New rules lead to stronger teams
THE Bowls South Africa National Championship gives bowlers an opportunity to combine with members from other clubs to shape combinations of bowlers never seen before and to capitalise on compatibility that may exist in members of other clubs.
Protea bowler, Wayne Rittmuller, took advantage of this concession and collaborated with Wade Marshall and Marc Rogers from Hillary Bowling Club to put together a fours team.
Hearing that capable front ranker Jason Lotts was looking to participate in the Ekurhuleni District-hosted championship, Rittmuller approached Lotts and the deal was sealed. Rittmuller and Lotts assumed dual membership with Hillary Bowling Club for the 2022 BSA Nationals.
The Hillary fours team, playing together for the first time, ended their quest in the quarter-finals, coming away with the best result from the Port Natal Bowls fours entries.
The most exciting outcome in the dual membership deal was the new pairing of Rittmuller and Lotts as entries in the BSA Pairs Championship. With the BSA ruling being, team members must all be members of the same club and may not represent more than one club during the tournament, the men were obliged to represent their dual club throughout the tournament.
The pair, after facing their Hillary Blue Train club mates Mark Ramsden
and Warren van der Sloot in the semi-final of the pairs and winning the encounter by one shot, went on to the final against Wingate Park’s Brendan Ferns and Andrè Rousseau.
The four finalists traded shot for shot in their race for the gold medal but the scoreboard showed the local pair ahead by three shots after the mandatory 18 ends.
Lotts, who moved to Durban from Belgravia Bowling Club in Johannesburg in 2015, has entered seven Bowls South Africa National Championships and deems this his best.
He said: “When Wayne Rittmuller asked me to join him for this year’s BSA Nationals I immediately accepted the challenge. I was excited to be part of such an incredible team. Wayne is a tough competitor and he expects the same from his partner and teammates. He understands that no bowler delivers an intentional mistake, and his constant advice, opinions and encouragement on the greens make him the champion player that he is. He certainly enabled me to lift my game to secure a winning result. Playing with him was a privilege and an unforgettable positive experience.”
Starting this Saturday, Port Natal Bowls will host the Bowls South Africa Disability Bowls Nationals at Durban and Durban Collegians Bowling Clubs. The best bowlers with a physical disability South Africa has to offer will come together in their quest to win medals in the pairs and singles disciplines.
Lawn bowls is among only a handful of outdoor sports in which disabled persons can participate. Interested members of the public are invited to support the Physically Disabled Bowlers at Durban BC and the Visually Impaired Bowlers at Collegians BC.