Cape Argus

SA’s brave blind bowlers defend title at world champs

- Alan Peter Simmonds

TAKE a scarf, wrap it around your head, securely covering your eyes. Ask someone for a tennis ball and to take you onto some smooth grass; walk 15 paces, turn and try to bowl the ball underarm within 20cm of where your companion is standing.

You might be lucky with one try in 20 from that, or any, distance.

Lawn bowlers of varying visual impairment from all communitie­s – including totally blind – regularly show amazing talent in being able to achieve accuracy under the direction of a “director” with normal bowls, defying the imaginatio­n time after time – from 20-23m away!

On the perfect four greens of WPCC, Newlands, 10 nations and 130 players and directors, including title holders South Africa, are competing for the Internatio­nal Blind Bowls Associatio­n’s 11th World Championsh­ips, sponsored by 100 years-old Lions Internatio­nal and the City of Cape Town, until March 28. This will be followed by two days of internatio­nals between visitors’ sides and the SA Proteas at Jaggers BC, Liesbeek Park.

The hosts, who have won five titles since 1977, seek to retain that won at Worthing on England’s south coast in 2013. They also won at home in 1977, Canada in 1993, Scotland in 2001 and Joburg in 2005.

Bowls South Africa president Kallie Haupt said: “Disabled bowlers of all types are affiliated to Bowls South Africa and are valued and admired.

“To host an event of this stature is a privilege; my thanks to the sponsors and all who work tirelessly to ensure an amazing spectacle of fortitude, patience and pure ability.”

Heat has been the only problem so far, and tournament convener Jenny Phillips had the vision and resolve to have play halted as the mercury climbed to 38ºC this week; several European competitor­s had shown signs of distress.

So far, South Africa’s team is again well in contention, but Australia, Israel, New Zealand, Hong Kong China, Canada and the British nations are serious opponents.

The next world championsh­ips in 2021 will be in New Zealand.

 ?? PICTURE: HENK KRUGER ?? PURE ABILITY: SA vs China during the 11th IBBA World Blind Bowls Championsh­ips in Cape Town yesterday. Ten countries are taking part. South Africa are the defending champions and were also the champions in 1977 at the first IBBA.
PICTURE: HENK KRUGER PURE ABILITY: SA vs China during the 11th IBBA World Blind Bowls Championsh­ips in Cape Town yesterday. Ten countries are taking part. South Africa are the defending champions and were also the champions in 1977 at the first IBBA.

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