Provincial bowls event going down to the wire

KRUGERSDORP -- It's down to the wire in all four sections of the SA Provincial Open bowls championships being played here this week.

Central Gauteng men and women have fared the best so far, with their women heading their section with the main opposition coming from Western Province and Port Natal. The men are just one point ahead of the Johannesburg men.

Natal Inland head the other men's section just one ahead of Eastern Districts with Gauteng North and KwaZulu-Natal another point behind that.

The surprise of the tournament, Kingfisher are still ahead in the women's red section, but now by only a single point ahead of last year's winners, Eastern Districts and Boland with Nerba in with a chance two points back.

In today's final round, taking the women first, Kingfisher play Port Natal who have not had the best of tournaments while Eastern Districts play Boland.

The South Coast girls will have to pull out all the stops as Easterns will be sure to be doing the same thing against the grape farmers from the Cape.

In the other women's section Central Gauteng could be sitting pretty with their three point lead but have a tough nut to crack in Sables who started the tournament fully pumped up but have deflated a bit in the latter rounds.

Western Province present a big threat although three points back and their game against lowly Border could be a big decider.

Port Natal may not find Southern Free State their cup of tea and Central Gauteng should not have any trouble taking all five points from Vaal Bowls which may upset the run of play from Port Natal who could be keeping an eye on that game too.

Western Province cannot win from where they are but could still keep the Johannesburg boys out of second place.

Natal Inland, something of an unknown entity, play Eastern Districts in what should be the decider of their section, with only one point separating them after eight rounds but sitting waiting for either to slip are Gauteng North and KwaZulu-Natal. -- Sapa