Stewarton Bowling Club member bowled over by birthday treat

Jan 23 2009 by Ian Russell, Kilmarnock Standard

A MEMBER of Stewarton Bowling Club won’t forget his 65th birthday in a hurry.

Allan Higgins not only enjoyed some welcome sunshine when he visited his son John in Australia, he was given a surprise birthday treat right up his street.

Son John, who goes under the name John Harley Weston and is an award-winning songwriter, arranged a private coaching session for his dad with Commonwealth gold champion and Australian top-ranking bowler Kelvin Kerkow.

Said John: “I had my parents over here in Queensland on holiday, and as it was my dad’s 65th I thought I’d do something a bit different.”

Kelvin’s a busy man, but John managed to fix him up for a 45-minute lesson at the local bowling club in Tamborine Mountain where John now lives.

It soon became a three-hour session!

On dad Allan’s first delivery, which finished only a few inches from the jack, Kelvin joked there wasn’t much he could teach the Stewarton ‘star’.

But of course the champ really had some great tips and words of wisdom to impart to Allan, and at the end of the lesson Allan told Kelvin in his best Aussie accent: “I learned heaps mate – thanks a lot ya little ripper.”

After the proceedings a few drams were shared, and Allan warns he’ll be putting the pointers he learned from Kelvin to good use now he’s back home in Ayrshire.

Said John: “The old man joked he’ll be charging for autographs now.”