Beds & Herts League 2023

v Northampton (home)     15 August     won 6-0

David Marsh (-1½) and Peter Rothwell (14) beat Lionel Tibble (-1) and Mike Hills (2) +23

John Bevington (1) and Peter Aspinall (10) beat James Skelton (2) and Jane Evans (16) +4t

David Marsh beat Lionel Tibble +20

John Bevington beat James Skelton +25

Peter Aspinall beat Mike Hills +23

Peter Rothwell beat Jane Evans +15
















The League season concluded with a comprehensive win against Northampton which meant that we won the League for the third year in a row. A warm and sunny day, with the lawns freshly mown that morning. In the doubles David was joined by Peter Rothwell, playing off 14 in his first league match. This gave them six bisques, and after Peter had got to 4-back David helped himself to one or two to start a triple which was halted at 1-back, but the win was not long in coming. John and Peter A’s game went the distance and Peter made sure by putting all the balls near the corners in our last turn.

After lunch the top three singles were all won by large margins and Peter R, who was playing full bisque base 10 and therefore only in receipt of four bisques, finished it off not long after completing a rover peel at the second attempt. We now face our third attempt to win the Leagues play-off at Peterborough on 17 September.

Thanks as ever to team captain Bryan Harral for his organisation, encouragement and tea-time cakes.















v Watford (home)     15 June     won 4-2

A good win in difficult and hot conditions, against frustrating opposition in some cases.

David Marsh (-1.5) and Tim Brewer (3) beat Simon Hathrell (-1) and Eddie Chung (12) +8

Bryan Harral (-0.5) and Peter Aspinall (10) beat Alan Clark (3) and David Robinson (10) +6t

David Marsh beat Simon Hathrell +24

Bryan Harral beat Alan Clark +15

Tim Brewer lost to David Robinson -5t

Peter Aspinall lost to Eddie Chung -14t


v Letchworth (away)     10 May     won 4-2

David Marsh (-1½) and David Woolley (10) lost to John Noble (3½) and Colin Davies (5) -3t

Bryan Harral (-½) and John Bevington (1) beat Keith Rhodes (3) and Martin King (14) +5t

David Marsh beat Keith Rhodes +10

Bryan Harral lost to John Noble -15

John Bevington beat Colin Davies +18

David Woolley beat Martin King +1t

After the doubles were divided the first two singles to finish left the match still all square. The rain then intervened, and after David Marsh won his game the pundits (our team among them) were predicting a draw, as David Woolley was behind and not at his best. But he clawed his way back, and time was called with the scores level. Martin took a shot at David’s balls when he might have been better off joining up, and David then made the golden hoop - rover, as it turned out, to win the game and the match. A chairman’s innings, indeed.


v St Albans (home)     4 May     drew 3-3

Bryan Harral (-½) and Peter Aspinall (10) beat Chris Frost (3) and Mike Hann (20) +2t

George Collin (-½) and John Bevington (1) lost to Steven Mills (4) and Stuart Stafford (10) -20

Bryan Harral beat Chris Frost +23

George Collin lost to Steven Mills -26

John Bevington beat Stuart Stafford +12

Peter Aspinall lost to Mike Hann -16

The League is down to five this season as Enfield could not guarantee to be able to field a team and have had to withdraw.

In the doubles George and John had made little progress and when John stuck in 1-back with a laid break the end was not long in coming. The other match was a much closer affair, Bryan and Peter eventually getting home +2t after Bryan had made his last three hoops to establish a lead. In the singles Bryan won comfortably but George ended the day without a point. Stuart was bit off form, possibly as a result of losing an argument with his lunch early in the game, so when Peter lost the match ended in an honourable draw. Weather sunny, but with a keen wind.

David Woolley runs 2-back during his recovery and eventual triumph to win the game and match by the narrowest of margins.

© Wrest Park Croquet Club  

The team for the match against Northampton:
l-r John Bevington, Peter Rothwell, Peter Aspinall and David Marsh

Peter Rothwell peels partner through rover in his game against Jane Evans.

Club

Croquet

Wrest Park

2023 Archive