FOLLOWING their opening league win against Saint Agnes, Bude’s higher handicap team travelled on April 10 to Budleigh Salterton, a national and international venue for croquet with 13 immaculate courts.

Bude's team of five faced a team of six with a much lower average handicap, but immediately rose to the challenge in the first round.

Dave and Val Langdown saw off their opponents 7-4, in just over 30 minutes, whereas captain Colette Ham’s attritional game took over 25 minutes to run the first hoop and over 90 minutes in all before a 7-3 loss.

Pete Cash suffered his first league loss of the season by a very close 7-6 to a player with a handicap six points lower, but Steve Thie won to level the overall score.

In the second round, Cash and Dave Langdown’s emphatic 7-2 win, Val Langdown’s 7-5 victory and Steve Thie’s 7-3 demolition of the opposing captain opened up a 5-3 gap, with Ham involved in another 90-minute marathon which resulted in a narrow 7-6 loss.

Thie and Cash totally outmanoeuvred their opponents in the third round doubles for a 7-0 success, with further victories for Val and Dave Langdown strengthening the lead at 8-4.

The team now needed only three more wins from eight games to secure victory.

However, Budleigh won three games and could have drawn level but for another gritty performance from Ham whose win preserved the lead at 9-7.

With victory possible for both teams, Bude dominated the final round, only a tiring Val Langdown narrowly losing 7-6.

Cash and Thie secured big 7-3 wins against strong opponents, and Dave Langdown was victorious 7-5, for an overall 12-8 win.

The result put Bude top of the league and in good heart before welcoming Budleigh to Crooklets next week.