NEWCASTLE KZN: Champion bowlers on the lone road to victory

Newcastle Bowling Club contested its Singles Championships on Saturday and Sunday.

March 18, 2021

Burnt End 1 minute read

Newcastle Bowling Club hosted its annual Singles Championships at the weekend.

The six women’s entrants were divided into two sections of three, with each player then playing against each other to determine the section winner. Both sections were closely contested, with Joan Schoon winning her section by scoring a 4 on the last end of her match to win 21-20 against the previously unbeaten Vicky van der Merwe.

The other section saw all three participants, Sue Hutchinson, Alice Howe and Denise Phillips all winning one game each, with Sue having the best shot difference thus seeing her through to the final.

Edith Pretorius at the point of delivery.

Playing in midday heat, Sue and Joan provided the bank of interested spectators with an entertaining final. Joan started off strongly and on the 13th end was 14-5 up, before Sue staged a comeback to be only 14-15 down on the 22nd end.

“Joan kept her nose in front for the next few ends and on the 28th end, the score was 20-19,” explains Burnt End.

The final end saw Sue draw two purlers to win the match 21-20 and win the Ladies Singles Championship for the first time. Both women are to be congratulated not only for the quality of bowls played, but also for the spirit in which the game was played.

Fritz Botha utilises his experience to make the semi-final stage.

The men were likewise divided into sections, with the seven section winners being Tony de Pooter, Fritz Botha, John Douthwaite, Trevor Smale, Gert Roos, Aspen Shaw and Ron Howe. The knock-out stages saw Fritz beat Tony, Trevor oust the defending champion John, and Gert beating Aspen, with Ron having a bye to the semi-finals.

In the semi-finals, Fritz will play Trevor and Gert will play Ron for a place in the final. A well-run competition by Koen Pretorius, acting as competition secretary, resulted in another pleasant weekend on the greens for both the players and the spectators who turned up to watch.