Top lawn bowlers are heading our way
Ballina Bowling and Recreation Club has scored a major coup for its Wintersun series, obtaining the agreement of most of the men and women in the Australian bowls squads to play in the singles series in July.
There are nine members in each squad and eight of the women squad and six of the men’s squad will compete.
The Wintersun event is held every year at Ballina and with this quality of field, will provide an opportunity for people in the Northern Rivers to see world-class bowlers in action live over two full days.
It will be held on the weekend of July 28 and 29, with practice in Ballina on the Friday before.
The National Squad women that will be playing are Lynsey Armitage, Jane Bush, Kelsey Cottrell, Claire Duke, Julie Keegan, Sharyn Renshaw, Maria Rigby and Noi Tucker.
The women will play in Sections A and B, which means there will be women players in at least the semi-final.
Duke, Keegan and Rigby are currently ranked 1, 2 and 3 in Australia.
The National Squad men playing in the event are Mark Casey, Scott Caundle, Shane Globits, Anthony Kiepe, Barrie Lester and Nathan Rice.
Rice and Globits are ranked 1 and 2 respectively in Australia.
In addition to the Mens National Squad, the men participants include current and former world champions Steve Glasson and Kelvin Kerkow as well as a number of well known bowling identities including Brian Baldwin, the winner of the Summerland Singles in January this year, and Morrie Penfold a former NZ singles champion.
The field includes three top younger players, Jamie Chesney, 20, of England, the current Under-25 World Singles Champion, Alan McMaster, 19, a NSW Under-25 representative, and Mathew Pietersen, 18, the youngest ever NSW Open Singles Champion.
Several local bowling champions have been selected to play. They are Neil Burgess (Lennox Head), John Lang (Evans Head), Richard Latta (Casino), Viv Ross (Ballina) and Alan Carver (Coffs Harbour).
