Scotland’s men made sure of retaining a place in the top eight with a crushing 4-0 win over hosts Sweden in the first day of play-offs at the European Team Championships in Malmo. 

Alan Clyne, currently at a career high of No. 100 in the world, led from the front with an 11-8 11-9 11-6 win over Chrsitian Drakenberg, and Chris Small and Scottish Champion Stewart Crawford both won in four games to tie up the victory. Harry Leitch completed the whitewash in the dead rubber.

The Scots, ranked seventh last year, will now face Ireland in the 5-8 place play-offs.

Following three wins in the group stage, Scotland’s women lost 2-1 to Germany in the first round of play-offs and can now finish no higher than ninth.

Lisa Aitken, from Montrose, claimed the Scottish point with an 11-6 11-8 win over Simone Korell in the dead rubber. Before then, Alex Clark and Frania Gillen-Buchert had both lost out. But Gillen-Buchert, the Scottish Champion, did take a game in the top tie against Pamela Hathway. Scotland meet Wales in the 9-12 place play-offs.