Staff Reporter
WINDHOEK – All eyes of the lawn bowls world will be fixed on Cardiff & Vale for the next week’s 10 nations test series.
Wales has invited nine countries to partake in the nine-day event, which also serves preparation for the Atlantic Championships, to be hosted in Wales next year. Apart from hosts Wales, other participating nations are; Namibia, Malaysia, Australia, USA, Spain, Ireland, Jersey, Canada and South Africa (men only).
The Namibian men’s team left on Sunday to compete in this particular tournament and the team consists of; Will Esterhuizen, Johan Jacobs, Steven Peake, Cabous Olivier and debutant Schalk van Wyk.
Olivier will compete in the singles, while Esterhuizen will skip the fours team with Jacobs playing Third, as Peake (2nd) and Van Wyk (Lead) complete the line-up.
The pair’s team consists of Esterhuizen and Olivier, while Peake will Skip the Trips, with Jacobs playing Second and Van Wyk Leading.
The test matches will be held from July 6 to 14 at Penylan, Cardiff, Penarth Windsor, Barry Athletic and Dinas Powis clubs, with a rest day on July 10.
This is a good opportunity for the Namibian team to play against some of the finest teams in the world as the new bowlers stand to gain invaluable experience.
Due to the fact that Lawn Bowls does not receive any funding, only the men accepted Wales’s invitation to participate. The Namibian Bowling Association contributes what it can but the amount is not enough to cover for even one bowler’s expenses.
In the meantime, “The local bowling community wishes the travelling entourage all the best for the Test series and trust they will do Namibia proud, as they always do,” reads a statement from the National Bowling Association.