Suddenly the summer seems to have arrived, writes Bert Hague.

Blue skies, sun hats and the greens doing what they should be doing - being dry enough to let the bowl move on its bias!

Barry and Noel do such an exceptional job keeping the greens in such superb condition. One thing though, where is the donkey?

I can report on the clubs three teams who played in the latest round of Exeter and District Over-60s Triples League matches.

The A team went away to Pinces Gardens, losing 17-8 on one rink and 20-10 on the other. The B team stayed at home against Culm Vale and won 24-11 on one rink and 24-11 on the other.

The C team played away at Tiverton West End where they enjoyed double delight, winning 33-9 and 21-10. Well done, the B and C teams. Suttons, a touring side from Reading, arrived with nine rinks for our Saturday action. It seems that originally this team started out as the ‘Sutton Seeds’ bowling club.

The company moved to Paignton, but the club, as so often happens, retained its original name.

After a glorious afternoon the home team came away the winners scoring 214-147 with Sidmouth’s best rink being composed of Ann Elwood, Steve Boyle, Anita Mason and Ron Cook, skip.

The following the day the club was involved in the first round of the national competition, ‘The Tony Allcock’ trophy.

Tony Allcock, chief executive of Bowls England, introduced the Tony Allcock trophy in 2011. He felt there was a growing need for a two rink, 18-end mixed competition for the Over-60s.

Sidmouth entered last year and got a bye in the first round and said goodbye in the second, against Madeira!

This year our club sent a team to Topsham and won 34-33, after a most exciting game. We hope they do well in the next round.

Traditionally, Sidmouth stage an internal bowls drive on bank holiday Monday and this year, ten mixed triples teams played in glorious conditions for the usual bottles of wine prizes.

Jim Wrench, Marie Timms and Ken Robertson were the eventual winners.