in the NEWS facebook.com/ ISSUE 69 - FEB ‘18 BowlsSouthAfrica your source for WORLDWIDEbowling information COMMONWEALTH GOLD IN SIGHTS GERRY PIERRE JASON RUDI MORGAN BAKER BREITENBACH EVANS JACOBS MUVHANGO Alan Simmonds - Media Officer South Africa’s skilful Protea bowls sides contest the Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia from 4-15 April. It will be tough going; extremely tough going. Heat, jet lag, acclimasaon, pace of greens and nerves; yes, even the best have nerves. COLLEEN ELMA ESMÉ NICI ANNEKE In internaonal bowls, especially in secons PIKETH DAVIS KRUGER NEAL SNYMAN where all compeon is fierce, there is no me to play one’s self in. This not a five–day cricket faces. But New Zealand, Britain and Malaysia The average age of the men’s side is 46.5; the test match where a batsman/woman has are major stumbling blocks. women’s 43.5 – compared with Australia’s 35 license to adjust to pace, poise and opposion. and 30 respecvely. Fair to say, however The Malaysian naonal lawn bowls team won these “youngsters” are more like grizzled Not that the Proteas are afraid of top silver medals in the men’s pairs and women’s veterans, so long have they been at the top. compeon – they provide most of it fours. themselves. The SA women’s side shows four changes South African-born naonal coach Dr Simon from Glasgow; several players have rered At the 2014 Commonwealth Games Glasgow, Botha said: “We are targeng more than from the big stage. Scotland, the team – open and physically medals. The team will be announced this disabled – won five gold and two bronze medals Collen Webb Piketh (Bedfordview CC, JBA) is month aer internaonal matches against – the women, in parcular, demolishing their the sole survivor. Australia and New Zealand. opponents; the disabled won their events with The superb Johannesburg player, equally aplomb; the deservedly vaunted Aussies went The SA selectors’ line-up for the XXl Games is adept on carpet will play the singles. Her home devastated. predictable; some might say conservave. opposion could not be tougher, but she has This me, condions at Broadbeach BC will be Experience has been chosen rather than youth gone so close to gold in several internaonal different; the home side will be in everyone’s – unlike, say, with a twist, by Australia. events since 2014, she cannot be ruled out. She won 2014 gold in the pairs with Tracey Lee But that injury opened the way for then non- Botha - to me a disappoinng exclusion this travelling reserve Pierre Breitenbach me - and a stunning bronze in the singles – a (Potchefstroom Town, NW), this year the ght measure away from a finals place earlier. youngest man in the side at 31. Elma Davis (George, Eden), who has sparkled At Glasgow, he grabbed his chance, winning and danced her way into everyone’s hearts, is the trips gold medal and subsequently the most deserving of a place. Adept on any 2016 SA Masters and a clutch of other medals surface and in any posion, she will fight for and accolades worldwide. He is pped, every shot. rightly so, as Baker’s successor. He plays singles on the Gold Coast – watch out for him; No surprise selecon is Nici Neal (Leases, he has much kinec talent. Sables). SA Masters, naonal and almost a world singles tle (she won silver), she is Pin-up boy Jason Evans, a charming family another who can play up front or at the back. man, with a penchant for music, has paently Quite the “quiet assassin”, Neal remains, improved year by year since 2014. A close however, calm, collected and humble. friend and past club mate of Baker, Evans is a Youngest in the enre team is effervescent game changer. Anneke Snyman (Bredasdorp, Boland). He won the 2017 SA Masters through sheer The “Boland babe”, consistent and reliable, has pig-headiness – he refused to lose. That trait gradually worked her way through the ranks VISUALLY IMPARED will serve South Africa well in the contest aer appearing on the scene with a bang aer ahead. demolishing the 2013 SA Masters Junior opposion, subsequently winning bronze twice New face in the side from Glasgow is Sables in the main event and proving to be the real star Morgan Muvhango, 39, selected ahead of deal in Protea colours elsewhere. excluded beer-known club mate of Baker – Prince Neluonde, a member of the winning Tall, determined Esmé Kruger (CBC Old Boys, trips side in Scotland and champion of the BGN) appeared as a runner-up in the 2007 highly compeve Johannesburg Bowls Master. Since then has won her spurs in Associaon Open Singles. FLIP PRINCESS internaonal events, triumphed at the SA WALKER SCHROEDER Naonals. At last year’s Masters she won Quietly-spoken Muvhango, twice a naonals’ bronze and is the selectors’ “go-to” girl for any tleholder and a successful gold medallist reason. PHYSICALLY Protea in