The rain played spoiler to the Figtree Sports Minor Pairs final between Branko Milinkovic and Dave Phillips against William Wong and Frank Sepulveda last Saturday but with a new date for the decider it's the same goal from both teams.

While the top bowlers at every Zone 16 club chase Zone championships and major club titles, claiming a club's Minor Pairs or Singles crown is just as memorable for the rank and file bowlers who are the backbone of the sport.

Dave Phillips would love to add a second Minor Pairs crown to his win in 2018 and his partner Branko Milinkovic wants to mark his move from Bellambi this year with a first-up title.

The duo have played well to reach the Minor Pairs decider; highlighted by a hard-fought 21-17 win over Larry Matthews and Mark Tanner in the quarter-finals and 19-17 win over Steve Gooding-Frank Gavrilovski in the semis.

For William Wong a Minor Pairs title would be a breakthrough achievement to treasure while his skip Frank Sepulveda has twice won the Triples at the Falcons plus the Major/Minor Pairs.

Wong and Sepulveda won two tight matches to make the final; edging out Steve Ryan and Jeremy Ryan 17-15 in the semi-finals, while in the previous round the duo won a last end thriller 19-18 against Gary Wilton and Graeme Wilton.

''Both teams want to win but whatever the result it's a great effort from all four of us,'' Phillips said over a relaxing beer while belatedly hoping the rain would clear last Saturday.

The Falcons' Major Pairs final featuring Mark Kesby and Gordon Young against Dave Ciliegi and John Chetcuti was also postponed with both finals tentatively reset to July 10.

Kesby is chasing his third club championship of the year after winning the Singles and Fours, while Young is eying a double in 2021 after partnering Kesby in the Fours.

Figtree commence its club Triples championship this Saturday (JUNE 26) while nominations remain open for the Warrigal Over 50s Pairs on July 8.

The tournament is open to male and female bowlers from all clubs with composite and mixed teams welcome. Contact Kay Moran for details.

Figtree Sports is also preparing for one of its most significant club events with the Sandy Bellotti Charity Day on Sunday July 18.

The day supports club greenkeeper Sean Bellotti's wife Sandy, who has been bravely fighting cancer for many years.

The family have been though more tough times than any family should endure, and the Figtree Sports community is reaching out and lending its support.

The charity bowls day is just $40 per person to enter with new and non-bowlers from all clubs welcome. The day will feature a 15-end game of Fours, plus raffles and prizes.

A set of bowls will be raffled off while there'll be a jumping castle for the kids, plus live music on the deck in the afternoon.

Everyone is welcome to support this important occasion.

Finally, all clubs are preparing for the next Zone 16 championship of 2021, with the Zone Triples in Open, Seniors and Reserve categories to commence on Saturday June 3.

Top bowlers at Blues selection camp

A host of Illawarra bowlers are chasing a spot in the NSW squad or next step on the representative pathway at this weekend's State Selection Series at Cabramatta BC.

The two-day sectional trial features squad categories Open, Seniors, Over 40s and Under 25s, while a boys and girls Under 18s squad was named earlier in the year.

Bowlers are chasing NSW state spots for upcoming interstate matches and intra-state games leading up to the final selection for The Nationals in October.

A 24-man Open squad includes Jackaroos Aaron Teys and Corey Wedlock plus their Warilla clubmate Lee Stinson who in his first season in Zone 16 has won the Zone Singles and Pairs, plus helped Warilla win the Grade 1 flag and was part of the Illawarra team to reach the final of the NSW Open Inter-Zone Championships.

Meanwhile, Warilla's Brian Suckley and Towradgi's Robbie Warren have been named in the 24-man Seniors State Selection Series.

Both bowlers should be automatic selections in the NSW Over 60s squad after helping NSW side win the last National Seniors Championship in 2019, from which Warren was named in the Jackaroos Senior Squad.

Also part of the State Selection Series are Michael Stead (Dapto Citizens) and Jamie Mitchell (Warilla) in the Over 40s Series, while Figtree Sports' Jayden Gebbie and Dapto Citzens' Jarrod Beckford are included in the 16-man Under 25s squad for their selection camp.

Windang's Daniel Davies plus Dapto Citizens' Ricci-Rose Hampton and Warilla's Tarnee Ingram were previously named in the Under 18s selection trial, from which a NSW squad of eight boys and eight girls will be named.

Good luck to all bowlers, many of whom are returning from the Gold Coast after competing in the Australian Open.

Pairs champs eye state spot

A spot in the Women's State Championships is up for grabs for the Illawarra District Open Pairs and Senior Pairs champions in their Regional Playoff against Picton at Oak Flats BC on Friday. (JUNE 25)

A spot in the Women's State Championships is up for grabs for the Illawarra District Open Pairs and Senior Pairs champions in their Regional Playoff against Picton at Oak Flats BC on Friday. (JUNE 25)

The District champions compete annually against the winners from the Southern Highlands for a place at the Women's State Championships, which in 2021 is at South Tamworth BC in late August.

Illawarra's champion Pairs combination of Towradgi's Julie Woods and Kay Gill along with District Senior Pairs winners Sharman Clark and Vicki Brown (Oak Flats) take on their Highlands rivals for arguably the biggest prize of their careers.

Woods and Gill became the first Towradgi duo to win the District Pairs by beating their clubmates Zoe Brett and Marilyn Townsend in the final in February.

The 2021 District Senior Pairs was only completed earlier this month with Oak Flats combination Sharman Clark and Vicki Brown triumphant against a top-class field to claim their first District crown.

The Regional Playoffs continue with Illawarra Singles champion Kim Suckley (Dapto Citizens) looking to overcome her Picton rival at Picton BC on July 9 to clinch a place in the State Singles championship for a third straight year.

Earlier this month Suckley joined Merle Richardson and Julea Morgan as the only bowlers to win three straight Illawarra District Singles titles with the event first played in the mid-1950s.