Top-class bowls took over the greens at the Edenvale Bowling Club in an exciting afternoon of league finalists competing for a prestigious pennant.

The best of the best battled it out with participating bowling clubs from Brackenhurst, Benoni, Northmead, Kempton Park, Delmas, Atlas, and Edenvale as the host.

The Ekurhuleni Bowls (EKB) Perfect Delivery Saturday League Finals took place on February 21.

Former Edenvale Bowling Club president Gerald May explained that this was the amalgamation of the league. The league, which had been going for ten weeks, was run on a round-robin basis.

“So there are two sections per league. The winners of each section are now playing against each other,” May explained.

Ekurhuleni Bowls president Mike Hunt said that traditionally, most sports actually do have leagues, and bowling is no different.

“We have leagues, and each of our clubs in the district (consisting of 20 clubs), all have multiple teams. Each team is ranked from the fourth division, third, second and best. And then we have a Premier League as well. Each league team consists of eight players, and they play over a period of ten weeks,” Hunt described.

He added that during that season, each weekend, each of the teams in the same division play each other until they finally get somebody who has won their division.

Then, after the tenth game, they get together and then they have a league final. Then they take the winners of each of the divisions, who then play one final game against each other to determine who the overall champion of the season is.

“So at the end of the season, the team that has the highest results overall wins what’s called the pennant. It’s not like a trophy, it’s better than a trophy, it is the ultimate glory, and for us it’s a triangular cloth which is embroidered with all the clubs’ details and the winning information. They get framed in the club, and they become part of the club’s history forever,” Hunt expounded.

Hunt acknowledged their main sponsor for the tournament, Perfect Delivery, whom he said have been around for more than 20 years in the insurance industry.

The president commended the 20 bowls club in the district for trying to grow bowls, trying to get extra members, and trying to get more people involved. He noted that the Edenvale Bowling Club, particularly, has been doing quite a lot of work in trying to involve itself more in the community.

“They have the road runners that are here in their clubhouse. They have a whole lot of other events. They have been actively getting involved in youth and trying to get more youth to come and play bowls as well,” said Hunt.
He further said Edenvale had been selected as the location for the league finals mainly because of their hospitality.

President of Edenvale Bowling Club, Bernyce Hollingworth, said the most important thing for them was getting their greens up to standard. She added, “We’ve got a new green keeper, Matthews Phiri, who has done an exceptional job with the guys. We have been commended on our greens because it’s really a difficult task.”

Hollingworth also acknowledged everybody behind the scenes, the organising of chairs, the gazebo, as well as catering. She confidently expressed expecting no challenges from opponents.

“The bowls are of exceptionally high standard. All these players have played through the whole season to get to this ultimate point. I can assure you that every player who gets onto that mat today is going to do their absolute best. We got club of the year in 2022, 2023, and this all points to what we’re achieving as a club.”

Meanwhile, Hunt wished all the bowlers well and announced that the next event would be the provincial tournament, which is happening at three venues around the country.

Ekurhuleni will be hosting B provincials, Cape Town will be hosting the A provincials, and the veterans provincials will be happening in Johannesburg. The provincials will be held between March 9 and 13.