By Bill McLean
Bowls South Africa on Thursday announced both the men's and women's fields for the 2003 SA Masters national singles championships, to be played on the Edenvale greens from February 14-16.
Apart from these 16-strong sides, the selectors also announced the names of 20 men and 20 women who will attend a national squad training camp at Alberton Bowling Club from January 5-8.
After this camp the selectors will announce 10-strong men's and women's squads from whom the SA sides for World Bowls 2004 will be selected closer to the events.
The squads contain a sprinkling of new names, but few real surprises. Former national singles champion Eric Johannes is back in the running for honours after his controversial decision to pull out of the side for the Manchester Games.
The national squads obviously contain almost all the Masters fields, the exceptions being Kevin Kobusch and Milly Wasserzug.
- The field for the men's Masters is: Duanne Abrahams, Gerry Baker, Greg Bingham, Bobby Donnelly, Rudi Jacobs, Donny Piketh (all Central Gauteng), Shaun Addinall, Neil Burkett, Kevin Campbell, Eric Johannes (WP), Andre Basson (Eastern Districts), Johan du Plessis, Clinton Roets (Gauteng North), Kevin Kobusch, Gippo Vermeulen (Port Natal), Mike Steyn (Southern Cape).
- Field for the women's Masters: Corrie Breitenbach (North West), Leonie du Randt (Southern Cape), Jenny Giles (EP), Sharon Glenn, Lorna Trigwell, Milly Wasserzug (Central Gauteng), Jill Hackland (Port Natal), Ieva Hansen, Trish Steyn, Lynne Watson-Smith (WP), Rika Lynn, Nici Neal (Sables), Jean Moodaley (Griquas), Ellie van Coller, Colleen Webb (Near East Rand), Loraine Victor (Gauteng North).
Niksa Benguric (Gauteng North), Theuns Fraser (Sables), Wayne Perry (Southern Free State), Craig Rimmington (Central Gauteng) and Nic Rusling (Sables) will also attend the Alberton camp from the men's side.
Marina Brink (Near East Rand), Pam Landau and Esme Steyn (Central Gauteng), Lesley Hartwell (EP) and Susan Nel (Sables) will join the other women for the training camp.
The Bowls SA statement also announced that Ellen Cawker, a member of the Manchester Games squad, has been appointed national women's manager. Lewis Klopper was confirmed as men's manager and Simon Botha as national coach. - Sapa