Sidmouth bowlers made a great start to 2019, enjoying success in the Foxlands competition in which the ladies won on all four rinks, writes Carol Smith.

Three days into the new year, two teams of Sidmouth ladies journeyed up to Kingsley, Westward Ho! for match number seven in this season’s county league competition.

There were also two teams left to face action back in Sidmouth.

It turned out to be a special day as all four rinks won – this the first time this season that that has happened in this particular competition and so the maximum 10 points were banked!

What’s more, the occasion also marked the first time this season that the ladies have been able to call upon the services of all 16 of their registered players!

Although we are allowed named reserves, we can only use a certain amount.

I might add that mainly due to illnesses we have almost exhausted our quota, and still have three games to go!

Here’s hoping for better health during 2019 for more reasons than one.

So, what about those great performances home and away? Both home teams won well with Jane Painter skipping her team of Sandra Wheeler, Mary Turner and Jill Mison to a 26-10 success, while Eileen Hewett skipped Jean Brimson, Janice Quinn and Valerie Newnham to a 21-11 victory.

In the away element of the game, Jill Bishop skipped Karen Hollingdale, Ann Capon and Susie Bonnell to a 21-19 win while Zena Johnson skipped her team of Jan J Bates, Paddy Chew and Anita Mason to a remarkable success.

After 16 ends they were down 23-14 and facing a heavy defeat, but then the opposition failed to score on the final five ends while the Sidmouth quartet picked up a dozen shots to seal a 26-23 win.

What’s more, six of those dozen shots came on the final end – it can be a funny old game and just goes to show that you should never give up! In terms of the overall final score, that was Sidmouth 94, Kingsley 63.