Power cuts, rains hamper bowls preparations

Shingirai Madondo | Friday March 21, 2014 09:18

 

The tournament is to be played in three games of 18 ends. For many bowlers, Obie Mosimanyane, Andre van der Walt and George Naik carry the hopes of the hosts.

“Despite the challenges we have been facing in preparing for the games, I think we are ready to go,” said van der Walt who is also the Francistown Club chairperson. 

Van der Walt is expecting a similar performance that saw them win the Gaborone Major last weekend with himself or Mosimanyane leading the way.

It is not easy playing at home because of the pressure due to the high expectations from the home crowd. However, van der Walt is optimistic that the experience that his bowlers have will work in their favour.

“It will be fantastic to see how we will react to the lane conditions of the greens that has just been cut and drained due to floods and of course it will depend on how we will handle our nerves,” said van der Walt. The chairperson said he is impressed with the bowlers’ commitment at both training and game situations.

Kitso Robert, the Botswana Bowling Association (BBA) chairperson and a member of Orapa Bowling Club said preparations for the Francistown Major tournament have been going well.

He urged all bowlers from the five bowling clubs in the country to attend the Francistown Major in large numbers.

In all, 12 teams will compete with the hosts contributing four teams while the rest of the clubs bringing two teams each.  The first round will be at 12:00 pm tomorrow. Round two will follow at 3:30 pm on the same day with the final round slated for Sunday morning.