your source for The Investment Specialists in the worldwide bowling information facebook.com/BowlsSouthAfrica news ® ISSUE 57 - DEC ‘16/JAN ‘17 ELMA,SUSAN,SYLVIA Internaonally, South Africa’s Proteas have shown to the fore in the last few years. True, the men have not won a gold medal at the event since the 1976 whitewash of the world at Zoo Lake, but SA’s women have twice won the event and generally shine. This me, however, for some unfathomable reason, the men struggled throughout; the women threatened to do well in all events, but again, disappoinngly faded, leaving only the triples, who won bronze, to play near to potenal. This does not in any way suggest the Proteas played badly. Far from it, they are the best we have, deserving their places. But those armchair crics shoung for heads to roll do not see it that way (rugby, soccer, swimming, golf are treated much the same) and express the country’s insaable demand for success. Never mind the clichés and the “wise” nodding heads, other naons are allowed to play well; in bowls, if club players think clearly, they know a rub, a wick, a minute measure can change the nature of a game in a heartbeat; few codes see acute score change as can occur in a single head of bowls. In fairness, however, we did let ourselves BRONZE BEAUTIES: The South African bowls down at certain mes – but that is sport. Protea women’s triples side won bronze - a superb effort. In the eliminaon quarter- Aer an incredibly successful 2012 World finals SA’s Elma Davis, Susan Nel, Sylvia Championships on home soil in Adelaide, Burns won a nail-bing 18-17 against where the Australian team won five of eight Scotland’s (Julie Forrest, Stacey McDougall, available gold medals (the Aussie squad was Claire Johnston, then in a semi-final, the SA crowned as world champions, the overall trio again played superbly, but had to bow champs winning the Leonard Trophy, men and to all-conquering Australia (Rebecca Van Taylor Trophy, women), the Jackaroos Asch, Natasha Sco, Carla Krizanic), who travelled to Christchurch to try to emulate won 17-15 in another clianger. that successes. Christchurch, New Zealand – Before leaving for the World Bowls Championships in is dog eats dog; no quarter asked, none They didn’t quite repeat the gold feat, but Christchurch, New Zealand, South Africa's offered. There are no longer “easy draws”; reached seven of eight play-offs and ended doyen of internaonal bowls, Gerry Baker previously perceived as minnows, the with four gold medals two silver and a bronze (Johannesburg) told me, “it’s going to be emerging bowls naons now have bite, – hard to beat. England, Wales, hosts New tough.” It was. keenness and great toning, coached skills and Zealand, Scotland, Ireland and Canada made endurance for the two-week, four-discipline up the rest of the finalists - an elite bunch. There are no favours, nor pals on the greens. It pinnacle of bowls held every four years. Compeng were 34 naons – some qualifying Aron Sherriff were never that far out of for all four events; others not, tournaments at contenon, but similarly, could never establish Pacific Rim and Atlanc Championships a clear lead of more than two shots. deciding the qualifiers. Australia, Malaysia, England, Norfolk Island, Canada, South Africa, “Sherriff gave his all to push the match to an New Zealand, Wales, Brunei, Namibia, Hong e x t r a - end, when he collected a two with a Kong China, USA, Scotland, Ireland, drive, but was unable to achieve the Kenya, Philippines, same feat with his last shot on the N et h e r l a n d s , 19th end and it was silver 15-14..” C h i n a , F i j i , It was England’s first men’s triples Z i m b a b w e , tle win since 1980, and first Singapore, Spain, w o r l d t l e i n a ny m e n ’s C y p r u s , C o o k discipline in two decades, Islands, Israel, having won the singles and Turkey, Namibia, fours in 1996. Isle of Man, Nuie, J a p a n , J e r s e y , On Facebook, Lorna Smith Guernsey, and India (nee Trigwell), amazingly took part. omied from the Scosh side aer a decade of T h e A u s t r a l i a n s brilliant results and a claimed the opening former world champion MR PRESIDENT: Kallie Haupt gold medal, but lost a herself, said, “It was the watches keenly second in harrowing best game of men’s trips I circumstances on an have ever watched.” Melbourne, Australia; 2008 World Fours. extra-end reported Bowls Australia’s Aiden Davis. A heroic trail shot to Most