King Club bowlers on a roll
Former Border rugby referee and current King Bowling Club bowler Mervyn Spring is the new Border novice champion.
After being unbeaten in the initial round of the Border bowls competition, Spring made it to the semifinals played at the Comrades Bowling Club recently.
After winning his semifinal clash 21-10, he went on to beat Neil Friend of Gonubie 21-13 in the final.
Another club bowler, Josh Turner, also won his semifinal match, but lost 20-21 in the final.
“I was very disappointed,” said Turner who is a first-team rugby prop for Dale High School.
Spring, who also played rugby and cricket in his younger days, said he had learnt bowls was a drawing game.
“Play each end one at a time and try not to give more than one shot away at a time. It also takes just one bowl to change an end,” he said.
Spring added a lot of concentration and self-discipline was needed.
He said that on the day of the final, the wind was strong and it was important for him to find his line and length quickly.
“I would like to thank club member Craig Ainslie for transporting Josh and I to East London for the final. We spoke bowls all the way there and not having to drive took a lot of pressure me,” Spring said.
King Bowling Club president Gordon McCune said he and the club were proud of both Spring and Turner.
“As a club, we were hoping for an all-King final and Josh came very close to making it. We are proud of both of our bowlers as they kept the King flag flying high,” McCune said.