Last weekend, Sidmouth hosted their annual heat of the National Golf Croquet Singles Championship with 14 top-class players taking part, writes Mike Taylor.

Ian Friedlander was the sole Sidmouth representative and performed well against formidable opposition.

Players travelled from as far afield as South Wales and Edinburgh and all were rewarded with superb weather and lawns well up to the standard required at this level.

The competition ran to form with lower handicap players getting through the group stage. Ryan Cabble (Nailsea) and Nick Cheyne (Surbiton) reached the final, which was played as the best-of-three games.

These two young players provided excellent entertainment for a large audience (by croquet standards!) with the outcome undecided till late in the afternoon.

Ryan eventually ran out the winner 6-7, 7-2, 7-4 having previously been runner-up for the last two years.