Players from Nigel Bowling Club and Springs Town Bowling Club came together on June 3 for a day of friendly competition and camaraderie on the bowling green.

The event marked the beginning of what organisers Charles Peters and Ronald Pratt hope will become a regular series of matches involving clubs from across the region.

Peters, from Springs Town, said the club is introducing a floating trophy to be contested among participating clubs, creating a friendly rivalry while encouraging regular interaction.

“We have a floating trophy. If they win it, they take the trophy with them. If we win, we try to keep the cup here and keep them coming back,” he said.

He explained that Nigel invited Springs to take part in the first fixture and that the concept would continue to develop in future matches.

He shared that they invited them first, so, as a club, they decided to do it in Springs because some players were away on holiday.

According to Peters, the long-term vision is for selected players from each club to compete for the trophy, with hosting rights rotating among clubs based on who holds the title.

“The game played here is really the launch of that. We are going to play them again at Nigel and see how it develops.”

He added that the initiative is an important step towards keeping local clubs active at a time when several bowling clubs have already closed.

“The clubs around here have already closed, so we’re trying our best to keep Springs Town Bowling Club going. We’ve got to do something, and we’re creating something positive.”

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Pratt, from the Nigel Bowling Club, expressed that the club was working to build its membership while encouraging greater collaboration among bowling clubs on the East Rand.

“We’re building the club up, and we want to challenge all the local teams. The main thing is to keep bowling going because youngsters don’t come into the sport too much, especially on the East Rand,” he said.

He noted that friendly encounters benefit clubs both socially and financially. Pratt shared that bowling clubs are dying and cost a lot of money to run.

“When we come here, they benefit, and when they come to us, we benefit,” he said.

He said that the club hopes to expand the initiative by inviting other clubs, including Heidelberg, Northmead and Benoni Town, to take part in future events.

Both Peters and Pratt agreed that the focus extends beyond competition, with the primary goal of preserving the sport and fostering camaraderie among bowlers across the region.

“We are all close. Nigel, Springs and the surrounding clubs know each other well. It is a new start for all of us, and we want to keep the clubs going,” added Pratt.

The men believe that bringing clubs together through friendly competition will help ensure lawn bowls remains active and accessible on the East Rand for years to come.