Posted by Michael Walker on 23 September 2010
Don’t get me wrong, I love the format. However, in light of how the game is played at various levels and the differences in the format of matches using teams of fours, does it remain relevant? Or possibly more accurately, should there be some consistency?
Pennant in Victoria on Saturdays is contested by four rinks of fours, whereas on Tuesdays it is three rinks of fours. Pennant in NSW is played in three rinks of fours and is contested over 63 ends (21 per rink) without interruption while in Victoria it is played over 100 (25 per rink) ends with a break for afternoon tea and some pleasantries.
Now when you play in the Victorian Group Sides Championships, sectional play is conducted over 15 ends and the finals are played at 18 ends – both sectional and knockout play using 4 rinks of fours. The NSW inter-zone championship is played over 84 ends (21 per rink) and comprises four rinks of fours, which is a definite contrast to their Pennant. The BQ District Sides Championship is contested over 18 ends per rink OR 2h 20m with the men playing in four rinks of four and the ladies in three rinks of fours.
Beyond State Group/District/Inter-Zone championships, the only place 4’s is still contested is the Australian Sides Championship. In this event the men and ladies provide 3 rinks of fours and contest the event over 63 ends (21 per rink).
The Commonwealth Games formats do not includes fours, and all disciplines are played in setsplay format. Whereas the World Championships do include the fours discipline yet all disciplines in this event are played along the more traditional ‘number of ends’ format despite Bowls Australia’s attempts to have all matches at the 2012 World Championships (being held in Adelaide) converted to setsplay under the flawed thinking that this increases television ratings.
Fours is a great team format and I’m not denying that, however at Group/District and State Level would it not be a better indicator of the best team to decide the event over all four disciplines per gender? A ten-a-side competition covering a rink of each format?
In 2011, straight after the Australian Sides Championships, there will be a 6-a-side competition featuring triples, pairs and singles introduced for the first time. Is fours on the way out, or is it discounted in this new event because the Alley Shield and the Marj Morris Trophy will have just been run and won?
Should we have some consistency among these competitions and events? Are we always comparing apples and apples if we are comparing bowlers playing in different formats? Does the afternoon tea break count for anything? Does the extra 4 ends make a difference? Should we be pushing ourselves and selecting only the best 12 for a team rather than 16? Would cutting the next 4 players boost our competitions or damage too many frail egos?
Similar to federation, the State and Territory Bowling Associations didn’t get much under the creation of Bowls Australia. Sure we have a common currency (the merchandising scheme and the money that provides), but the different formats and competitions are akin to different gauge railways crossing this wide brown land. Understandably, not one size can always fit all, but many other sports seem to be doing a job of providing more consistency across competitions across the country than bowls.