Bowling Mourns Mascarenhas
Calistus Kolantsho | Monday August 21, 2017 16:04
The veteran lawn bowler, the husband to top bowler, Lebogang, passed away in Maun last week after suffering from a heart attack.
Mascarenhas was born in Sri Lanka on January 23, 1941. He relocated to Australia before coming to Africa and worked in Zambia. Mascarenhas, commonly called by his first name, Ray, arrived in Botswana in 1978 to work at BCL Mine in Selebi-Phikwe.
He started playing lawn bowls in Botswana in 1981 and played for the Botswana national team from 1984. He has set many records, which still stand today.
Mascarenhas garnered a record of 30 medals out of which only two were silver and the remaining 28 were gold medals. His bowling career in Botswana spanned over 43 years as a resident.
He is the only player in Botswana who has represented the country five times at the World Champion of Champion Singles championships, five times at the Commonwealth Games and four times at the World Championship (or Bowls World Cup). On the African continent, he amassed a total of seven medals; being two gold medals for men’s singles and men’s triples and two gold medals as player of the tournament at the African States Tournaments as well as six silver medals in various disciplines. He won two silver medals at the Botswana Invitation Pairs (now called Peter Richards Invitation Pairs).Ray’s wife, Lebo, also an award winning bowler, spoke highly of her departed husband.
“Ray was a special man, husband, father and my coach. He will forever remain my coach. I cannot pack my bag and retire because I would be disappointing him. Ray could tell the outcome of my game from the way I started it. He was really talented and paid attention to detail,” she said.
Ray spent most of his playing time at the Phikwe Bowling Club before joining Orapa Club in 2012. Lebo said during their stay in Orapa, they continued breaking records. She said they started playing pairs with Derrick and Georgie McCartney.
Lebo said in 2013, Ray represented Botswana at the African States Tournament (AST) that was held in Swaziland and won silver medals in both pairs and singles. He also became the only Motswana to win a gold medal at the same tournament in 2009 competing in the singles category. Botswana Bowling Association (BBA) spokesperson, John Gaborutwe said Ray was a true sportsman who was dedicated to the game of bowls.
He said Ray is regarded as the father of bowls in Botswana. Ray was a life member of Pike Bowls Club and served in various capacities in the executive committee of the Botswana Bowling Association. Gaborutwe added that Ray was also a coach and an umpire amongst his many roles.