The Spears Trophy is once again held by Sidmouth bowlers, writes Carol Smith.

The Spears Trophy is our ladies’ invitation game where we invite six teams from other clubs in the area.

It is a great fun afternoon where six Sidmouth teams play each of the visiting teams, but only four ends each and then move on to the next rink, which does not offer much chance of mastering the green!

With the weather being so hot, the decision was taken to play over three ends.

The last time Sidmouth won the trophy was back in 2013 and we are delighted to once again have the trophy back with us.

The team that won it back, scoring a terrific plus 19, were Wendy Cox, Joan Monagham, Elaine Reed and skip Val Newnham.

There was a delicious half-time tea organised by several ladies and served by Pat Harvie, Chris Hamer, Chris Leedham and John Mason, with birthday boy Mike Cox on bar duties.

The past week also saw Sidmouth ladies attend a couple of invitation games. One of those was a trip across to Madeira to play in their Pomeroy Trophy meeting.

We sent four ladies, Carol Timms, Liz Boyle, Anita Mason and skip Carol Smith, who all had a lovely afternoon engaging with good company and enjoying a scrumptious tea.

With a score of plus 12 points, the team finished third. Apparently last year’s winners scored plus 11, so we did not do too badly!

Three of our men, Phil Meadows, Stewart Thompson and skip Peter Mison, went to Budleigh to play in the Victory Bowl and they returned with a medal and a bottle of wine, so well done, to them.

On Monday of this week, Sidmouth hosted the ladies’ Section Three County two-wood triples.

There were 16 teams in action including no fewer than three from Sidmouth!

Unfortunately, two Sidmouth teams were knocked out in the first round, but one survived and also went on to to win the second round.

So, very well done, to Jean Brimson, Ann Capon and skip Jill Bishop, who now proceed to play a Honiton trio in the next round. We wish them well.

? The latest outings for the Sidmouth A and B teams in their respective Exeter and District Over-60s Triples League matches produced mixed results..

The B team entertained Seaton B and lost overall.

The B team have not enjoyed the best of summers so far, but there remain several games to play and so hopes are high for a strong finish.

The A team fared rather better when they journeyed to Uffculme A where the triple of Bill Sheerman, Ken Wheeler and skip Chris Nappin, went into their final end with an overall two shot lead.

However, Uffculme were two shots up overall (which would have meant a draw), but Chris still had one wood left and drew a beautiful second shot, therefore winning the game by the narrowest of margins – a single shot – which led to the team banking an important six points.

? A Friday meeting with our long-standing friends from Heavitree was contested over four rinks.

Once again, as has been so often the case this glorious summer, the weather was at its brightest and the teams served up play to match the weather!

Before we stopped at the halfway mark for tea, one of our rinks was looking pretty bad, but, and not for the first time this season, the tea break worked wonders for a Sidmouth team and they bounced back to win by five shots.

Of course, the visitors were wondering if we had put something in their tea – as if!

The aggregate score was 76 to Sidmouth and 55 to Heavitree.

In what was an exceptional all-round performance, there were wins across the board for the home rinks and as for being the top home rink on the day, that honour went Mary Meadows, Susie Bonnell and skip Wilf Radburn, who won 17-9.