Club

Croquet

Wrest Park

Inter County Championship
29 May -1 June

Bedfordshire had gone up like the rocket and duly came down like the stick, finishing bottom of the 1st division to return whence they came. Ben Ashwell, having just become a proud father, was unavailable, so George Collin was promoted to first pair with Jon Watson. They started in fine style, winning their first two games on time, but were brought up short by a TP by Samir Patel of Surrey in the last game of the day. None of the other pairs managed to win, Bryan Harral and John Bevington losing their first game to a TP by Suffolk’s Mark Avery.

 

We were at Compton again on Sunday, with thankfully better weather but little change in fortune when in the first match against Cheshire the first and third pairs both lost by one on time. Against Nottinghamshire the top pair lost when Jon was TPOed by James Death in our third consecutive 3-0 defeat, but in the last game against Gloucestershire Jon and George overcame the heavyweight pair of Davids Foulser and Kibble and Howard Bottomley and Tom Anderson had their first win against Don Gaunt and Louise Bradforth, so we had at last won a match.

Monday saw us at Southwick being comprehensively beaten by eventual winners Somerset, where Marcus Evans completed a straight triple against Howard and Tom and Ed Duckworth did all the peels of a triple against Bryan and John but then managed to rush partner into the jaws or rover instead of near the peg. Against Lancashire on the top two lawns the team only scored six points between them, so there was no problem getting back to the hotel in time for dinner.

 

The first game on the last day, against Glamorgan, was enlivened by a TPO by Ian Burridge on Bryan, leaving John to try and catch up. Ian eventually pegged himself out, and Kevin Ham had a chance to win by jumping over rover to try and hit the peg.

 

He cleared the hoop but missed the peg, hitting it next turn. Kevin was faced with a similar position in the last game and this time the shot succeeded, drawing the biggest round of applause of the tournament.

 

And so to the final game against Essex. Jon and George lost to Michael Heap and Jonathan Hills, but Bryan and Jon took advantage of some loose play and managed their first win. Meanwhile Howard saved his best till last, playing an inspired turn to go round from hoop 1 and TPO Jack Wicks, leaving Guy Willard to try and defeat the canny Scot. Tom finally pegged out to win +6 and give us our second match win.

 

Of the 66 players in the 1st division only ten had handicaps higher than scratch, and we had four of them. When you are playing in such company any mistakes are likely to be punished severely, and so it proved. For the full story, read Sue Mackay’s excellent Counties report on the CA website.

 

1st pair:     Jon Watson (-1) & George Collin (1)                    P10     W 3     L7

 

TPs against: Samir Patel (Surrey) James Death (Notts) TPO

 

2nd pair:     Howard Bottomley (0) & Tom Anderson (2½)     P10     W2     L8

 

TPs against: Marcus Evans (Somerset) STP

TPs for: Howard - TPO on Jack Wicks (Essex)

 

3rd pair:     Bryan Harral (1) & John Bevington (1½)             P10     W1     L9

 

TPs against: Mark Avery (Suffolk), Ed Duckworth (Somerset) FTP, Ian Burridge (Glamorgan) TPO

 

Looking across the lawns at Southwick on a dull Monday afternoon.

What do you think of it so far?

Rubbish!

Eric and Ernie (aka Tom Anderson and John Wheeler) deliver their verdict while enjoying a wee doch-an-doris on Monday evening.

© Wrest Park Croquet Club