Simon Westby talks bowls

BOWLS: Every now and again we have to admit that a mistake has been made. In this case I cannot even use the hoary old chestnut of misinformation, which would have been the case had the story been checked out. The report that Ray Savage would be appearing for Wanganui East in the A grade Interclub competition last weekend was incorrect. I took it for granted he would be playing in this event after making himself available for the representative team.
It was pointed out to me rather succinctly by one individual who did say if Ray was playing interclub he would like to know what club he was playing for. Perhaps it was a case of what can only be described as premature articulation.
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If you want to watch bowls played a bit differently this weekend, get down to Gonville any time after 8.30am on Sunday and have a look at the representative teams take on their Wellington conterparts.
The new format of sets, reduced bowls, tie breaks and no replaying of ends will be on display for the first time locally. All four teams, senior men and women and academy men and women, will be playing under the new format which will comprise one round of singles and fours followed by two rounds of triples and pairs.
One of the rules causing the most confusion is the respotting of the jack if it goes out of bounds. After strenuous research the closest I can come up with is that play will be conducted under the Professional Bowls Association (PBA) rules and states as follows ?
"In the event of the jack being hit off the rink it will be replaced at one of two predefined points on the rink which are 300mm behind the 3m T mark and half way between the centre line of the rink and the edge of the rink before the next bowl is delivered or the end decided. If the jack is hit off the rink to the right it will be re positioned on the right predefined point and so on. When the predefined point is occupied the jack will be repositioned at the nearest available position along the line between the predefined points and the centre line of the rink, but not touching an obstructing bowl.
In the third end of the tiebreaker set each player is allowed to 'kill' that end once with that end being replayed. In all other circumstances there will be no dead ends."
Philadelphia lawyer stuff really but it will keep all involved on their toes so boys and girls go easy on the umpires.
From those who do go and have a look I wouldn't mind your views on the format, rules, style of play etc and don't only focus on the negative. These views may be let loose in this column, so email me or get in touch one way or another. I reckon it could be quite interesting.
Simon's email address ? simonwestby@hotmail.com