As the indoor season draws to a close at Sidmouth the penultimate Wednesday of April saw the playing of the bi-annual ladies versus gentleman fixture, writes Carol Smith.

This fixture is played each September and April and, in the September meeting it was the ladies who prevailed, winning on no fewer then five of the six rinks to claim an overall 21 shot margin after two sessions of excellent bowls.

The gentlemen were clearly intent on ‘getting their own back’ and they made a terrific start, winning all three of the morning rinks! However, all three were considerably close encounter to such a degree that, at the midway point, the overall lead was one of just five shots.

On to the afternoon session and the ladies powered back, securing an overall afternoon session success of 13 shots and that, when combined with the results from the morning, left the ladies once again celebrating success with the final overall margin between the teams being one of eight shots!

It certainly was a great day with lots and lots of banter and laughter and, all-round, great fun.

It must also be reported normal bowls etiquette went right out of the window!

I was kindly reminded that the men won on four of the six rinks, but, hey ho – it is the final overall score that ‘really’ matters!

We rounded off a splendid day in the bar with a few nibbles and drinks.

Back to the bowls and the top ladies rink, and undoubtedly the quartet that ensured the ladies were once again the overall winners, was the one of Jean Brimson, Gill Cronk, Karen Hollingdale and skip Susie Bonnell, who recorded an outstanding score of 24 shots to five.

The next such meeting of ladies and gentlemen will be the outdoor version in May.

Yours truly would like to think we could beat them again, but last year’s May encounter saw just a single success for the ladies.

Early in the outdoor season until the greens are ‘run in’ the men have the advantage, as they are much stronger in the arm!