On Sunday, a squad of Somerset’s young bowlers travelled to Bristol to play their first round game in the Under 18’s National Indoor Bowls, Two Rink Triples Competition.

In the lead up to the game the tension was running high for our team of Madison King, Lydia Sheldrake, Chloe Holmes, Cameron Bowen, Jack Vine, Lucas Powell with substitutes Fliss Sheldrake and Zach Broom as their opponents, Gloucester were fielding a very strong squad, including a couple of international players.

Unfortunately, Chloe had to pull out due to illness, so Zach stepped into the breach. Well done Zach and get well soon Chloe, all the team send you their best wishes.

And so to the game! And what a game it was. I don’t think any of Somerset’s supporters had any finger nails left at the end.

The game consists of two rinks of triples; that is two teams of three players each with three woods and they play eighteen ends.

Well, after the first six ends one of our rinks were drawing on three shots each while the other was 9 - 7 down and the tension was mounting amongst our supporters.

A few more ends and both rinks were trailing 9 - 4 and 11 - 10 and the supporters were getting worried.

After fifteen ends the finger nails were definitely being chewed as we were 12 - 10 and 16 - 15 down.

With only one end to go both of Somerset’s teams were losing by one shot meaning they needed one each to draw and two to win.

With the teams supporters on the very edges of their seats and with no nails left, the pressure was certainly intense, but guess what, we won!

Our team were incredible, keeping their cool and never giving, both rinks claimed the two shots to make it a great victory for Somerset.

Well done to all the team and especially to Fliss, our sub and Peter, the team manager. You were all amazing.

It’s a Round Robin competition consisting of four county groups. The winner of each group and the highest loser will go on to the National final at Nottingham in March. Next our team will meet Devon in what we hope will be a game which is just as successful but hopefully less stressful. Not sure us mums, dads, grans, nans and grandads can stand the strain. NH