VISUALLY impaired bowler Irene Edgar hit the dizziest heights of her career at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games when she took a silver medal in front of adoring home crowds at Kelvingrove.

On Friday, the Saltcoats mum-of-three and grandmother of one set out on a 9,500-mile journey to Australia with Team Scotland, hoping to add to her tally of the bowling world's biggest ever events.

She will team up with Glasgow ace Robert Barr to line up in the mixed pairs B2/B3 event, with Ardrossan man David Thomas, again serving as her coach as he did four years ago.

Scotland will face Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England and Wales in a round robin format.

Irene found out in November she has been selected and said: "I'm highly delighted and honoured to be picked again, although I was surprised because I had a knee injury last year when we competed in the World Championships. I just hope I can out go out there, do my best and come back with a medal."

The Saltcoats Bowling Club and Ardrossan Indoor Bowling Club recruit enjoyed the Glasgow event and said: "Everyone said how welcoming and friendly people were talking to strangers on the streets. Everyone knows everyone else as we play each other in World Championships."

Her last big event was played at the Commonwealth Games venue.

She said: "I played with Robert Barr last June in an Eight Nations event and we came back with a silver medal. The greens are fast, they roll the grass and don't cut it. The Australians have home advantage and they beat us last time.

"We also went to Alicante in February for hot weather training, but it was very cold and we played greens which are much the same speed as Australia. I have new bowls and am quite happy with them. There are two different people in the team, Robert Barr and his coach Sarah-Jane Ewing.

"I look forward to the competition and hope to listen to some of the other bowling matches. I can hear what's going but as I don't say very well someone will keep me right by watching it."