A golf croquet team from Barnstaple Croquet Club came to play against Sidmouth Croquet Club in the South West Federation League, writes Helen Pryor.

After a glorious sunrise, by the time play started it was raining! Twelve singles games were played, resulting in a 9-3 lead for Sidmouth (eight wins and two draws).

As the weather was deteriorating fast, players decided to continue play without a lunch break.

Four doubles games were played - Sidmouth winning all four.

When the rain really came down Sidmouth had an unbeatable lead and the final four games were abandoned.

For the first time ever, tea was served, and enjoyed at 2pm!

Of the Sidmouth players who played all their allotted three games, two players won all three - Pam Bowra and Muriel Philpott.

The final result was a win for Sidmouth, 13 points to Barnstaple's three.

Sidmouth’s B League team played a home match against Cornwall, writes Pam Bowra.

The morning games were very close but, unfortunately, the two singles matches were lost. Although John Dixon and Pamela Bowra won their doubles, it was 2-1 to Cornwall at lunchtime.

In the afternoon, there were four singles matches to play, all fought for until the bitter end. Richard Thurlow won his by eight hoops and Bowra won hers by four, but the other two went to Cornwall leaving their morning lead intact and Cornwall the winners by one game.

sidmouth’s Federation team of Ian Friedlander (captain), Roger Hendy (manager), Graham Harford, and Philip Harris visited Exeter for a derby clash, writes Ian Friedlander.

Although Exeter is a much larger town, their lawns are three quarter size, and Sidmouth duly spent the first half hour rescuing balls from ditches through over-hitting.

Exeter's Mark MacNair took full advantage and used his one bisque wisely to get well ahead before giving Ian Friedlander chance to recover. He went round quickly to put Sidmouth one up. Roger Hendy, however, never got a grip on the smaller lawn and Exeter's Roger Thorn pulled steadily ahead to level the score. The doubles was a thriller, with Philip Harris pegging his ball out leaving Graham Harford the task of keeping two opponents in check on his own; this he managed to put Sidmouth 2-1 ahead at lunch.

In the afternoon matches, Hendy again had trouble with the distance of his shots. Harris never got a break going and Exeter went 3-2 up. Harford (handicap 9) levelled the score with a methodical display, using his bisques well, against Adam Wimhurst (handicap 2.5, world ranking 444).

In the last game Friedlander had to give nine bisques to Gordon Edwards, who got to a seemingly unassailable position. But Ian managed to hit in from a long distance, ran seven hoops without error and pegged out both balls to win the game and the match.

Result: Sidmouth 4, Exeter 3