In Provence, the sun was shining and many petanque players were enjoying the spring weather, writes John Thatcher.

At Ottery St Mary, the club was trying to find enough ground to play their first league matches that was not covered in water after an overnight deluge!

To save the travel between North and South Devon, two matches are played on the same day.

Our first match was played against The Pig on the Hill club in very wet conditions underfoot and raindrops falling on heads!

Honours were shared in the two triple games with John and Rose Thatcher and Barrie Hall losing 3-13, but Paul Puddicombe with Peter and Sue Smith won 13-10.

In the three doubles games, surprisingly the ‘Piggies’ coped with the water better than the ‘Otters’ and ended up winning the three doubles games 13-11, against John Thatcher and Barrie Hall, while Rose Thatcher and Peter Smith lost 2-13 and Paul Puddicombe and Sue Smith also lost 11-13.

So, not a good start to the Ottery 2018 league season! However, as it stopped raining the ‘Otters’ improved their wet weather performance.

In the afternoon, they played Torridge U3A team from Westward Ho! and the ground had dried out somewhat so that more ground was able to be used.

This obviously suited the ‘Otters, as they won both the triple games, 13-12 and 13-6, and then added to that with three more wins, 13-7, 13-7 and 13-9 from John Thatcher and Barrie Hall, Peter Smith and Rose Thatcher and Paul Puddicombe and Jamie Richardson.

That’s the first two fixtures of the league season done and next up for the Otters is a Sunday, April 29, meeting against Chudleigh and Plymouth – and hopefully the matches will be played in more favourable weather.

Ottery Petanque are always looking for new players so if you have played the game while on holiday in Europe and would like to ‘have a go’ in better weather than of late, then check out www.devonpetanque.org for contact details.