No easy battles in bowls league
The Empangeni Bowling Club ladies team claimed the 2014 Haigs Mowers Zululand League title.
THE 2014 Haigs Mowers Zululand League came to its conclusion at the weekend with the playing of the semi-finals and finals at the Empangeni Country Club.
The first women’s semi-final was an exciting affair, with the result hanging in the balance until the very last bowl.
Country Club led until the 15th end, when Richards Bay A picked up six shots to take over the lead (16-15).
On the next end they increased their lead to three, but Country Club replied with three shots and followed up with a single on the last end to book their place in the final by 19-18.
The second semi-final was definitely a case of déjà vu when Richards Bay B scored seven shots on the 5th end to lead for the first time (9-4).
Bowling Club, however, hung on by their fingertips and playing the last end were only one shot in arrears (14-15).
With her last bowl, the Bowling Club skip trailed the jack to pick up two shots and take the game 16-15.
In the final, Country Club, after being 2-9 and then 5-10 down, fought back to be one shot in arrears (10-11) after thirteen ends, but Bowling Club kept up
the pressure to win the next five ends by seven shots to four to take the game and the title 18-14.
The first of the men’s semi-finals was a game in two parts. Mtunzini started with a rush and after nine ends had opened up a 21-1 lead.
However, as they say in cricketing parlance, the best change bowler in the world is the tea break, and so it proved to be.
After the break, Country Club A started to fight back and over the next ten ends outscored their opponents by 15 shots to 7. Sadly for them it was too little too late and they eventually went down 16-28.
It was something similar in the second semi-final with Country Club B storming to a 21-3 lead after twelve ends. but eShowe fought back to win the next eight ends
11-2, which once again was not enough and Country Club B went to the final with a 23-14 victory.
The final was a game of three distinct phases.
After five ends, Country Club had raced into a 11-1 lead, but Mtunzini then scored on each of the next seven ends to score 18 unanswered shots and take the lead 19-11.
Once again the game swung and Country Club came back to win eight of the next nine ends which was enough to give them the game and the title 24-20.
The player of the day had to be Janet Hardcastle who was in great form, saving her side on many occasions.
Her pressure bowls were particularly impressive.
At prize-giving, Steve Oberholzer thanked Len Liversage for sponsoring the league and in reply Len confirmed that Haigs would be back for the 16th time in 2015.
