Around the clubs

FENITON - The Feniton bowls tour to Weston super Mare enjoyed excellent weather and social games. On the Friday, the tour visited Chew Stoke Bowling Club and lost. On the Saturday they lost to Ashcombe Park Bowling Club. On Sunday, the teams travelled to Clevedon Bowling Club and won, but lost at Nailsea Bowling Club. The final day saw the team visit Clarence Park Bowling Club and lose again. In the evening, at The Fox and Goose Inn, the tour awards were made, the Player of the Tour was Christine Granger and the runner-up Mike Chipperfield.

In the penultimate week of the season, the mixed team continued to produce good results defeating Axminster, in a return home match, 89-57. Similarly, in a return match, against local rivals Honiton, they won a close match by 75-72. In the final mixed match of the season Feniton defeated Hemyock 84-63. The winning rinks were E Cox, J. Mitchell, Ian Veitch and Tony Kury 30-17, Martyn Eveleigh, Bob Crowe-swords, Sue Kury and Christine Granger 21-13 and Anita Pritchard, Graham Phillips, Frank Jones and Richard North 17-14.

l The weekend was taken up with the three bowls pairs competition. After two days of intense competition and friendly rivalry, Gill Smith and Ian Veitch triumphed over Ruby Veitch and Tony Kury by 22-13.

HONITON - Honiton Outdoor Bowls season came to an end with the traditional Captain’s Day followed by a supper and then the presentation of the trophies to this year’s winners.

Captains, Rita Barwick and Eddie Sharman arranged the day that started with a spider. You know, the thing where the jack is placed in the centre of the green, players surround the green and then bowl to it. After about 101 collisions the bowl nearest the jack gets the prize.

This time, guess what, I won and, believe it or not, Dulcie Broughton was second. We then carried on with a match between 12 teams of triples and the winning trio was Geoff Holding, John Collins and Brenda Harris.

After an excellent supper provided by all the players present we went indoors to witness the Sue Evans, Trevor Pipe extravaganza plus the odd one or two that picked up runners up prizes. Oops, forgot the Captain, Eddie did get a cup for players that have not won a singles before. But the highlight of the evening for me was the presentation of the various extra trophies to the juniors. It was nice to see Liam Crawford there to collect this year’s Pairs Champions Cup with Ken Large. Doug Hirons, the club President, presented the prize for the most improved junior to Kieran Daniels and the Hillyear Junior Singles Cup went to Emily Hedges, a super finish to a very good season.

? I did promise I would tell you a few differences between Indoor and Outdoor Laws before we go in next Saturday.

We will still be working to the World Indoor Bowls Council, Laws of the Sport, First Edition, but they have made four changes for 2010/11. These are issued as a loose leaf attachment and can be downloaded from wibc.org.uk.

You only need to know one of the changes and that is that from September, Indoors you can only give the mat away at the start, or in an extra end and only if you win the coin toss. All other times the winner of an end must keep the mat.

Another important thing is that there is no convention stating that SHOULD and WILL are compulsory in the Indoor Laws. However, those words are still there and I am sure those among us with a PhD in English grammar will tell us that they still convey a desire to obey.

Indoors players only need part of the foot on or over the mat. Also, delaying play by leaving the rink without permission is a mandatory disqualification outdoors but, indoors, the opposition must make a claim for the game.

That’s it, see you on the carpets.

ISCA - Rumours that the Isca Indoor Bowls Centre is to close abound once again, no doubt fuelled by the fact that Parkwood Leisure have taken over the City Council’s entire leisure facility portfolio.

The Isca Centre is not included in that portfolio. Isca Centre Limited is a company that has always leased the unit from the council and is managed by a Board of Directors, writes Tony Broughton.

The centre lease comes up for renewal at the end of September and the council has made more stringent demands with respect to the lease.

They required an acceptance in principle of the proposed lease by the end of September, therefore an EGM was called to discuss the proposals.

As an ex-Director, I was present at that meeting during which the Board reported that they were quite sure the new terms and conditions are achievable. In view of this, a proposal to accept the offer was unanimously carried, so we can still expect to play bowls and bridge at Isca for some years to come. Tell everyone you meet.

AXMINSTER - had a disappointing finish, winning only one of their six friendlies.

They lost heavily, 111-51 at United Services (Barnstaple) with no winners, then to Ottery (57-95), at Culmvale (57-84), at home to Severalls in a close contest (63-66), and at Feniton (57-89). However, they ended with a home win over Chardstock (87-60) despite narrowly losing on three of the four rinks played - heroes were: Phil White, Veena Cole, Bob Sherborne, and Joyce Copp (41-4)!.

Club winners are: Ladies’ 4-wood singles: Joyce Copp; Ladies 2-wood singles: Joyce Copp; Ladies ‘101’: Ann Clayton; Men’s 4-wood singles: Brian Clark; Men’s 2-wood singles : Brian Clark; Men’s ‘101’: David Harris; Ladies’ 4-wood drawn pairs: Phil White and Ann Clayton; Mixed 4- wood drawn pairs: Joyce Copp and Bob Sherborne; Mixed 3-wood drawn pairs: Ann Clayton and Roger Legg; Non-winners Cup: June Teale; Club ‘Triples’ and ‘Umbrella’ Competitions were Sheila Martin and Brian Clark respectively.

SEATON - lost 99-98 to tourists Solenteers. Top triple was Olive Blunden, Betty Steer and Don Yaxley.

They beat Taunton in a six mixed rink 116-100. Top rink was Ian Manchester, Gillian Sykes, Angie Mayhew and Roy Carnell.

Seaton were runners up for the second year running in the 32 team Exeter over-60s’ League round robin at Budleigh Salterton represented by Ron Rowley, Ivor Steer and Les Tooze.

Seaton lost a seven rink match 164-119 to South Molton Tourists.

The men, in a reduced match to four triples against Madeira, lost heavily by 51- 77. Top Seaton triple was John Packham, Gerry Barry and Don Yaxley.

CHARDSTOCK- The ladies team lost to Sidmouth 48-29 after a good run of results.

A mixed team could only win on one rink at South Petherton in a 4 rink match. They lost 65-74.

Chardstock mixed team travelled to Axminster for a four rink game on the artificial outdoor surface – always a difficult adjustment to make from playing on grass, and lost 86-60. The scores were close on three rinks, but Chardstock suffered terribly on the fourth, not even reaching double figures. B Howard, P Baldwin, M Rogers K Wakelin won 18-14, P Potter, C Bradford, G Bodily, N Denslow won 17-16, P Bowden, R Wines, M Davenport, B Sluman won 21-16, T Bird, S Dando, J Marks, M Sturley lost 4-40

l A successful and enjoyable season came to an end on Sunday with Captain’s Day, when 24 members enjoyed a three rink, 11 ends of bowls and the afternoon concluded with a barbecue. With no indoor facilities, some members will play indoors throughout the winter for local clubs, with members also playing away games until the outdoor season begins again in April 2011.