I'm oblivious to sport.

When it comes to football I know more about the beautiful players than the beautiful game - well hello Mr Beckham!

Bowls is another game that leaves me baffled. It's certainly in a league of its own, not that I'd taken much notice of it until I was on maternity leave.

Quite often I'd sit on a bench during one of my regular pram-pushes trying to grasp what was going on as a group of folk gathered around some bowls on the village green while my little one slept.

I do recall some great camaraderie, which is probably why I decided it was the kind of sport, if I was interested in doing anything other than walking for exercise, I'd like to do.

This apparently gentile pastime didn't appear to be fiercely competitive. Well, that's what I thought until I joined a group of bowlers at Birkenshaw Park in Birkenshaw village.

Firstly, I was amazed that the sport wasn't as serene as I thought. Hurling that weighty wood along a 19-metre stretch is a skill in itself and one I was determined to perfect with the help of Rusty Hatherley and husband-and-wife team David and Margaret Andrew.

Rusty's introduction to the sport around 30 years ago came through a neighbour. Rusty had moved to the area with the fire service and lived a few doors away from a crown green bowler. From the moment he got on the green, he was hooked.

David, priest at St Paul's Church in Birkenshaw, and wife Margaret took up bowls six years ago after retiring from teaching. The appeal was that it was a pastime they could do together. Margaret is a member of the lady veterans team at Brighouse Club and David and Rusty bowl for Birkenshaw.

I watch the masters at work before having a go myself. I sense Rusty's slight apprehension from his jest about me using his bowls!

Thankfully the morning drizzle had abated but the green was still pretty damp from the previous few days' rain when I took my place on the footer (bowling speak for the mat you place your foot on to deliver the jack or bowl from).

With a quick flick of a beer towel, my wood (bowl) is wiped clean from dirt and grass - we can't let a bit of muck and rain stop play, these guys and girls play in all weathers, as I discovered.

I take my bowl and pause to focus on which bias I should take to reach the jack. This skill is all second nature to seasoned bowlers but for a novice like me it was slightly confusing. The bias determines the way the bowl curves round to the jack. Bowling out with either finger or thumb on the dimple of the bowl causes it to curve in a certain way. And the reason why it does this is all to do with the way the wood is weighted.

Rusty informs me I have to tell my opponent whether I'm bowling out on finger or thumb. To be honest, I'm tempted not to tell - that would be giving the game away! Rusty tells me it's bowling etiquette so I'd better do as I'm told. I don't want to be banned from the green!

Another major consideration with crown green bowling is the flow of the green. The name crown comes from the green rising to a peak. If you throw too far, as I discovered on more than one occasion, your bowl rolls down the curved sides into the gutter!

I'm ready. Away we go. Wow, it's quite a weight as I hurl it forward, narrowly missing a jack coming towards me from another corner. It's the Birkenshaw club's open day, the aim being to introduce more people into the sport, so there's a steady flow of beginners, like me, all taking a shot.

I'm miles away so I need to apply more pressure. I take my place on the footer one more time. Pause, scrutinse the destination and away we go again. Not bad, the bowl and jack are nearly kissing! I'm almost bowled over by surprise.

Half an hour into practice and my confidence is growing. "It's a bit like snooker without the cue!" I joke.

Rusty tells me that a proper match takes an hour to play. The winner is the first to reach 21.

I manage to win two practice games, which I put down to beginner's luck. Rusty and I join David and Margaret in a light-hearted doubles match. After a cracking start I bowl wide and, in some cases, way off.

There were a few false starts and some dead ends - a technical term where the game is completed with no score - but all in all I had a fantastic time.

So how did I fair? "You got to grips with the speed and direction very quickly. Most take a few sessions to start getting the jack close," says a very generous David.

My perception of bowls as a serene sport has changed. I bet on match days it's pretty exciting. It's exercise, so it has health benefits, and it gives you the opportunity to have fun in the fresh air. And it's a good excuse to leave the mobile phone at home - modern technology is banned from the green!

But, more importantly, to pinch a quote from the British Crown Green Bowling Association which governs the game and celebrates its centenary this year, it is a sport for all.

  • For more information about crown green bowling contact the British Crown Green Bowling Association on (0151) 6485740.