Van Rooyen captures Dan Draper for third year running
In the women's section, there was also much drama as the lead shifted from one team to another on each day.
By Bob Hayward
THE 67th Dan Draper is done and dusted.
The week-long annual tournament at Wanderers Bowling Club was cut by one day (Tuesday) due to rain and soggy greens, but it was nevertheless a grind of 11 matches of 15 ends for each of the two sections, men and women.
For the men, Steve Van Rooyen and team of Graham Funnell, Bob Hayward and Jay Tilakdharee lost the very first match of the day and thought their time was up.
However they continued without losing another match, peeling one and had the most cracking and fitting final against Gary Moffatt on the last day. The winner of this match was destined to be the overall winner as it happened to turn out. Steve’s side were one down on score and two down in the final end with the final bowl to be played. Steve cracked the shot bowl which was nestled up against the jack and the jack sprung towards a bunch of Gary’s bowls, but in among them were two lonely bowls from Steve’s side, and the jack miraculously nestled itself right in between them, as though guided by destiny. It could have gone either way, but Steve’s side won the men’s section from that one (lucky?) shot, and that gave his team their third successive win in a row with a score of 19+81.
This is possibly a record (see picture) and strangely – Steve had been runner-up for five years in a row prior to that. Probably another record? Norman Paskins from Goodwood, Cape Town finished second (17+29), Richard Hendicott third (16+54)and Gary Moffatt fourth (16+48). Sessions were won by Lofty Cawthorne 6+38 (Monday), Herbie Hoffmann 6+27 (Wednesday), Team Warwick 4+31 (Thursday) and George Harris 6+25 (Friday). The monkey prize went to Derrie Denyschen (4-81).
In the women’s section, there was also much drama as the lead shifted from one team to another on each day. Gloria Salmond managed to grab top honours (17+73), Marie Van der Lingen 2nd (17+60), Joan Bruce third (16+25) and Mardi Dovale fourth (15+54). Sessions were won by Ann Hewer 6+20 (Monday), Monique Wells 5+16 (Wednesday), Beth White 2+13 (Thursday) and Linda Hewer 4+15 (Friday). The monkey prize went to Dawn Spack.
All the remaining teams received drawn prizes, thanks to the many sponsors who made this possible. Special thanks were offered to the hard working women Sharon, Dianne and Lorraine, and a collection was taken for the car guard.
On Saturday morning, the Funnell brothers played their final of the club’s men’s open singles. From all accounts, it was a cracking game, with Graham leading marginally for most of the earlier half, but brother Roy crept up and overtook him towards the end to finish 21-15 ahead and claim the coveted title. He will represent Wanderers in the Champion of Champions in the first weekend of August at Stella Park.
In the only other club competition, Joan Bruce and Bob Hayward demolished Ronnie and Gerrie Jackson by 32-8 with three ends to spare in the second round of the nominated mixed pairs.
On Sunday the ever-popular breakfast trips attracted an almost full capacity crowd playing for the coveted Claudie Allen trophy. The sportsman’s prize went the way of Eric Smit, Mervin Mitchley and Anne Smit with a 0-19, first session went to the Hawkins family comprising Kim, Nigel and Lorinne with a 2+12, and second session went to Keith Wild, Peter Prenger and Eric Miller on 2+16, The McGlynn family of Terrance, Louisa and Pat took second place on 4+20 and overall winners, from Amanzimtoti, were Julia Sutherland, Colin Coetzee and Shawn Sutherland with the good score of 4+22.
The four winners of the R5 board draw were Richard Hendicott, Lorraine Du Preez, Rob Philogene and Dave Gardiner.
Note that next week’s Acutt’s fours skins is postponed until August due to the All Natal pairs clashing with this date.
Next Wednesday is the Roadrunners pairs in mufti. Contact Ronnie Jackson on 076-034-1055 to enter or confirm your team.
In the R1,000 draw three R50 spot prizes went to Trish Overington, Ion from Cape Town and Barry Mansfield. Richard Hendicott and Ernie Pieterse shared R500 each.
Last Friday’s R500 snowball was not won as Anthony Carr was not present. The various meat pack winners were: Lamb pack – Mitty Chelin, rolled beef – Mike Flack, pork roast – Runga, rump steak – Jeff Bolt, chicken pack and chicken – Clive Symons.
Good bowling to all those playing in the All Natal Pairs next weekend.
