Sidmouth bowlers' trio

Apart from the normal interclub leagues and friendlies, Sidmouth also take part in three external competitions, the Inter Club, which is a national competition, the knockout Denny Cup and the County Trophy.This year's external campaign began with the Inter Club. Sidmouth played Kingsley both home and away last Saturday, winning at home by a resounding 30-13 on one rink: W Turner, B Hague, P Clements, P Wilson skip, and 21-16 on the other, K Bridgman, E Mills, T Pritchard, B Boddy, skip. Away at Kingsley Sidmouth won 24-9 on one rink, W Rogers, T Brown, J Wall, M Smith, skip but lost 14-31 on the other, R Graham, M B Smith, J Mason, N Brimson, skip. Overall Sidmouth won 89-69.Playing away at Padbrook Park in a friendly match also on Saturday, Sidmouth lost 49-65. The best rink was 21-18, P Pritchard, B Sparkes, B Smith, and C Smith, skip.l Sidmouth entertained Axminster on Sunday in a mixed friendly, winning 70-63 overall. The best Sidmouth rink was 22-17, J Farmer, A Smith, B Hague, C Turner, skip.The indoor pushers, mentioned last week, have been in use for a few days now and it has been amusing watching the antics of the members grappling with them. Initially they were regarded with suspicion but there seem to be two basic techniques in use. Number one could be called, 'keeping the ferrets in the box'. A rather too firm push is employed and the bowls shoot out in all directions with the 'pushee' running from side to side trying to get the bowls to be more obedient. The other method is 'the sweeper' in which the bowls are swept along singly or in pairs with a definite sweeping action. If Jimmy Rae, the inventor, had added a few bristles underneath, he could have invented the world's first dual action pusher. I am sure that in a few weeks' time the members will have perfected their techniques but it won't be half as much fun to watch.