A new sport hits town
A new hybrid sport called B20 Cricket Bowls has been introduced.
The sport is the brainchild of Parkrand resident Tony Norris and Ian Stevenson, who are both bowlers at the Lake Club Benoni.
They describe their uniquely pioneered game as a “new way of playing a very popular old game”.
The sport is a game of T20 cricket played on a bowling or artificial green, used primarily for both in and outdoor bowls, and is played with a conventional set of lawn bowls.
Norris and Stevenson believe that B20 Cricket Bowls has the potential to develop a big interest among the youth and increase the numbers of young people getting into lawn bowls overall.
There are even plans in place to introduce the game into schools.
B20 cricket bowls, as in a game of T20 cricket, is played with a set of wickets at one end of the green, and a scoring area at the opposite end of the green.
“People in teams of three bowl to one end of the green to accumulate runs on a ‘scoring area,’” explained Norris.
“They then bowl to the opposite end of the green to take wickets, which deducts points from the opposition’s score.”
Norris added that the dress code for the sport is far from the traditional whites associated with lawn bowls,
“Team colours can be designed as the team sees fit,” he said.
Norris said that the sport is becoming popular with bowlers old and young, with games of B20 Cricket Bowls arranged on a regular basis, side by side with conventional bowls, at the Lake Club.
“Shortly there will be the introduction of a B20 Cricket Bowls League, just for the fun of it,” he added.
In order to familiarise more people with the sport, an inaugural B20 Cricket Bowls Day will take place on Saturday, October 22, at the Lake Club Benoni.
“School pupils are welcome to come and see how the game is played and how much fun and colourful it is,” said Norris.
He added that the long term plan is not only to see B20 Cricket Bowls played at bowling clubs nationwide, but also in townships and rural areas.
According to Stevenson and Norris, Bowl South Africa has also welcomed the sport as a brilliant coaching tool for bowlers.
“We took it to the Masters in Edenvale, recently, and set up a rink. Bowls SA nominated some Protea players to play and they definitely did not find it as easy as it looks,” added Norris.
He appealed to schools which might be interested in having the sport demonstrated to them to contact him via email, at tonynorris12@gmail.com.
Clubs which would like to enter a team or teams of three players for the October 22 event can contact him via email, or send an SMS to 082 553 1607.
A cost will be charged per team and bookings are essential as there’s a limit of 24 teams. – @SabeloBoksburg
