LEGENDARY Troon bowler Paul Foster is positively relishing a trip Down Under to fly the flag for his country in a major event for the fourth time in his career.

Foster last Tuesday learned he had been called up to represent Team Scotland in the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

And his great friend Alex Marshall, with whom he won the Fours and Pairs in the Glasgow 2014 Games, will also be heading on the plane to Australia next April.

Former Annbank ace David Gourlay, who won the World Indoor Bowls Championship in 1996, will be the team manager of the bowling team, who will prepare for the event with a series of one-day training sessions.

The 44-year-old, who has won two gold medals at Glasgow 2014 and another one at Melbourne in 2006, clinched qualification after success in two events, in Australia and Dublin.

He said: "We played in Dublin earlier this year and beat Northern Ireland in a Test Series and was in the winning Fours rink at the Australian Open at Broadbeach (venue for the Games) along with Alex, Darren Burnett and his brother Ryan. We were in Australia for a month, it was a long slog and I was away from my family but it was well worth it."

"I was hoping to be selected, but was never taking anything for granted. It's always an honour to represent your country. We are delighted David Gourlay is back as head coach as we know him well and he has experience. There's not greater accolade than representing your country in the Commonwealth Games."

He doesn't yet know which discipline he was in but said: "We are defending champions in the fairs and fours and there's a fair chance I could be in the pairs. I think the singles is between Tattie, Darren and myself. It's only six months so there's not long to go. We have two new players in the squad, Duncan Scott and Ronnie Duncan and they should do well.

"In Glasgow we had 59 medals which is a record. The highest number of medals achieved by Team GB overseas was 26 and we hope to emulate that. My aim will be to medal as we did in Glasgow, if we don't that it will be disappointing."

He is looking forward to the Gold Coast and said: "The greens are quick as they are dryer and wind is more of a factor."

But before all that he will focus on the indoor season and will compete at the Scottish International Open at Perth in November before he aims to defend his title at the World Indoor Championships at Potters in Norfolk in January.

This has been a great year for the bowler, who won his fifth world title in January, along with the Scottish and the British titles -only the second player to win all three titles in the same season - 34 years after the late Bob Sutherland, a former Rangers player achieved the feat.

He said: "I have won the Scottish International Open twice and beaten in the final three times, so am looking to do well. If I play well then I have a chance. The aim at the World Championships will be to retain my title, although I know it will be difficult."