BOWLSBANTER
Hats off to Hein Strombeck (skip), Jaco van Staden (third), Theo Pretorius (second) and Stuart McDougall (lead) for making the final of the Eastern Areas men’s fours played in Makhanda and walking away with silver medals.
After winning their opening two games, Hein’s side lost their third game on Sunday morning but reached the final through their better shot profit.
Their final was against a Grahamstown Bowling Club side skipped by Phil McDougall, father of Stuart. Playing the last end the two sides were peeled at 19-19, and with the Port Alfred side lying one shot, and one wood to be played, Phil produced the winner. The Port Alfred ladies’ team of Louise Vincent, Mary McLean, Ilse Strombeck and Joanne van Rensburg lost their first two games heavily but had a narrow win on Sunday morning.
The first and second rounds of the annual Ryan Cup will be played this coming Wednesday with a huge entry having been received. But that’s if the weather holds as a 94% chance of rain has been forecast. St Andrew’s Royal Hotel will be sponsoring many events and have kindly donated R15,000 to this club’s bowling section as well as R10,000 to the croquet section.
Play will take place over the Easter weekend.
This club has also been invited to join the Kowie and Kenton Bowling Club novice competition with four mixed teams required.
The entry list is on the notice board.
The first round will be played at Kowie BC on February 22, the next at Kenton BC on June 13 then at Port Alfred BC on September 19. This competition has been running for two years.
This club is also keen to get an entertainment committee organised again and if interested, please advise ladies’ club captain Claire Bell or men’s club captain Brian McLean.
This past Saturday, the Raduesponsored tabs-in afternoon took place with the team skipped by Peet van Rooyen the winners. Peet’s team was Jim Haswell, Carol Oosthuizen and Gina Thomson.
In second place were skip Peter McCallum, Sheila Pearce and Arthur Beresford.
This week’s bowling calendar got off to a sprightly start with a good turnout for Tuesday’s tabs contest.
The afternoon was dominated by John Hubbard and his team of Basil Clark and Philip Gillfillin who all went home with a Rosehill SPAR voucher.
With Wednesday rained out, Thursday afternoon was a kaleidoscope of colour and activity on the B green.
Unfortunately, it started drizzling after the tea break, resulting in most of the games being called off. Nevertheless, some die-harders finished their games to ensure a result. Due to the rain, it was decided that there would be no outright winning team for the afternoon, and the prizes would be held over for Saturday’s tabs in competition.
Saturday morning saw the first round of the Eastern Areas Fours played at Albany Bowling Club in Makhanda, where Kowie had three men’s and two women’s teams participating.
Jackie Kriel and Judy Alexander got off to a cracking start and won both of their first two games. In the men’s competition Jonty Alexander and Pieter Stegmann both won their first games, and lost their second. Unfortunately Bryan Burger’s team lost both of his games.
Saturday afternoon’s tabs competition was pampered by intermittent drizzles, resulting in only a handful of our remaining members handing in their tabs.
The team that won the bragging rights for the afternoon was that of Rodney Gradwell, Bugs Wilmot, Rob Walker, and our “swallow” from the UK, Lorna Kirk.
The EA fours competition continued on Sunday, and after some intense bowling during the day, Judy Alexander’s team won section one and Jackie Kriel’s team won section two. This meant that it was a Kowie final. Jackie Kriel’s team of Megan Kriel, Wendy Heny and Yvonne Hill proved too strong for Judy’s team on the day, and were victorious, thus ending the competition as the 2024 Eastern Areas fours’ lady champions. Congratulations!
In the men’s section, Jonty Alexander’s team of Andrew Meyer, Jacques Krige and Jacques Moolman got off to a flying start in section two on day one of the competition, but they ended up as runners-up of section on the final day. The finals were played between Phil McDougall’s team from Grahamstown BC and Hein Strömbeck’s team from Port Alfred. Phil’s team pipped Hein’s team in the final play-off making him and his team of Gavin Dixon, Wayne Nortier, and Rodney Tyson the men’s Eastern Areas fours champions for 2024.
Tuesday practice provided an* enthusiastic start to the week, an enthusiasm that was somewhat dulled when the wicked weather reared its ugly head again on Wednesday, forcing the postponement of the Diaz Jackpot until next week.
Not that we aren’t grateful for any rain but while we are on that subject, the GBS Trips, which was postponed from last year is due to be played on the January 27 2024.
Teams are coming from far and wide to contest and sample our club so why not come down and watch the big guns battle it out for the prize money on offer.
For Thursday tabs-in it was back to normal but it was Rock-aFriday that proved a highlight.
Two full greens with a record 22 newbie bowlers staying for the bring-and-braai.
Rock-a-Friday is rapidly becoming an event not to be missed and is rivalling the Kenton Bowls Club Business League which kicks-off on Monday, as a place to see and be seen.
Saturday tabs-in was no less enjoyable while waiting to hear the results of our ladies’ and men’s teams contesting the EA fours at the Grahamstown Bowling Club.
Kenton ladies’ teams and men’s team competed well, with Patricia Greig and team winning bronze. Well done!