Mal Evans

Mal Evans became Wales’ first World Singles Bowls champion when he took the title in Worthing in 1972. He had finished fourth in the inaugural world championships in Sydney, Australia, in 1966. At the second edition of the event in Worthing he won 12 of his 15 matches and beat England’s David Bryant 21-6 in his final game to take the title from his great rival while holding off Scotland Dick Bernard.

Bowls was the sport of the Evans family. His father, Cliff, won the Welsh Pairs title with his brother, John, in 1952 and was unlucky not to be capped by Wales. Uncle John did became an international bowler. Mal represented Wales from 1965 until 1983, finishing fifth in the singles at the 1974 Commonwealth Games, and his brother, Gwyn, won a bronze medal at the Edmonton Commonwealth Games in 1978, the Welsh indoor singles title in 1978, and captained the Welsh team in the world championships in Melbourne in 1980.

Although Mal never won the Welsh national singles title he did win the Gibson-Watt Welsh Open Singles at Llandrindod Wells in 1964, 1966 and 1967. He also teamed up with Gwyn to win the Welsh Pairs title in 1966 and 1967.

Maldwyn Lewis Evans (Bowls player) Born in Gelli, Rhondda, on 8 November, 1937; Died in Ton Pentre on 30 December, 2009