Toti hosts SA singles tenpin champs

DOLPHIN Bowl and the Amanzimtoti Tenpin Bowling Club (ATBC) were proud to have been awarded the right to host the prestigious 2014 South African singles championships which was held over the weekend of 12 and 13 April.

Sixty of the country’s best bowlers from all over SA entered the event, which was held under the auspices of Tenpin Bowling Association of South Africa (TBASA).

Three rounds of five games were played, two on Saturday and one on Sunday morning. In excess of 900 games of tenpin were bowled and competition was extremely intense.

The tournament started off at 7am on Saturday and it appears as if it took the bowlers some time to acclimatise to the early morning conditions, with no exceptional scores being bowled. In the second game, bowlers were more familiar with conditions and Christo Bosch 258 (Gauteng North), Theo Govender 245 (KZN) and Braam van Tonder 244 (Gauteng North) were the first to shine.

In the third game, veteran strongman, Les Connor (WP) bowled a 244 followed by the women, Ricolene Soorajlal (Midlands) 229 and Bronwen Elbourne (KZN) 222. In the fourth game Stacey-Lee Hooper, Quinton Haywood, Les Connor and Ricky O’Hare all joined the party with good games. The fifth game also saw good scores recorded by Bill Brown (Eastern Gauteng) 268, Andrew Cyster (KZN) 245 and women Louisa Nienaber (KZN) 227 and Bronwen Elbourne (KZN) on 226.

A similar pattern followed in the second round of five games, with high scores being recorded by Jivi Sewcharan bowling 277 and 236, Emmett Bezuidenhout (GN) 242 and 226, Bill Brown (EG) 230, Theo Govender (KZN) 237, Zain Woodroffe 234 and 223, Kevin Brown (EG) 243, Bronwen Elbourne 228 and 243, Stacey-Lee Hooper (KZN) 235, Graham Reid (GN) 232 while seasoned veteran Tony Sham weighed in with two games of 232.

When the bowlers re-assembled on Sunday morning the top 20, according to pinfall, bowled first but it appeared as if Saturday’s efforts had taken their toll (or it might have been to much partying on Saturday night) as scores in general were far lower than the previous day. Out of 300 games bowled, only 13 noteworthy scores were obtained. Braam van Tonder 234, Drikus Scholtz (GN) 234, Jivi Sewcharan 269, Bill Brown 238, 239 and 234, Theo Govender 243, Zain Woodroffe 233 and 236, Andrew Cyster 236, Jose Marques 232 Ricky O’Hare 246 and for the women, only Elsabe Stoltz 234.

Things then moved into the finals ‘stepladder’ format, where the bowler finishing first goes straight into the final while fourth plays third, the winner plays the second finisher to see who will challenge the first player for the final.

Results are as follows:

Silver division: Suzette van Staden (GN)

Women’s masters: Louisa Nienaber (KZN)

Men’s masters: Tony Sham (Central Gauteng)

Women’s scratch: Bronwen Elbourne (KZN), second Stacey-Lee Hooper (KZN)

Men’s scratch: Jivi Sewcharan (Midlands)

Apart from the above there was a full league programme bowled at Dolphin last week.

Taxi Trios (Monday) Unbelievables are unbelievably in the lead followed by High 5’s and Pulse in third place. High scores were recorded by Logan Naidoo (269), Theo Govender (229) while among the women, Stacey-Lee Hooper (232) and Bronwen Elbourne (223) kept the flag flying.

Wednesday Soho league shows Gwen Hayward in the lead on a -12. Wednesday evening sees Waynester in the lead followed by Jivdrew in second and Windgat in third. High scores recorded are Andrew Cyster 232 and Louisa Nienaber 203.

Thursday sees Master Blasters in first place followed by Hooligans and Double Up. High scorers were Ricky O’Hare 257 and Lino Pucillo 227 while Carol Farrow, fresh from her holiday in New Zealand, bowled a 212 and Gwen Hayward weighed in with a 210.

Bill Sturgeon leads Phantom league and Chris van Wyk the staff league.

On Tuesday, 8 April ATBC lost one of its great friends and bowling colleagues when James ‘Rocky’ Brazier died. His presence and competitive nature will be sorely missed by all who knew him. ATBC and Dolphin Bowl extend condolences to the family of this great friend.