Inaugural PNB medals abound in pairs at Wentworth

Supporters at Wentworth Bowling Club on Sunday were treated to a memorable day of bowls, where tension, drama and sheer skill combined to produce a showcase worthy of district finals. In several games, victory hung delicately in the balance until the very last end.

The newly crowned 2026 PNB Men’s Pairs champions, Parkhill’s Len Inggs and Warren Hilliar, put their supporters through an emotional rollercoaster on their march to gold. Their quarter-final clash against Westville CC’s Dave Crouch and Wesley Milfull was a classic encounter, ultimately decided by the final bowl of the game.

With the scores locked in a knife-edge contest, Inggs calmly connected with the jack and trailed it just enough to secure a dramatic 16–15 victory, sending Parkhill through to the semi-finals.

If anyone thought the drama would subside, they were mistaken. Parkhill’s semi-final against Westville BC’s Rod Ward and Matthew Mayo followed a remarkably similar script. Once again, it came down to the final end, where Inggs and Hilliar showed their composure under pressure, collecting the shots they needed to claim a 17–15 win and book their place in the final.

In the championship match against Hillcrest’s Jurgen Huse and Neville Christie, Inggs and Hilliar delivered a polished performance, celebrating their first PNB medals in the best possible fashion - gold! Silver medalists, Huse and Christie, also enjoyed a milestone moment, earning their first PNB championship medals. Brad Lezar and Neil Tovey added a second accolade to Parkhill’s tally after edging Ward and Mayo 16 –15 in the bronze medal play-off.

The ladies’ competition was no less enthralling. Amanzimtoti’s Sarie Bisset and Lesley Levy, the new PNB Ladies Pairs champions, kept spectators holding their breath throughout the afternoon. After a comfortable quarter-final win, they found themselves on the back foot in the semi-final against Hillary’s Talia Russon and Aileen Ramsden, who dominated early proceedings to lead 14–7 after 13 ends. From that point, however, the momentum shifted. Bisset and Levy steadily chipped away, entering the final end trailing 14–13 and then claiming two shots to snatch a place in the final.

Their all-Amanzimtoti final against Lynn Joubert and Leigh Callaghan was equally gripping. Bisset and Levy surged to a 9–3 lead after eight ends, before being pegged back as Joubert and Callaghan mounted a determined counter attack.

Locked at 14-all going into the final end, the “comeback kids” delivered once more, holding two shots to secure the 2026 PNB Ladies Pairs title. With Callaghan winning her inaugural PNB medal and Levy celebrating her first district gold, Russon and Ramsden claimed the bronze medals.

At the awards ceremony new PNB President, Ken Fann, congratulated all competitors on a spectacular day’s bowls and paid tribute to Wentworth Bowling Club for hosting a superbly run tournament on well prepared greens.

He expressed his pleasure at seeing smaller clubs demonstrate their ability to host district events and encouraged more clubs to come forward. Fann later reaffirmed the PNB executive committee’s commitment to positive change, calling on clubs to support initiatives aimed at strengthening the district for the future.