It’s members took to the green at the Warrnambool Bowling Club to battle with Warrnambool Gold.

But it did so without popular clubman Allan Kidd, who sadly lost his long-battle with esophagus cancer on Monday.

Teammate and close friend John Gherashe said they were playing in honour of Kidd.

"It would have been very easy to pull the pin because we are all a bit down," he said.

"But Allan would have said 'no no, get out there mate, get out there and give it to them’.

"Hopefully he can help me with a few good bowls. Allan, send some good ones down for me."

Kidd had battled cancer for the best part of three years, and his teammates said battled it he did.

Gherashe, who bowled along side Kidd for decades, said he and his good mate had hoped to play together again.

"He has not played bowls at all this season,” he said.

“But he thanked us at the end of last for a tremendous season of bowls, and up until a week ago he always hoped he was going to comeback.

"But a week ago he said to me 'I am sorry John, I won't be bowling again' and he died peacefully last night in Terang Hospital.”

Gherashe said Kidd would be remembered in two ways. As a bowler and as a person.

He said Kidd was a selfless bowler who always persisted.

"He was a good bowler, but he always bowled for the club and never bowled for himself," he said.

"The B grade is something most bowlers would achieve quite early in their career and Allan always seemed to be the bridesmaid, he would get to the final but then not win it.

"But two years ago he did after about 25 years of trying and boy was everybody thrilled for him that he got his name up on the board."

Though he said although he was a good bowler, he was an even better bloke.

"He was a marvel at our club and a very happy joyful fella," he said.

"If you ask anybody they will say that he was a really happy guy, he was a pleasure to have around the club and he would jump in and do extra work.

"And he was a very close friend of mine and we are going to miss him. Everyone will miss him in Terang."

Fellow teammate Jean Fidge also echoed Gherashe’s comments.

"As a person Allan was great fun, always had a joke and always had a laugh," she said.

"And he was always the first to arrive and last to leave. He was very respected at the Terang Bowls Club."

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