Roberts edges Ferns in pairs thriller
Wayne Roberts and Nick Horne won a dramatic pairs playoff at the Bowls South Africa Men’s Nationals on Sunday in Johannesburg.
Roberts, the current Fours defending champion, probably knew he’d have to be at his very best if he was to help his side past the formidable pairing of Brendan Ferns and Andre Rousseau. It’s a combination that has already tasted success in this event back in 2019 before winning silver in 2022.
Like Roberts, Ferns is a recent Proteas call-up and so there was more on the line than usual.
The match was a rollercoaster with Roberts and Horne getting off to a near-perfect start. They found themselves 12-2 up before the match was turned by a good spell of leading from Rousseau as he helped pull his side back into contest on the shorter ends.
Suddenly, the pressure was on and the match was tied at 12-12 and setting up to. be a classic.
Heading down the home straight, Ferns looked like he would prevail but Roberts had other ideas despite being two down on the last end.
With Roberts heading to the mat, he was holding one. The talented Hillcrest bowler, who won silver at the 2024 BSA Masters, then pulled the white for three to heap the pressure onto Ferns who was unable to cut it down. That allowed Roberts the comfort of declaring his last bowl for a 20-19 victory, probably something that he never thought he’d be able to given the match status.
“To be honest, I’m a bit speechless,” said Roberts shortly after the win.
“Credit to everyone really. It was a brilliant game throughout as the momentum changed and I’m just grateful that we managed to pluck the win from quite a tough position.
“Brendan is quality and his combination with Andre is well known. Nick and I knew it was going to be a titanic tussle and I’m proud of how we stuck in there and to get over the line was just a bonus really. It could’ve gone either way …”
More than anything, the match was played to the highest skill level and matched by the demeanour of all four players on the green. A superb advert of how to handle yourself in the heat of battle and also the talent that is there and waiting to flourish on the biggest stages.
The top half of the pairs draw is going to take something special to win even before the semis and finals.
Roberts now faces Wayne Rittmuller’s side and the winner will face either the defending champions Gerry Baker and Brad Robinson or David Nel and Aiden de Smidt - two current Green Squad players.
