PNB selectors back depth and discipline as 2026 district campaign approaches

As the PNB ladies’ district sides prepare for the quadrangular tournament on 24 and 25 January 2026, leading up to the Inter-District from 9 to 13 March, the five lady selectors — Stella Tweedie (convenor), Maria Dreyer, Shelly Gerber, Delysia Mitchley and Cynthia van der Merwe — reflect on the selection of the sides for 2026.

Selecting district sides to represent Port Natal Bowls is never a simple task, and according to the selectors, it involves far more than tallying up competition results. While performance on the green remains the backbone of selection, the process behind assembling strong, cohesive teams is thoughtful, strategic and grounded in experience.

The starting point, they explain, is a thorough analysis of performances throughout the previous season and the identification of a 40-member squad who attend structured squad practices. Every session is used to assess successful delivery, temperament, communication and the ability to adapt under pressure. This squad system ensures players are evaluated over time rather than on isolated brilliance.

From there, the selectors carefully monitor consistency across competitions, noting not just wins and losses but how players manage tight heads, difficult shots and shifting game momentum. They emphasise that bowls is as much about resilience and composure as it is about technical proficiency.

Equally important is team balance. A district side cannot succeed on individual talent alone; bowlers must complement one another. Compatibility, role clarity and trust within a team often become the difference between success and not making the play-offs.

Input from managers in the previous year contributes to a more rounded understanding of each candidate, and selectors keep an eye on development — rewarding improvement as much as long-term excellence. Availability, commitment to squad practice and a positive attitude towards team culture are also weighed carefully.

Finally, when squads are trimmed down and sides named, selectors acknowledge the emotional weight of the process. Tough decisions are unavoidable, but transparency and fairness guide every step. With preparations intensifying ahead of January’s quadrangular and the all-important Inter-Districts in March, the PNB ladies’ sides are poised for a 2026 season defined by depth, discipline and determination — the result of a meticulous selection process designed to give Port Natal Bowls every chance of success.

Meanwhile, across in Ireland at the World Bowls Junior Indoor Championship, Hillary BC’s Keegan Bauristhene and his partner, Leila Snyman, have impressed with strong wins over England and Turkey, placing them at the top of their mixed pairs log at the time of going to press.

Live streaming of the events has highlighted the stark contrast in line and pace demanded by the fast, unforgiving synthetic indoor surfaces — conditions far removed from those our young Proteas typically encounter.

Both bowlers have faced tough challenges in their singles sections, yet pushed their more experienced, indoor-hardened opponents to the limit. Regardless of results, they will return home richer for the experience, proud of their efforts and better equipped for future international competition.