Spring Classic delivers downpours and dazzling bowls

Westville Bowling Club’s annual Spring Classic once again proved why sponsored tournaments are such a magnet for top-class competition. Beyond the lure of the R89 000 prize pot, the event’s appeal lay in its open team format — where friends and standout players from across multiple clubs could combine forces to chase glory.

Over the two-day, five-game pre-drawn tournament, the lead shifted almost every round as some of the district’s sharpest bowlers battled through sunshine and showers. By Sunday afternoon, only two teams remained in contention for the R40 000 first prize — the all Aero Kayser Baird team (Troy Garland, Shaun Harper, Jeffrey Scrooby and Craig Harper) and the 4x4 Truckers (Lindsay North, Dylan Matthews, Dave Wood and Chad Wilson).

The final was a gripping two-skin, fourteen-end showdown that tested every nerve. The rule was simple but cruel — win both skins or face sudden death. Trailing 7–3 going into the final end of the first skin, Kayser Baird clawed back with a sensational five-shot pickup to win the skin. The Truckers, unfazed, dominated the second skin 8–3, setting the stage for a sudden death playoff in relentless spring rain. Under pressure, Kayser Baird held the single shot needed to clinch the title — and the big payout.

In the playoff for third place, Richards Bay’s Figjam (Dion Leaity, Jaques Steenkamp, Pieter Bester and Johnny Stander) outplayed the Butter Beans (Jason Butterfield, Chris Coetzer, Jannie Swart and Shaun Barlow) to seal third spot on the podium.

At the prize-giving, Westville BC President Matthew Mayo expressed heartfelt thanks to sponsors Tyre Mart, Hi-Tech Pressure Engineering and AROC Logistics for their generous backing. He applauded the high standard of play, the sportsmanship shown throughout the event, and the tireless efforts of his club’s members in staging a weekend of such success. Special mention went to PNB District Competition Secretary, Cynthia van der Merwe, for her meticulous scorekeeping.

There was also good fortune off the greens — Hillcrest’s Greg Worst took home R13 000 after his auction picks backed the eventual first and second-placed teams. Westville’s greens may have been slick with rain, but the standard of play was pure gold.

This weekend, attention turns to Berea Bowling Club, where the 2025 Novice Pairs semi-finals and finals promise another day of fierce competition. .  The semi-finalists are: Men - Rajen Reddy and Lenny Anthony (Durban BC) vs R.McCauley (Berea BC) and T.Freeman (Collegians) and T.Randall and Johan Gordon (Winklespruit) vs Sadha Govender (Hillary) and Raveen Mothilal (Collegians). Ladies – Laura Todkill and Brenda Olivier (Stella Park) vs Liza Allan and Linda Haynes (Westville CC) and Michelle Groves and Margaret Evered-Hall (Umhlanga) vs Taylor Layden and Jo-Anne Laden (Queens)

In a correction to last week’s report — it was Amanzimtoti’s team of Sarie Bisset, Doreen Salmond, Lesley Levy and Hilary Lindsay who captured the bronze medals in the recent PNB Fours, not Umhlali as previously stated.