Well, what a past week that was for all concerned at Sidmouth Bowls Club, writes Carol Smith.
On Wednesday our ladies played against Axminster in the county-wide Lane Trophy competition, played on a league basis, but rather than four players in a rink it is played with triples.
The format is two rinks at home and two away. With the match being the first of a new campaign, a good start was hoped for – and it was achieved – as Sidmouth had a good win to get six out of the 10 points available by winning on one rink at home – that being the rink skipped by Chris Hamer and including Mary Turner and Janice Quinn, who recorded a 23-16 victory.
The away winning rink, with an even better score, was the one of Launa Lever, Paddy Wrench and skip Margaret King, who won 24-8. A great start ladies, well done one and all.
Also on Wednesday, our men played a friendly game against the county president and his merry men.
Sidmouth did very well, winning two of the rinks and drawing on the other to land an overall success at 64-55.
As this is a invitation after the game, they were served a lovely tea by Zena, Val and Carol, and, of course, the bar was open for business! The best rink was the one of Bill Sheerman, David Butler, Ed Backhouse and skip Norman Brimson, who won 22-14.
On Thursday the club celebrated some brilliant news as our ladies, in action for their second Foxlands competition match of the season, defeated one of the top clubs in Devon, Torquay United, beating them over the four rinks of play by a margin of three shots at 81-78!
In the home element, both rinks enjoyed success with the one of Jean Brimson, Paddy Chew, Eileen Hewett and skip Carol Smith, winning 26-19, while Mary Turner, Wendy Limpus, Val Newnham and skip Zena Johnson won 20-14. Both the away teams managed to keep their losses to a minimum so once again we receive six out of ten points.
The run of superb success continued on Saturday, this time in the Yetton Cup, which is a national competition (the men’s equivalent is the Denny Cup). In this competition you get a ‘second bite at the cherry’ if you lose in the opening round.
The Sidmouth team were tasked with taking on a Madeira side, who are always considered to be a strong team. It turned out to be a close encounter, one ultimately won by the Sidmouth team by a margin of just two shots.
Both home teams won with Sandra Wheeler, Wendy Limpus ,Val Newnham and skip Zena Johnson, securing a 29-13 victory while Jean Brimson , Paddy Chew, Eileen Hewett and skip Carol Smith won 15-13.
Again away both teams did well to keep the losses down. Phew! Well done, ladies, keep it going!
Also on Saturday, the men played their Denny Plate fixture against Mid Devon and this too was a nail-biting match.
The two home rinks won and the two away rinks lost, so the final score was a draw at 90-all! That left an extra end required to determine an outright winner and, unfortunately, our men lost.
Needless to say they’re pretty disappointed, but they must have all played well. The best home rink was the one of Andrew Lowe, Mick Cox, Ken Wheeler and skip Chris Nappin, who recorded a 32-15 success and, in their match, they achieved a coveted hot shot, this when all eight bowls count.
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