BOWLSBANTER
Port Alfred Bowling Club
The club received a further setback last week when thieves broke a small window in a room housing greens equipment and stole a valuable watering hose.
In addition, the housing for feral cats was also taken.
Previously, thieves also broke into a shed housing a mower which, fortunately, was later found in surrounding bush.
On a brighter note, the club had reason to celebrate when novice bowler Joanne Brown made it into the final of the Eastern Areas competition played at Kenton. Despite playing well, Joanne went down 21-15.
Playing in the seniors event, Mary lost one and won two, while in the men’s section this scribe, Phil and Christo failed to win their respective sections but did not disgrace themselves.
In the Eastern Areas (EA) Open Singles this past weekend, club president and old war horse Trevor Frost won his section but came a cropper the next day when he lost both. All club members were holding thumbs he would go on to win the title.
Praise must go to the Kowie greens staff for their superb greens smooth as billiard tables. Coming up will be the club’s mixed pairs, with the first round set for Wednesday, February 3.
Then on February 6 and 7 the EA mixed pairs is set to be held at the Grahamstown Bowling Club.
Both entry forms are up on the notice board. Also note that for the second year, the annual All Cape, set for Cape Town, has been called off. This was received regarding the All Cape: “The All Cape Tournament Committee, after consulting with the various districts, decided to postpone the event indefinitely. The committee will endeavour to find a suitable replacement date for this tournament if at all possible.”
Also sidelined are the nationals, inter-districts and Under 20 development tournament, due to the pandemic.
Kowie Bowling Club
In spite of Covid, we are still allowed to play bowls – albeit in a limited form.
If singles and pairs are played, according to the Laws of the Game, the players would be about 2m apart anyway.
Eastern Areas (EA) used this concession to arrange their Singles Championships over the past two weekends, with Kenton hosting the ladies and Kowie the men.
Though Lawn Bowls is largely a recreational sport, there are more competitive members keen to pit their skills in a wider field (such as the five EA clubs).
The winners and runners-up would then qualify to compete at a still higher level – the Eastern Province Championships.
The next step would be the SA National Championships, followed by World Bowls, which is staged every four years.
The administration of bowls worldwide is the responsibility of the International Bowls Board.
They promulgate and revise the Laws of the Game, settle disputes, organise tours between member countries and World Bowls. All the bowls-playing countries contribute to their expenses.
At national level, a country is divided into districts – we have 20
each with a representative on the Bowls SA board.
Bowls does not attract major sponsors and the Bowls SA executive is very dependent on handouts from the department of sport to augment the contribution from the bowling fraternity.
If a district is large, then it can be divided into sub-districts (as is the case with Eastern Province).
Each sub-district would have an executive to organise competitions and levy fees.
Last weekend at Kowie, we hosted a continuation of the various Singles Championships.
The slight drizzle on Sunday did not deter the players – they maintained play of a high standard on both days. The greens, as usual, were excellent.
The Men’s Open proved to be a tight affair, with Jonty Alexander, Steve Minnaar, Trevor Frost (Port Alfred) and Breshby du Preez (Albany) winning their sections.
In the final, Steve Minnaar eased out Jonty 21-14. The Men’s Novices final was a nail-biting game, with T Mclean from Albany outlasting Lester Scriven 21-18. The EA winners are: Ladies: Veterans – winner Judy Alexander (Kowie), runner-up Ruth Lowe (Kenton); Open – winner Ewie Rens (Kowie), runner-up Jackie Kriel (Kowie), novices – winner Louise Vincent (Makhanda), runner-up Joanne Browne (Port Alfred).
Men: Veterans – winner Stan Long (Kowie), runner-up Brian Rogers (Kowie); Open – winner Steve Minnaar (Kowie), runner-up Jonty Alexander (Kowie); novices
winner TJ Mclean (Albany), runner-up Lester Scriven (Kowie).
The winners and runners-up all qualify for the EP finals.