Sidmouth bowlers enjoyed a great day out on Monday with 33 of us going by coach up to Weston-super-Mare, writes Carol Smith.

We arrived with plenty of time to spend by the seaside before our seven-rink bowls match against Clarence Park Bowls Club.

Some walked, some sat and ate (and also drank!), and some had ice creams. I looked at the donkeys, but decided against it!

Our coach then took us to the club, and what a super club it is. Clarence has three outdoor greens that can accommodate as many as 18 teams, which is very unusual. Most clubs only have one green, but we are very fortunate to have two at Sidmouth.

I think it must have been our hottest day yet as, at half-time, many of our players were flagging just a little. Nevertheless, the half-time score over all seven rinks was Clarence 51, Sidmouth 49, so all in all a pretty close contest at that stage! However, stopping for tea altered things just a bit more in Clarence’s favour, and, at the finish, the final score was Clarence 125 to the 115 for Sidmouth.

So, a margin of just 10 shots in terms of overall defeat, but we won on four of the seven rinks with our best team being the one of David Timms, Joan Monagham, Lynda Dommett and skip Wilf Radburn, who won 26-18. After a drink or two in the lovely bar and a sing-song from our hosts, we made our way home, some just a little tired.

? Sidmouth bowlers entertained a team on tour from Swansea and Bristol. A stunning afternoon was had by all, even if a little hotter than needed. At half-time Sidmouth were enjoying a five shot lead with the score being 53-48.

However, and indeed, of course, after tea, when things do tend to change, things improved for the away team, who went on to seal a 111-102 success. The defeat was only by a small margin, and we did make our visitors so happy that they sung to us several times!

Not sure if it was the winning or the wine, but the first song was because they won overall, the second was sung by their worst losing rink.

Both, I might add, in English and the third song was sung beautifully in their native tongue!

After a few drinks, our captain, Susie, finished off with thanking them for a wonderful rendition, but a shame we hadn’t a clue to what they were saying!

This comment was received with great laughter from both sides. It’s great fun hosting these touring teams as although we all like to win we also like to enjoy the game and keep the visitors returning. Our best team on the day was the one of Lynda Hargrave, Chrissie Leedham, Derek Mountford and skip Bob Daniels, who won 19-15. The Sidmouth ladies’ Blue team returned to form last week, banking all six available points at home Okehampton. Well done, to Janice Quinn, Eileen Hewett and skip Ann Capon, who won 20-16 and also Janet Thomson, Zena Johnson and skip Jill Bishop, who were 17-16 winners. It was a good week also for the Sidmouth men’s A team in the Over-60s Triples League for they picked up six of the eight available points when they travelled to Hemyock.

The best of the Sidmouth rinks at Hemyock was the one of Bill Sheerman, Ken Wheeler and skip Chris Nappin, who won 21-13.

There was also Tuesday action for the men in the County Trophy with a game against neighbours Budleigh that saw our team secure their first win of the season. They enjoyed success on three rinks and drew on the fourth with a brilliant overall score of 87-56 which meant banking 15 of the available 16 points. The highest winning rink was the one of Barry Curwen, Ken Robertson and skip Chris Nappin, who won 31-13. This really was a great result.

? However, the past week’s results for Sidmouth bowlers were not all of the winning kind!

Our ladies travelled to Exmouth to play yet another Madeira team in The Grace Matthews Top Club competition. The first round was won convincingly on our home green against a Madeira team (they have so many ladies that they enter two teams into this competition).From the off, most of our ladies struggled with the very fast tricky green and never quite mastered it so disappointingly lost in four of the disciplines and drew on the fifth, which was the pairs of Susie Bonnell and Jill Bishop. So, well done, to them.

Likewise our men also went to Madeira to play their National Top Club competition match.

In their last round they had a brilliant win against Crediton. However, this again was a different story as our men struggled with the tricky green and lost in all five disciplines.

I suppose, with our normal summer weather, we have a fair amount of rainfall to keep the greens pretty green and with this beautiful weather so far this just hasn’t happened and has made it difficult for some to adjust.