Club
Croquet
Wrest Park
Advanced Tournament 3-
The tournament took place at the tail end of a heatwave, and the combination of relatively fast lawns (lawn 2 was measured at around 11 Plummers) and firmly set hoops provided ideal conditions. Manager Eric Audsley organised the 14 players into two equal groups: ½ or below and 1 or above, but there was some crossover as the tournament progressed.
The winner of the top block was Cliff Jones, making a welcome return to Wrest Park, who lost the first of his seven games to George Collin but won the rest. Joel Taylor would have been in the running as he had won five of his six games by Saturday evening but was unable to play on Sunday as he was booked in for the Opens.The other block was won by Gary Bennett, with four wins from seven games.
There were many close finishes. Nick Steiner eventually won +3 against Rod Ashwell after a struggle lasting many hours, and Rod got the better of George Collin +1 after George had gone to 4-
Our thanks to David Woolley and Tim Brewer for keeping us fed and, more importantly in the heat, watered.
Cliff Jones (-
Joel Taylor (½) 5/6
George Collin (0) 6/8
Nick Steiner (0) 4/7
Terry Mahoney (½) 3/7
Bryan Harral (0) 3/7
Rod Ashwell (0) 3/7
Gary Bennett (1½) 4/7
George Woolhouse (2½) 3/6
John Bevington (1) 3/6
Eric Audsley (1½) 2/5
Peter Thompson (2½) 2/6
Philip Windred (3) 3/8
Geoff Strutt (9) 0/7
L-
Terry Mahoney approaching rover on his way to winning against John Bevington.
Bryan Harral seeking shade during his game against Cliff Jones.
© Wrest Park Croquet Club