PNB bowlers shine on national and district greens

Cheryl Waterman

Twenty districts, 434 registered clubs and four coveted national titles – this year’s BSA Men’s National Championships delivered drama, determination and a showcase of remarkable talent.

And, for the Port Natal Bowls district, the tournament was nothing short of triumphant, as local clubs brought home two silver medals and a bronze, reinforcing their growing status as a force to be reckoned with on the national stage.

Returning home, appropriately proud, is the formidable Westville Bowling Club foursome: Paul White, Dougie Bashford, Arnold Muscat and Roger Boulle.

Their tournament journey culminated in a hard-fought silver medal.

Adding to the district’s glory, Hillcrest’s Wayne Roberts, John Peacock, Gavin Abel and George Parker – after facing Westville in the semi-finals – bounced back to clinch the bronze medal by defeating a strong Bryanston team.

But the accolades didn’t end there. Westville’s Arnold Muscat, fresh from the gruelling fours final, competed in the Veteran Singles final, where he secured his second silver medal of the tournament.

His dual-medal performance underscored not only his individual excellence, but also the depth of talent nurtured within the PNB district.

Back home, the action was no less riveting.

Westville CC hosted the PNB Ladies Open and Veteran Singles Championships, where two new champions emerged after a weekend of intense competition.

In the Ladies Open Singles, Umhlali Country Club’s Odette van Zyl, a newcomer to PNB but no stranger to competitive bowling, reached the final after defeating Stella Park’s Kim Christensen.

A dual member from Richard’s Bay BC, van Zyl has quickly made an impression in her new district.

In the other semi-final, Amanzimtoti’s Hilary Lindsay led most of the way before Stella Park’s Glenda Matthews staged a dramatic comeback to win 21-20.

Matthews carried her momentum into the final, finding her stride by the fifth end and drawing level with van Zyl in the ninth.

From there, the seven-time champion showed her class, gradually pulling ahead to win 21-17.

After missing the 2024 championship due to family commitments, Matthews expressed joy at reclaiming the title, and praised Lindsay and Van Zyl for the tough challenges they posed.

The Ladies Veteran Singles also delivered thrilling moments.

In the semi-finals, Westville’s Gail Jennings narrowly edged out Amanzimtoti’s Lesley Levy 21-19, while Hillcrest’s Claire Murray triumphed over Hillary’s Linda Didlick 21-18.

In the final, Jennings raced to a 19-7 lead before Murray staged a spirited comeback, narrowing the gap to 19-14.

But Jennings held firm, scoring the final two shots to ecstatic cheers from her home crowd.

Jennings commented on how she happy she was with her first gold after silver in 2022 and bronze in 2024.

Meanwhile, the future of the sport shone bright at Amanzimtoti, where the Junior Masters Championship saw Westville BC’s Jarred Bauristhene secure his third title.

He overcame 2024 champion Awongiwe Somtseu in the final after they prevailed in semi-finals against Travis Finestone and Tye Smit.

From seasoned veterans to rising stars, the Port Natal district continues to set the bar high – on both national and district turf.