African States and other intenonal clashes, he is dedicated to the game and Bowls South African president, Rob Forbes said DISABLED deservedly takes his place on the grand stage. in Port Elizabeth: So, no Neluonde, no singles and trips Games’ “One of the greatest bowls shows on earth and champion Bobby Donnelly, no sight of in which South Africa has a glorious record. younger men, such as excellent Thinus This me, under anpodean condions it will Oelofse from Benoni or Free State’s “enfant be a slog for our men and women. I hope they terrible” experienced Clinton Roets, nor SA don’t go in ‘undercooked’, but hit peak form singles winner and gold medallist as a debut from day one. Protea in the African States Tournament Wayne Ritmuller (Port Natal) – they must wait “I have no doubt they are all top class material WILLEM another four years for their chances. and will acquit themselves honourably win or VILJOEN lose. Our fantasc world champion para- bowlers will for sure be the ones to beat in their The excellent coaching/managerial duo of events. Theuns Fraser and Jessica Henderson again travel; as Shaw wrote: “Ministers come and “I can’t wait for the Games to begin. Good luck ministers go, but I go on forever…” to all” Disabled and visually impaired compete in The men’s side has a more familiar ring to it. April, hoping to again seep the gold medal table. Changes galore, but the one B8 What more can be wrien about Gerry Baker TOBIAS CHRISTOPHER disabled trips side and the B3 visually (Bryanston Sports, JBA)? BOTHA PATTON impaired duo take South Africa’s No1 world “Leie”, the brilliant, dogged doyen of men’s rang with them into the fray. bowls in South Africa, has plied his amateur At 58, a successful businessman, this might be trade at the top for almost 20 years. Winner of his swansong – what beer way to end an The players are: B8: Tobias Botha, Willem countless club, district, naonal and illustrious service to South Africa with another Viljoen, Chris Paon; B3 visually impaired are internaonal events, he will skip the fours in medal? Flippie Walker (Hermanus Scholtz is injured Australia, with a few old scores to sele. and forced to rere) and iconic Princess Another selected in 2014 was silky-smooth, Schroeder with their directors Annetjie In Games terms, Baker won pairs gold with affable Rudi Jacobs (Parys, NW). He launched a Viljoen and Graham Ward. Manager/coach is Shaun (now Father) Addinall, playing probably “blitzkrieg” on every SA event and cleaned up a legend for his outstanding work in this the most outrageous winning shot in Games as well in internaonals. But before he could genre, Geoff Newcombe of Port Elizabeth. history for gold from the last bowl of the event send down one bowl in Glasgow, he suffered an at Delhi in 2010; Baker twice won bronze in the injury – now also 58, he gets a second chance Top SA technical officials Jeanee Williams singles – 1998 and 2002. here. and Trevor Davis will umpiring at the Games. WOMEN’S TEAM: Kelsey Corell (St Johns Park, NSW) Carla Krizanic (Sunbury, VIC) Karen Murphy (Cabramaa, NSW) AUSTRALIA HAVE Natasha Sco (Raymond Terrace, NSW) Rebecca Van Asch (Invermay, TAS)* MEN’S TEAM: DEPTH AND STRENGTH Barrie Lester (Mulgrave CC, VIC) Nathan Rice (Club Helensvale, QLD) Aron Sherriff (Club Helensvale, QLD) Bre Wilkie (Club Helensvale, QLD) Aaron Wilson (Cabramaa, NSW)* PARA-SPORT TEAM: DISABILITY TRIPLES: Tony Bonnell (Brighton, QLD) Ken Hanson (City Colac, VIC)* Joshua Thornton (East Shepparton, VIC)* VISION-IMPAIRED PAIRS: Jake Fehlberg (Burleigh Heads, QLD, Director: Grant Fehlberg)* VICTORIAN-BASED GOLD COAST 2018 COMMONWEALTH GAMES REPRESENTATIVES: Lynne Seymour (Thuringowa, QLD, Josh Thornton, Ken Hanson, Carla Krizanic and Barrie Lester – the last two named were Director: Robert Seymour)* wonderful visitors to the SA Masters last year OFFICIALS: Australia’s Bowls Team for the Gold Coast 2018 Reigning world singles champion Karen Peter Brown Team Leader Commonwealth Games will boast a mix of Murphy (42, Cabramaa, NSW), who clinched Steve Glasson OAM Head Coach youth and experience, with six Games a Games gold medal in the pairs in 2006 in Kelvin Kerkow OAM Coach debutants among the 17 bowlers named by addion to silver medals in 1998 in the fours, Faye Luke Team Manager Commonwealth Games Australia. 2002 in the singles and 2014 in the triples, has Mark McMahon Sport Psychologist been selected for her fih Games appearance; Gary Willis Coach The 17-person squad include seven in the para- equalling Rex Johnston OAM for the most * = debutant sport team; including two vision impaired appearances from an Australian bowler. bowlers, accompanied by their directors, and the Year Aron Sherriff (32, Club Helensvale, In addion to Van Asch and Murphy, the three bowlers with a disability.