Club

Croquet

Wrest Park

Beds & Herts League 2013

At the start of the season the new Wrest Park lawns were not judged fit for match play, so the decision was taken to play all this season’s League matches away. Although the lawns improved enough for the club to hold tournaments in late June and early July the original decision was held to in order to avoid confusion.


28 August     v Watford (away)     Lost 1-5

Bryan Harral (0.5) and Cliff Hayes (18) lost to John Smallbone (4) and Robin Barry (10) -6T

Tim Brewer (3.5) and Geoff Strutt (7) lost to John Bee (6) and Geoff Johnson (7) -12T

Bryan Harral lost to John Smallbone -25

Tim Brewer lost to John Bee -6T

Geoff Strutt lost to Geoff Johnson -6T

Cliff Hayes beat Robin Barry +11T

Report by Bryan Harral

In the doubles things looked promising when Bryan reached rover early on but Cliff had only reached hoop 3 when time was called while Watford were for rover and rover. Despite Cliff making more hoops in his last turn than he had done in the rest of the game Bryan and Cliff could not catch up. Tim and Geoff did not fare any better so it was 0-2 at lunch.

In the singles things started badly when Bryan was comprehensively beaten by John Smallbone using only 3 bisques. Tim and Geoff could not find their form either, but thanks to a win by Cliff we were not totally crushed. This is not the first time Cliff has saved us from a white-wash at Watford!

Two draws and four losses this season – last year it was four draws and two losses - mean we won the bananas again this year, but I am grateful to everyone who played. Win, lose or draw I have enjoyed the matches and your company.













2 August     v Northampton (away)     Lost 2-4

Bryan Harral (1) and Peter Aspinall (18) lost to Nick Evans (2.5) and Gill Carrick (20) -4T

Cliff Hayes (18) and David Morris (18) beat Les Carrick (11) and Owen Bryce (12) +12T

Bryan Harral lost to Nick Evans -5T

Peter Aspinall lost to Les Carrick -18

David Morris lost to Owen Bryce -16

Cliff Hayes beat Gill Carrick +7T

Report by Bryan Harral

It takes practice and local knowledge (and maybe some aversion therapy) to play on the sloping lawns at Northampton. Having said that, Cliff and David managed to win their doubles match quite convincingly. Bryan and Peter, on the other hand, were outplayed by Nick’s consistently good shooting and hoop approaches. But a lunch-time score of 1-1 looked promising.

After lunch, everything went downhill – excuse the pun. Bryan realised he was playing a master of the contours when, wired from Nick behind hoop 4, he was promptly roqueted by a ball curling around the hoop. He never recovered from the shock and lost. Peter and David struggled in their singles games despite having 8 bisques each. Cliff, who has unfortunately for us spent most of our match days in Spain, changed the outcome from a 1-5 disaster to a 2-4 minor mishap.


30 June     v Melgrave (away)          Drew 2-2

Bryan Harral (1) and John Bevington (1) lost to Duncan Hector (-½) and Chris van Essen (4½) -16T

Peter Aspinall (18) lost to Robert Skeen (8) -2T

Bryan Harral and Peter Aspinall beat Duncan Hector and Robert Skeen +2T

John Bevington beat Chris van Essen +3

This was a first visit to Meldreth, who only have one lawn and in the past have always been visitors to Wrest Park. However we had agreed at the start of the league season that as we could not at that time guarantee the fitness of our new lawns we would play all our matches away. The Meldreth lawn is in the extensive grounds of the village pub, surrounded by trees and next to a small enclosure containing a number of blackface sheep – a charming setting, especially on such a warm and sunny day.


Meldreth were playing as Melgrave (Meldreth + Bygrave) as the home duo of Chris and Robert were supplemented by Duncan Hector. Duncan was on form from the start, with an early break which proved the foundation for the win. Peter had his nose on front on several occasions but lost when Robert produced a late surge.


After lunch Chris made the early running in the singles but John responded and won when, after having pegged out one ball, Chris shot with his rover ball at the other ball near the peg and hit the peg dead centre. As the peg was not very firm in the ground the ball was left within easy reach. Bryan and Peter were behind until Bryan got a good break together and left the balls widely separated with a two point lead. Duncan took the last shot and hit, but went off the boundary in trying to get a rush to 3-back, so we achieved a well-earned draw.



4 May     v Letchworth (away)          Lost 1-5

Bryan Harral (1) and Peter Aspinall (20) lost to George Woolhouse (1.5) and Jeremy Scott (3) -7

Tim Brewer (3½) and David Morris (18) beat Keith Rhodes (7) and John Hall (7) +1T

Bryan Harral lost to George Woolhouse -7

Tim Brewer lost to Jeremy Scott -3

David Morris lost to Keith Rhodes -5

Peter Aspinall lost to John Hall -10

Report by Bryan Harral

“Ooh what lovely lawns you have” said Mr Wrest Park to Mr Letchworth – “all the better to beat you with” replied Mr Letchworth! Another 1-5 loss, but you have to admit we are consistent. We had a bit of luck in Tim and David’s doubles game when Keith inadvertently pegged out his own ball when pegging out David’s. This left a one-ball game between Tim and John Hall which was level when time was called. Fortunately, Tim made the golden hoop and saved us form a whitewash.



26 April     v Enfield (away)          Lost 1-5

Bryan Harral (1) and Peter Aspinall (20) lost to Ken Pickett (2.5) and Wendy Spencer-Smith (18) -1T

David Woolley (7) and David Morris (18) lost to Brian Havill (9) and John Street (14) -18

Bryan Harral beat Ken Pickett +13

David Woolley lost to Brian Havill -24

David Morris lost to John Street -7

Peter Aspinall lost to Wendy Spencer-Smith -1T

Report by Bryan Harral

Losing 1-5 is not a good start to our campaign, but as always we have a good excuse, we were rusty and they were the 2012 League Champions. Having said that, and looking for a silver lining, two games were narrowly lost by 1T so maybe things are not as bad as they first appear. Onward and upward!

© Wrest Park Croquet Club  

The lawn at Meldreth, with the pub in the background on the right.

Player records

Doubles

Singles


P

W

L

P

W

L

Bryan Harral

8

2

6

4

1

3

Peter Aspinall

5

2

3

5

1

4

David Morris

3

2

1

3

0

3

Cliff Hayes

2

1

1

2

2

0

Tim Brewer

2

1

1

2

0

2

David Woolley

1

0

1

1

0

1

Geoff Strutt

1

0

1

1

0

1

John Bevington

1

0

1

1

1

0

Ray Pearcy

1

0

1

1

0

1

Player records

Doubles

Singles


P

W

L

P

W

L

Bryan Harral

8

2

6

4

1

3

Peter Aspinall

5

2

3

5

1

4

David Morris

3

2

1

3

0

3

Cliff Hayes

2

1

1

2

2

0

Tim Brewer

2

1

1

2

0

2

David Woolley

1

0

1

1

0

1

Geoff Strutt

1

0

1

1

0

1

John Bevington

1

0

1

1

1

0

Ray Pearcy

1

0

1

1

0

1