Sidmouth met their Waterloo when they played Wellington in an Association Croquet B League match, not on the playing fields of Eton, but on the playing fields of Sidmouth, writes Richard Thurlow.

This was a right old battle with players pegging out their opponents (a croquet term, not necessarily fatal) and with games won by the narrowest of margins.

The home team of Penny Ball, Pamela Bowra, Richard Croft and Paul Griew fought a rearguard action to the end, but were left reflecting on what might have been.

Pam, afterwards, echoed Napoleon’s words when she said: “I should have won that battle.”

The final score saw Wellington win by four games to three.