Colourful new sport B20 Cricket Bowls is awesome fun – try it out!

A new game has hit town, in the form of a newly created hybrid sport called “B20 Cricket Bowls”.

September 22, 2016

Logan Green 2 minutes read

Benoni City Times sports journalist Logan Green (middle) became the first reporter to play the new hybrid sport that is B20 Cricket Bowls. He is flanked by Nora Norris and Ian Stevenson, of the Lake Cobras team.

The sport is the brainchild of Tony Norris and Ian Stevenson, both bowlers at the Lake Club Benoni, who describe their uniquely pioneered game as a “new way of playing a very popular old game”.

Norris and Stevenson believe that B20 Cricket Bowls has the potential to develop a big interest amongst the youth and increase the numbers of young people getting into lawn bowls overall.

There are even plans in place to introduce the game into schools.

“It’s a game of T20 cricket played on a bowling green or artificial green, used primarily for both indoor and outdoor bowls, and is played with a conventional set of lawn bowls,” explained Norris.

“B20 Cricket Bowls, as in a game of T20 cricket, is played with a set of wickets (which is supported to prevent damage to the green) at one end of the green and a scoring area at the opposite end of the green, where runs can be accumulated.

“People in teams of three bowl to one end of the green to accumulate runs on a ‘scoring area’.

The scoring mat used in B20 Cricket Bowls.

“They then bowl to the opposite end of the green to take wickets, which deducts points from the opposition’s score.”

The wickets used in the sport of B20 Cricket Bowls.

Norris added that the dress code of the sport is far from the traditional whites associated with lawn bowls,

“Team colours can be designed as the team sees fit,” he said.

It can be as colourful as a Rio Carnival if they wish.”

“The Three Chics” team of Evelyn Nisbet (left), Ursel Hardy and Chic Nisbet, in deep discussion while they enjoy a game of B20 Cricket Bowls.

Norris said that the sport is becoming popular with bowlers old and young, with games of B20 Cricket Bowls arranged on a regular basis, side by side with conventional bowls, at the Lake Club.

“Shortly there will be the introduction of a B20 Cricket Bowls League, just for the fun of it,” he added.

Team Chipmunks (from Benoni Country Club) enjoyed their first attempt at B20 Cricket Bowls at the Lake Club. They are Jane van der Hoven (left), Sandy Booyse and Marion Ciapparelli.

VIDEO: Jane van der Hoven gives her opinion on this new sport:

In order to familiarise more people with the sport, an inaugural B20 Cricket Bowls Day will take place on Saturday, October 15, at the Lake Club Benoni.

“School pupils are welcome to come and see how the game is played and how much fun and colourful it is,” said Norris.

He added that the long term plan is not only to see B20 Cricket Bowls played at bowling clubs nationwide, but also in townships and rural areas.

According to Stevenson and Norris, Bowl South Africa has also welcomed the sport as a brilliant coaching tool for bowlers.

“We took it to the Masters in Edenvale, recently, and set up a rink.

“Bowls SA nominated some Protea players to play and they definitely did not find it as easy as it looks,” added Norris.

He appealed to schools which might be interested in having the sport demonstrated to them to contact him via email, at tonynorris12@gmail.com.

Clubs which would like to enter a team or teams of three players for the October 15 event can contact him via email or send an SMS to 082 553 1607.

A cost will be charged per team and bookings are essential.

MORE IMAGES of B20 Bowls Cricket: