MESSAGE FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT

Dear Members,

A really good day was had at the opening of the green on Saturday with attendance at an all-time high.   It was great to see life members in Olive Harding and Marty Palmer showing they still had it on the green and then a great opportunity to meet and greet with our local politicians in Katie Allen and Michael O’Brien who we hope to welcome back for many years to come.    The opening of the accessible toilet and the presentation to Graeme Lee were two personal highlights recognizing and celebrating the efforts of a number of our members.

I attended the Sandbelt General Meeting on Monday and came away with a number of updates to the general conditions of play that were due to be released this week, what I have been advised is as follows:

• Green Inspections will take place approx. Oct this year.
• If you play a round and complete for than 75% of a match before abandoning the match then the result will now stand irrespective of whether the rest of the section completes their matches, this is a major change to previous years and probably comes about as this would have made a significant change on Tuesday and Wednesday last year for some teams.
• E-Cigs are now banned from the green in line with normal smoking and alcohol and mobile phones. The umpire of the day can warn the team/bowler but this is at their discretion or they can immediately penalize.
• If you start with a bowlers arm you must stay with a bowlers arm and visa-versa you cannot transition to a bowlers arm during the course of play.
• Teams must be entered onto Bowls Vic website each Thursday for Saturday – not sure on the driver for this but it is creating extra work. We have to confirm when Tuesday teams will need to be entered.   Changes made before play must be reflected on the website.    Irrespective of this we must still send through a copy of the team sheet.
• Only home clubs can practice before a game, this rule remains the same as last year.
• If a match is 75% completed before heat, rain or any circumstance abandons the match then the result will stand as though the match has been completed.

Other general info from meeting:

• There is on 7^th October a workshop on grants from 1-5pm at Moorabbin bowls. We have already one attendee from Malvern, if others would like to attend please advise me and I will ensure that your name is down.
• There is a new law book – Crystal Mark Edition 3.1. Malvern will provide a copy of this to each registered and qualified umpire for reference.
• On 16/9 a High Crt Decision re Chadstone Bowling Club to have covenants removed on their current land will be passed down. It is expected that there will be success with this action to therefore allow the club and area to be developed.   Chadstone will remain at their current green until Xmas this year but for the next 2 years approx. after will be bowling at Murrumbeena Park after which they will have a state of the art under cover facility.
• We have no update yet on what bowls will look like in 2020/21. A Bowls Vic survey will be sent to clubs to complete that will apparently be utilized in some of the decision making re this.

Club General:

1. Fees must be paid for a bowler to be financial and therefore able to bowl pennant. Please ensure that if you have any difficulty in making payment that you seek out a club committee member and we will find a solution.
2. Practice – starts tomorrow at 4:00pm till approx. 5:30pm. We practice as we want to bowl on Saturday, improvement only comes from honing skills.   I hope to see you all there.    I will be looking to engage with Rodger Kimpton and Joe Aarons to work with bowlers this year to get that level of improvement we need to hopefully take the next step as a bowling club.    Until Joe and Rodger are available I will manage the practice sessions.
3. Practice matches begin this week against Dandenong Club, weather permitting. Subject to player availability we will try and put together teams that can start to work together.
4. Wednesday night dinners will commence the first Wednesday in October…….stay tuned
5. The handbook is almost ready for printing and will be available to members hopefully at season commencement or shortly thereafter.
6. Thankyou…..too many to go into detail but for all your help and support and in no particular order:

   Graeme Lee
   Roger Morrisson
   Anita D’Andrea
   Rose Seiber
   June Lee
   Anne Franceschini
   Wayne Martin
   Allen Thomas
   Malcom McLean
   Jill McLean
   Phin Meere
   John Finemore
   John Murdoch
   Dee Finemore
   Penny Gamble
   Ron Scerri
   Andy Smith
   Olga Nowatschenko
   Peter Nowatschenko
   Ed Payne
   Greg Dougall
   Bunty Evans
   Suzanne Gibbs
   Anne Hume
   Troy Futter
   Alison Willers

7. We wish a speedy recovery and better health to a couple of our members in Joe Aarons and Nick Zorbas and anyone else as a member experiencing health issues at the moment.
8. It is the intention of the club to run a measuring workshop (about 45 mins) after practice on the Thursday before the first game of pennant. Suzanne Gibbs will run this session and we may integrate some etiquette and rules for new bowlers at the same time, stay tuned for details in the next President’s Message.
9. A thanks to our great supporters and sponsors of the club without whom the club would not be able to function and particularly the East Malvern Branch of Bendigo Bank and The office of Kelly O’Dwyer without who’s support the accessible toilet facility upgrade would not have been possible…..THANKYOU!!!!
10. Finally a special thanks and goodbye to Shinei and Eiko who have been members of the club for some 15 years…..we wish you good luck, good health and safe travels and if ever back in Melbourne a warm welcome….

    Practice Matches

Saturday 7^th September at home against Dandenong Club

Saturday 14^th September at home against MCC – There is an availability form at the club

Sunday 22^nd September – Yes Sunday at home against Middle Park – There is an availability form at the club

All practice matches are uniform and full scale 21 ends commencing at 1:00pm

• Club Championships

Forms are at the club for entries for the singles and pairs for men and women.   Entries will be open until September 30^th

Cheers

Stuart

President – Malvern Bowling Club