Last week, bowlers from various districts of the province gathered at seven venues in the NIBA district to compete for two KZN titles. After two days of intense sectional matches and half a day of continuous playoffs, the championship reached a thrilling final on Monday in Linwood, a town in Pietermaritzburg.
Maintaining composure under pressure proved to be the deciding factor between the winners and the contenders. The final throw of the men's championship delighted spectators. The tournament, which involved four districts affiliated with KZN Bowls, allowed eight PNB pairs to advance to the quarter-finals on Monday.
Spectators who could not attend Pietermaritzburg thanked the broadcast, which allowed them to follow the developments. In one of the women's semi-finals, there was a tense confrontation between Janine Aan Den Thorn and Bridget Matthews from Westville CC and Sari Bisset and Leslie Levy from Amanzimtoti. Ultimately, Bisset and Levy won with a score of 18–13.
The NIBA pair, consisting of Calvin Hollis and Brad Robinson from Maritzburg BC, won the KZN Men's Pairs Championship title thanks to a dramatic victory on the final throw. They joined Karen Hardy and Tara Yanse van Rensburg from NIBA, who secured their place in the final by defeating Susan Nell and Hilary Lindsay from Amanzimtoti.
Natal Inland dominated the men's semi-finals. Jaco van Rensburg and Ivan Horner from Linwood bravely fought against Brad Robinson and Calvin Hollis from Maritzburg, but were unsuccessful. In another semi-final, Brandon Einley and Dustin Hargreaves from Maritzburg West were defeated by Wayne Roberts and Roger Bullie from Firwood.
Bisset and Levy confidently advanced to the women's final, opening a 6–1 lead after three ends. However, Hardy and Yanse van Rensburg responded brilliantly, taking the lead in the seventh end. From that moment on, they strengthened their position in the competition, demonstrating the self-control and determination worthy of provincial champions, and won the KZN Women's Pairs 2026 title.
The men's final was pure drama. Robinson and Hollis led 10–4 after nine ends before Roberts and Bullie staged an impressive comeback, scoring nine balls in four ends and increasing the deficit to three points. The advantage lasted only one end, as Robinson and Hollis scored four balls to regain control. The drama unfolded in the final end. Trailing 16–15, Roberts moved the jack with his final throw to secure one ball and the opportunity for a second, allowing him to force an extra end or even clinch the victory. But Robinson delivered the final word. With the last throw of the game, he calmly touched the jack and pulled it away to gain two balls, thus concluding the dramatic KZN Men's Pairs 2026 title.
Bronze medals were awarded to the silver medalists of the semi-finals. The NIBA organizing committee and the host venues received congratulations for hosting a flawless championship that provided drama, brilliance, and a thrilling final. It was also noted that bowling is not just about skill, but also about sportsmanship, where respect and etiquette are valued equally with competitive spirit.