John McKeag on the Web
Write to me at: john@yourbowls.com

Home   Columns   Nationals Draw   Results   Services   Contacts   Marketing

Let’s look at future Masters’ venues

(The Citizen - March 17, 2006)

WITH changes in the nationals being vigorously thought out by a number of brains, the matter of future Masters’ tournaments might readily be part of the thinking of those who make decisions on these things.
The recent Masters at Wingate Park in Pretoria, after suffering all sorts of ups and downs before the event, eventually proved quite a spectacle as the 16 Masters were joined by 12 Seniors playing in their own competition, the first time away from Bloemfontein. Wingate was ideally suited to host the big tournament. It has five top class greens.
However, with persuasion coming from many quarters to move the prestige event around the country, Bowls South Africa are going to be hard-pressed to find another club of the size of that in Pretoria.
Therefore, the alternative will be to find a three-green club that has a two or three green club nearby. This would prove a ready answer to continue playing the open and senior events in the same city and keeping things close together. Otherwise, the seniors might find themselves farmed out to some two-green club further away.
There are several instances in this country of clubs of this nature and it might be an exercise to occupy the brains of some volunteer to find them.
Two ready instances come to mind, the combination of Helderberg ( a previous venue) and Somerset West in the Hottentots Holland area, and Port Elizabeth, with four greens, and the adjacent Park Drive Bowls Club.

IF you want to watch the progress of our bowlers at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne you can try the Bowls SA website at www.bowlssa.co.za or the Game side on www.melbourne2006.com.au

ENTRIES  for Wanderers’ Easter tournament are filling up with a few slots available. The tournament starts on Saturday afternoon April 15, with further play all day on Sunday 16 and the morning of Monday 17, followed by the prize giving
Organiser Debra Bremner said: “We would love everyone to celebrate with us in our new home with the rebuild of the club completed and the bowls section now in our very own home.” 
The entry fee is R800 per team and teams must consist of two men and two women. Contact Debra on 082 255 0833 to enter.

CLINTON Roberts, a 26-year-old ex-hockey player from Morningside Bowls Club, won the men’s final of the Centennial Tower Novices tournament, run by Johannesburg Northern Suburbs, in his first year of bowls.
Clinton is a regular in the Morningside second team that won the CGBA Division 3 this year. In a long game, he eventually beat his namesake, Patrick Roberts from Bryanston Sports, in the final end of the tiebreak.
The women’s final was won by Annatjie Bosse of Old Parktonians who after coming so close last year deservedly pulled it off in the final, beating Rina Jansen Van Vuuren of Innesdale.
This was a most successful tournament, due to the record entry (all Highveld) districts and the support and co-operation of Wanderers.

Younger players benefit by absence of stars

The Citizen - April 28, 2006

Several districts playing in the annual inter-districts tournament in Johannesburg were denuded by the unavailability of many players, but this has been to the benefit of many others who have the opportunity to further their own causes.
The absence of some players has definitely shown in the form of some teams, more particularly Western Province where they have lost four of their top players to retirement and lack of leave left for bowls has become obvious.
Without Neil Burkett, (in Australia), Eric Johannes (no longer available), Kevin Campbell (reportedly retired) and Shaun Addinall (no more leave) they are much less the team they have been.. However, this is not say that the team put together has not acquitted itself well and the younger players drafted into the side have coped admirably with the task.
Not least of these is 40-year-old Peter Harvey, son of one of South Africa’s greatest bowlers, Tommy Harvey, who passed away at the age of 42 in the prime of his bowls career. Just to watch the son play one sees the father in him and that recognizable push delivery is so evident in the son.
Western Province manager, Bobby Cron said Harvey would soon be skipping one of the WP teams in inter-district tournaments.
It was also fortuitous for Western Province that former international Alan Lofthouse was able to make himself available to skip one of the WP fours after it became obvious Neil Burkett would not be back from Australia in time . His experience at this and international level has been a definite factor in helping the WP younger players..
There is a lot of youth in this tournament not least of all from Bloemfontein where we have Clinton Roets, Wayne Perry – both already internationals – Handre Marais who made such an impressions in gaining a bronze medal in the SA Masters, together with Wayne York and Jarred Oracki. With this talent, the future of the game in Bloemfontein looks very alive and well, if not now, as they lead their section after the sixth of the nine rounds.

Talk of younger players brings us to thoughts about upcoming international events and the national selectors are expected to go for youth when they pick their sides for the African States tournament in August. They are due to announce their sides at the end of the inter-districts this evening (Friday).
When I say going for youth I apply that more to the men than the women for there is a definite lack of younger players of established caliber among the women, a matter that should receive the urgent consideration of national and district executives.

So with youth in mind what do you think – and I expect brickbats – of my side for the African States.
Men: Fours: Brian Dixon, Wayne Perry, Duane Abrahams and Handre Marais. Singles: Nic Rusling.
Women: Fours: Loraine Victor, Cheryl Cox, Colleen Webb and Esme Steyn, although I would like to see Leone Durand, recently returned to the game among those names. For the singles there is only Lorna Trigwell.

Men’s national tournament chair Nicky Parker has been at the inter-provincials as a spectator and tells me all is in readiness for the tournament that begins in Cape Town on May 13 with the pairs competition. Headquarters is at Constantia.

One thing the inter-provincials have brought out is that there are some better bowlers on the national executive. National president Piet Breitenbach skips one of the two North West fours while executive member Tys Pringle has the same job for Limpopo.