Sidmouth’s Intermediate League team of Philip Harris (captain), Nancy Temple and Colin Walls travelled to Wellington on Saturday for the final match of the season.

Sidmouth’s Intermediate League team of Philip Harris (captain), Nancy Temple and Colin Walls travelled to Wellington on Saturday for the final match of the season.

Wellington have only one lawn and that is not terribly flat, but they make up for it with the beauty of the surroundings and the warmth of the welcome. In the morning honours were even, with Sidmouth winning the doubles and Wellington the singles. In the afternoon three games were played simultaneously, with the third game distinguished by using balls especially striped with white paint for the occasion. The Sidmouth players were unable to construct any good breaks on the difficult terrain and lost two games to one. Although each Sidmouth player won one game and lost one, the doubles game effectively counts for half per person. Result Wellington 3, Sidmouth 2.

Parkstone Division 3

Sidmouth’s top croquet team compete in the regional advanced play league. In this league no handicaps are used and the format has the added complexity of lifts to provide a challenge for the top players.

This year the advanced league was split into three divisions for the first time. In Division 3, Sidmouth played each other team (Bristol B, Budleigh and Taunton Deane) twice, home and away.

At home, Sidmouth managed to beat all three teams by a single game, but never found their stride away from home, suffering three heavy defeats. Overall this was a very creditable result by the squad of Derek Andrew, David Clarke, Roger Hendy, Peter Hills, Mike Taylor, David Temple and Richard Wood, and was achieved against strong opposition and despite difficulties throughout the season with injuries and availability.

The most notable individual performance was from David Clarke, who won at least one game in every match he played, while Taylor and Wood formed a successful doubles partnership, winning all three games they played together.

The team completed a solid season on Sunday with a 3-2 home win against Taunton Deane.

As usual for the home games, Colin Whitehall’s excellent lawns and Gill Hodge’s teas were enjoyed by all.

Thanks are also due to Rob Matthews and helpers for their sterling hoop setting work, which set just the right level of challenge for all the players.