Gladys Myburgh is new women’s singles champion

DURBAN Wanderers Bowling Club’s finals of the women’s open singles was played out over the weekend between Gladys Myburgh and Sonja Koch.

In the early stages, it looked like it could go either way when the players peeled at seven all after 10 ends, but then the wheels sort of came off for Sonja.

She managed only another two shots to lose by 21-9, giving Gladys the Wanderers women’s open singles championship title. She will also represent Wanderers in the ‘champion of champions’ tournament on Saturday and Sunday, 10 and 11 August. Steve Van Rooyen will likewise represent the men.

Earlier in the week, Phil Pieterse and Brenda Andraschko narrowly beat Eric Kitchenbrand and Louisa McGlynn in the mixed drawn pairs, and in the women’s drawn pairs, Gwen Tait and Val McCaffrey were victorious over Louisa and Margie Eitner. The first round of the men’s drawn fours, also played on Saturday, 27 July, produced the following results: Lofty and team beat Eric Smit (standing in for Richard Hendicott who was away on business) by 21-18; Frank Wilkinson and team beat Eric Kitchenbrand’s side by 4 shots; Arnie Harper and co-triumphed over Jumbo Nel’s men to the tune of 27-14 and Robbie Carr had a runaway win of 33-13 over Andy Andraschko’s beleaguered side. One other match which was played will have to be replayed as it featured a non-member in the one side, a visitor who pitched up for a game of tabs and was roped in by the competition secretary who believed him to be a member.

For those who are interested, the results of the masters played over three days last weekend are (first to fourth positions shown in finishing order): Men’s open: Gidion Vermeulen, Stuart Milligan, Des Hean and Clinton Inglis. Men’s seniors: Kerry Gilder, Ian Beswick, Guy Ulyate and Mo Morrison. Women’s open: Louise Larkin, Bronwyn Webber, Linda Didlick and Jill Hackland. Women’s seniors: Gloria White, Colleen Grondein, Pam Wolstenholme and Glynne Lagesse.

Round six of the men’s interclub league resumes this Saturday, 3 August. The team selections should be on the board. Selected players must please ensure they are available by ticking against their name.

This week’s DVD will be The Beach Boys Live at Knebworth 1980. For the cricket fans, the Ashes cricket will continue on the small TV when the DVD begins. Winner of the lamb pack was Cave James; chicken fillets went to Ray Haynes; rump steak to Caryn Turk; pork ribs to Billie Prinsloo and chicken to Mitch Mitchley. Sadly for newish member, Roy Funnell the snowball of R700 was not won as he was not present when his membership number was drawn, but these three lucky members scooped decent prizes in the monthly R50 bowls draw: First R750 Mike Pothas, second R500 Norman Bester, third R250 Neville Montague and friend.

Snippet: This week’s snippet is loosely adapted from Neville Odell’s book ‘A Tad More Grass’ in which it was recently debated that, in an attempt to attract younger players to the stately game of lawn bowls, we should perhaps consider following the example of the All Blacks. These burly rugby players perform a ‘Haka’ before each match, which involves a bit of dancing, prancing, thigh slapping and tongue pulling at the opposing team. It is intended to threaten and intimidate, and carries with it the implication or suggestion of being unbeatable in the current challenge. Can you not imagine our players, largely wisened and wrinkled, resplendent in their sparkling whites but greying at the temples, performing something similar on the fringes of the bowling green prior to a match? Would that not perhaps bring about a recruiting revolution of new bowlers, previously put off by the game’s staid laws and too many rules?