
4 I West Lothian v Grange Boghall.
; Linlithgow. lpm.
' I Clydesdale v Ayrshire Titwood. Beaton
Rd. Glasgow. 1pm. I West of Scotland v Kelso Hamilton
Crescent. Peel Street. Glasgow. lpm.
Glasgow
I Race Days Tuesday. Thursday and Saturday. Shawfield Stadium. Rutherglen Road. Glasgow. There are ten races in each meeting. starting at 7.45pm. £2.
Edinburgh
I Race Days Tuesday. Thursday and Saturday. Powderhall Stadium. L Beaverhall Road. Edinburgh. Each I
meeting includes 10 races. startingat 7.30pm. £2.50 Stand. Race programme free with admission.
HORSES Monday1
I Edinburgh Musselburgh Racecourse. Musselburgh. Club £7. paddock £3.50. 2pm. A popular summer holiday programme of flat racing by the seaside at Musselburgh.
Monday 8
I Edinburgh Musselburgh Racecourse. Musselburgh. Club £7. paddock £3.50. 2pm. Flat racing from the tricky seaside track.
Thursday11
I Hamilton Park Races Hamilton Park Racecourse. Bothwell Road. Hamilton. Clubill). Paddock £5 (£3). 2.15pm. Flat racing that usually features large fields in the competitive sprint events.
SPEEDWAY FHday28
I Edinburgh Gull Monarchs v Stoke Potters Powderhall Stadium. Beaverhall Road. Edinburgh. 7. 15pm. ln their final Gold Cup game Edinburgh will be aimingto secure the highest position possible in the northern section.
Sunday3O
I Glasgow Tigers v ExeterShawfield Stadium. Rutherglen Road. Glasgow. 6.30pm. A tough Sunbrite League game for Monarchs.
Friday 6
I Edinburgh Gull Monarchs vShellield Tigers Powderhall Stadium. Beaverhall Road. Edinburgh. 6.30pm. Edinburgh's second Sunbrite League match against the league newcomers. Their latest signing is the Hungarian rider who rejoices in the name llell.
Saturday 7
I International Trials Shawfield Stadium. Rutherglen Road. Glasgow. Top riders from England and Sweden will be among the triallists. 3pm.
Wednesday10
I Glasgow Tigers v Arena Essex Shawfield Stadium. Rutherglen Road. Glasgow. 6.30pm. Another Sunbrite League clash for Tigers against a useful Essex side.
srocx CAR RACING
Saturday 29
I Racing Racewall. Cowdenbeath. 7pm. Formula 2. Saloons and Minis are on the
tarmac for a variety of races from the Fife track.
TENNIS 3 Friday 28—Saturday 6 ‘
I Waverley Open Waverley Lawn Tennis
Club. Suffolk Road. Edinburgh. An open ' tournament with Senior and Veteran i classes.
The List 281une— l 1 July 1991 69