2026 PNB Men’s Open Champion, Hillcrest’s Wayne Roberts with Ken Fann, PNB President.
Image: Supplied
Spectators who gathered at Berea Bowling Club on Saturday 28 February were treated to a compelling showcase of competitive bowls as the Port Natal Bowls Open and Veterans Singles Championships reached their dramatic conclusions.
Across three absorbing rounds, tension, resilience and championship pedigree combined to produce bowls of the highest quality.
The Open Men’s final delivered a contest worthy of its billing. Defending 2025 champion Wayne Roberts of Hillcrest set out in pursuit of a remarkable fifth PNB Open Singles title, but standing firmly in his path was Dion Audie from Westville Bowling Club.
The early exchanges were cautious and tactical, with scoring at a premium. Audie displayed impressive composure and consistency, steadily building a commanding 16–8 lead after 20 ends. As the contest stretched into a marathon battle, experience began to tell.
Roberts, drawing on years of championship play, clawed his way back into contention, levelling the scores at 17-all by the 27th end.
2026 PNB Men’s Veteran Singles Champion, Westville BC’s Rodney Ward with Ken Fann, PNB President.
Image: Supplied
What followed was a master class in pressure bowling. With the crowd fully invested, Roberts produced the decisive bowls when it mattered most, claiming the four shots required to seal a 21–18 victory on the 30th end.
While Roberts added another gold medal to his decorated résumé, Audie earned widespread praise for a superb performance and a well-deserved silver medal. The bronze medal playoff saw Ivan van der Bergh of Amanzimtoti overcome Paul White to take third place.
The Men’s Veterans games proved equally compelling. Rodney Ward of Westville BC faced John Connellan from Stella Park, who had edged Firwood’s Arnie Muscat 21–20 in a gripping semi-final.
Ward, whose precision and determination have long underpinned his club’s success; living up to the promise he showed when he won the 2017 Novice Singles title; produced a performance befitting the occasion to claim the 2026 Veterans title.
Particularly poignant was Ward’s reflection on the achievement, noting the significance of defeating Connellan, whom he regards as a national legend. Muscat secured the bronze medal with victory over Amanzimtoti’s Greg Mcleod.
2026 PNB Mixed Pairs Champions Mt Edgcombe’s Neil Tovey and Debbie de Kock.
Image: Alec Nel
Sunday shifted the spotlight to Amanzimtoti Bowling Club, where the final rounds of the PNB Mixed Pairs Championship unfolded. The final paired Neil Tovey (who hung up his boots after captaining Bafana Bafana in 29 international games) representing Mt Edgecombe CC alongside Debbie de Kock, against Hillary’s Gerdus Beukes and Talia Russon.
Tovey and de Kock emerged victorious, earning the right to represent the district at the South African Mixed Pairs Championships in Mpumalanga. Tovey was generous in praise of de Kock’s meticulous lead play, highlighting the advantage it affords a skip when the head is built constructively. Hillcrest’s Nick Horne and Shan Trimborne claimed bronze.
Looking ahead, attention now turns to the Novice Singles Championships, with 73 women and 80 men set to compete at Durban, Collegians and Parkhill Bowling Clubs this weekend.
Meanwhile, PNB district sides and their managers are preparing for the SA Inter-District Championships from 9 to 13 March. The district wishes them every success.