finals saw the Anpodeans at each collect four shots and other, but it might have been different. “…Australia’s women’s ulmate victory for fours finished off their fairy- Australian superstar Colleen Piketh/Nici Neal, champions in the tale story, which saw them Karen Murphy was Commonwealth Games, lost to Scotland, topple the undefeated perhaps a fi n g Wales and Malaysia – all three qualifying for English conngent for the climax to a day of the play-offs; one win instead would have got gold medal, aer they had Aussie dominaon them through; similarly, the women’s fours of been defeated in three of the at the Burnside Elma Davies, Nici Neal, Sue Nel, Sylvia Burns opening four matches of the B o w l s C l u b , surprisingly lost to Fiji in their final game and tournament, but the men’s reported Davis. ended fourth aer defeang qualifiers triples weren’t able to replicate Canada and Australia earlier. their heroics (against England.) CONCENTRATING: Gerry Baker delivers Said Piketh later: “World bowls 2016 is over “The Old Enemy’s Jamie Walker, Andy Knapper for me. In the singles, going in to the final Leading 17-14 in the race to 21 shots for the and Robert Paxton adapted well to southern round of our secon five of us were in women’s singles crown at the World Bowls hemisphere condions, and were equally contenon for play-offs; I missed out; aer Championships, Murphy made the bold suited to the short-ends that the downfall for winning our opening game today in the pairs, decision to play a weighted shot to collect the their women’s fours. we had two close finishes vs Malaysia and ‘full count’ which her Ireland and again didn't make play-offs. So yes opponent Lesley Doig from very disappointed at this stage…We gave it Scotland says she ‘will our all, but was not meant to be.” never forget’. Could things have otherwise in the men’s M u r p h y ’ s w i n n o w events? posions her firmly among the sport's immortals – she No really, we were hardly in contenon; the j o i n s I r e l a n d g r e a t men’s fours faltered to deceive, ending Margaret Johnston (2000, fourth, but way off the pace. Were they 2004) and New Zealand’s undercooked, were the posions wrong? Elsie Wilkie (1973, 1977) as Should skilful Rudi Jacobs, who arrived from a back-to-back winners, prey good World Champion of Champion while she needs another Singles, carried on in the World Bowls Singles victory to match Johnston’s and le the onerous task of skipping the fours three wins – and who could to the wonderful Gerry Baker? Who knows. possibly rule out the Aussie d i v a g o i n g a g a i n a t I must say I would have loved to have seen SODDEN: Play was delayed an hour on the final day aer Broadbeach, Gold Coast, dashing Prince Neluonde and or Morgan torrenal overnight rain Australia in 2020. Muvhango playing – they were outstanding at African States, winning a pairs gold there – “It was a seesawing gold-medal decider and no However, her list of world championship wins but only five spots are available; who’d be a team able to consistently collect more than a is second-to-none. Prior to this tournament’s selector? few shots, except for one four for Australia and heroics she has struck gold at the following a three for England mid-match. world events: 2000 under-25 indoor singles, Now, unfortunately it remains to see whether Llanelli, Wales UK; 2006 Commonwealth we qualify for the Commonwealth Games in “The Jackaroos’ Barrie Lester, Mark Casey and Games pairs (with Lynsey Armitage), 2018. SASCOC laid down some tough Men’s pairs champions Aaron Wilson and Bre Wilkie from Australia Women’s singles medallists: Lesley Doig SINGLES STARS: Ryan Bester (Canada) silver, Shannon McIlroy (New Zealand) gold, Aron (silver), Karen Murphy (gold), Jo Edwards Sherriff (Australia) bronze and Darren Burne (Scotland) bronze (bronze), Kelly McKerihen (bronze) condions on results; we may have bloed our copybook. As World Bowls president John Bell closed the wonderful event he said: “…And so the curtain closes on another amazing adversement that bowls is alive and well and each of us should be proud to be part of this amazing game that can accommodate anyone. This is our game let’s keep it posive and grow it for future generaons it is #1Sport4Life. To think that there were over 350 club volnteers doing work and on duty every day and that every ITO paid their own expense to get here from around the world that alonse speaks for itself.