PE Districts roll out top plays to strike gold at ladies’ bowls

The PE district bowls outfit dominated – and successfully defended – the Eastern Areas Mini Districts Ladies Competition by winning gold in the team and individual sections at the Port Alfred Bowling & Croquet Club (PABCC) at the weekend. 

The Eastern Areas district team skipped by Kowie Bowling Club’s Jackie Kriel put in a fantastic display of bowling to apply pressure on Gqeberha’s gold medal winners, but ultimately fell short, accumulating 13.75 points to PE district ladies’, 15 on the sub-district log. Third, on 11,65 points was the East London and districts team. 

Sixteen teams divided in to seven districts participated in the tournament that kicked off on Friday and ended on Sunday. Each district comprised two teams of four players each. 

The Eastern Areas team of Jackie Kriel, (skip) Megan Kriel, Marlene Kitchener, and Jo-Ann van Rensburg, together with skip Annemarie Calitz’s team of Jean Austen, Ronel Hough, and Laetitia Smith delivered top quality bowls only losing their final games on Sunday morning. 

Port Alfred, Kenton, Kowie, Albany and Grahamstown make up the Eastern Districts, who won the tournament in 2022 and 2023 with PE districts denying them a hat-trick of titles last year.   

The tournament opened on Friday with speeches by various officials in control of bowls in the Eastern Districts as 66 players kitted out in colourful bowling attire lined up to see the raising of the SA flag and hear a stirring rendition of Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika. 

PE District skip, Di Ahrens, besides leading her team to victory in the sub-districts section, won gold in the individual section with Springbok bowler and team colleague, Desi Rosenblatt, taking silver. 

Ahrens who has been bowling for 27 years, said the team spirit and quality bowling from her team had seen them earn the gold medal. She echoed the sentiments of all players and officials for the fantastic hosting and hospitality by the PABCC.  

“We are a very together team, with great team spirit … we loved the tournament. It was the best mini-districts I attended and the hospitality here was superb. We thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment in the evening and the spread they put on for us and the efficiency of the organisation. 

“The greens played very well for our team luckily. The tournament was out of 20 points and we only dropped two points – so we got 18 out of 20 points,” she added.  

Eastern Areas skip, Jackie Kriel who is a long-standing member of Kowie Bowling Club, earlier said she was proud of her team and  had played extremely well. 

“We did very well this year … the competition was stiff. It’s very, very stiff you have all your top players here from the districts. 

“The camaraderie is brilliant and the ladies have had such fun. The club’s always organises entertainment too and the previous night we played games. I think it’s one of the  best bowls tournaments we can play. But also it’s very, very competitive; and everyone wants to win this title.” 

“Every year there’s a different venue which makes it exciting … Port Alfred Bowling Club did very well as this is a very big tournament to organise; to keep everyone entertained and to keep everyone in the spirit,” Kriel added. 

Thirty-five year-old Rosenblatt of PE districts who has been playing the game for 15 years after starting out at the age of 20 obtained Springbok colours two years ago and is a key player in her team. She is highly impressed with the standard of bowling that was on display over the three days as well as the organisation of the tournament. 

“We only lost the first game on Friday, and in the first one we only dropped one set which is very important in this type of tournament. I would hope my inclusion lifts the team and for me it was a privilege to play with my fellow-teammates and bring some experience in to the team. I might be the younges,t but we play as a team and we fight as a team. 

“The joy of mini-districts is seeing the growth of the sport in the districts. The competitiveness  displayed is great – there’s really good bowls being played and it’s an opportunity for selectors to identify future provincial bowlers. It’s really a close to the heart development tournament,” said Rosenblatt. 

“We are actually seeing provincials (tournaments) happening at u15, u18, u20 level right up to Open (over 35s) even if you  look at the district level itself, the average age is dropping.” 

EL districts skip Faith Hayidakis said the tournament had been a top-class affair in every respect.   

“The tournament was absolutely brilliant … it was brilliantly run; the food was fantastic and the spirit among all the teams has been absolutely brilliant,  … the bowling greens were excellent and the same for everyone. 

PA Bowling Club captain, Graham “Grumpy” Enslin who led his organising committee who managed a slick operation for this year’s tournament accommodating 66 players, said the collaboration and team spirit were crucial to a successful hosting. 

“We started preparing in February – meeting every month and ensuring our targets were being met. We canvassed the town for advertising  and a lot of work has to go in to it behind the scenes. 

“Everyone in the committee came together nicely and each one had something to do – I assisted the greenkeeper making sure that everything was going well that side and by the way, the greens played very well. 

“The hosting was a great boost for the town, hosting  66 bowlers from East London to the Midlands to Graaff- Reinet. They are going to be boosting coffers, we are going to be stocking the bar, buying food – so everyone is benefitting. And the club of course, gets something out of the deal. 

“It’s a fantastic feeling hosting the tournament; the club has really taken it to heart and everyone did their part.” 

There is a little rest for Enslin and his team however, as they build-up to the hosting of the men’s inter-district tournament at the club next month.    

• This article was first published in Talk of the Town, August 21, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.