‘Fantastic’ bowler wants to dominate on the green

She stands on the edge of the green, polishing her bowls with the swagger of a seasoned bowler. The murmurs around her seem not to distract her as her eyes are fixed on the jack on the opposite end of the green.

After watching her teammates throw their bowls, she steps on the mat for her turn. But first, she stands looking at the tiny jack that is almost invisible because of the number of bowls surrounding it.

“It’s going to be a difficult throw,” she said with a smile.

After that strategic moment, with a bowl in hand, she leans back and throws. The bowl curves and comes to a halt behind the jack.

A teammate bellows; “Fantastic.”

That’s how bowlers at the Northmead Bowling Club describe avid bowler Ellen Zungu.

“She gels with everybody. She is an asset to the club,” said mentor and coach George Smith.

Zungu was introduced to the sport by Smith in 2019. She accompanied him to his daily games and it piqued her interest.

“George used to come here a lot to play. Sometimes I would come with him. When he stopped because of his health, I would encourage him to get on the green as a form of exercise.

“I would play with him and we often played three to four ends. I began showing interest and we played more games together,” Zungu said.

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After playing more games with Smith, her passion grew and she never stopped.

“In March 2020, the ladies encouraged me to join the club because of how they saw me play. I love the sport. Every time I saw the members play, I was envious. I wanted to play with them. I am passionate. I think that’s what they saw in me.”

It didn’t take Zungu long to understand the technicalities of lawn bowls as her eagerness to learn helped improve her game.

“When I’m on the green, I feel like a different person. At this club, we are a unit. We always encourage each other and this warmth has helped me a great deal.

“It became easy for me. My throws always ended on the jack and so the club saw my potential. I now play in competitions and leagues for the club. I have played at 12 bowling clubs and my teammates always want to partner with me.”

Zungu is the only black female bowler at the club. She has encouraged more women of colour to take part in the sport as it’s a good form of exercise.

“As black women, we are housewives. We don’t get out that much and we hardly exercise. On top of that, we suffer from different illnesses such as high blood pressure, arthritis and diabetes.

“This sport is good for keeping fit. It’s good for our health. We play 18 to 21 ends so this moving around helps a lot.”

Friend Brenda Stander said Zungu was the missing piece the club needed.

“She’s fantastic, friendly and a good player. She brings warmth and shows us we are all good people.”

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