Format exciting, fastpaced
BOWLS
TWENTY20 is not proper cricket.
Sevens is hardly a patch on rugby.
Well, at least that is what the critics say.
But they sure attract the crowds and bowls has its own abbreviated version of the game — twilight bowls3five.
Judging by the turnout at the Taieri Bowling Club on Tuesday night, the format looks set to take off.
Club secretary Helen Carman said about 100 competitors enjoyed the first event of its kind to be staged in Otago.
‘‘It is exactly the same as what they play on Sky Sport,’’ Carman said.
‘‘It is a new initiative by Bowls New Zealand and they are very keen to get clubs [involved].
‘‘It is like twenty20 cricket compared to test cricket —it is fast and it is exciting.’’
The teams are made up of three players who play two bowls each. There are three games of five ends but the final game is only played if the score is level.
If the final game is tied there is a oneend tiebreaker.
‘‘Some of them had to play a tiebreaker [on Tuesday night] and they absolutely loved it.’’
Among the players who showed up to give the format a go was 11yearold Shilo Hogg, who by all accounts has real potential for the game.
Carman said twilight bowls3five will run up until Christmas and resume again in February.
The emphasis is on fun but it is hoped it will bring in some revenue and help introduce new people to the sport who may then go on to play other formats of the game.
The programme has replaced Mates in Bowls which ran for about 10 years at the club.