Club

Croquet

Wrest Park

AC Handicap Tournament 17-18 May

report by manager Eric Audsley

The tournament was won by Peter Rothwell (7) who won 5 games out of 6 in a flexible Swiss block of (initially) 10. One can only watch Peter’s playing of a 4-ball break with admiration for his precision, so if you are giving him bisques then watching is more or less all you can do.

George Collin (0) beat Peter by hitting in between his breaks, going round and peeling Peter’s ball and then pegging him out. With his remaining bisques Peter only made it to 4-back. Close. Unfortunately for George, he had lost one other game and because Peter had played more games (it doesn’t take long to do a couple of 4-ball breaks), he won the block on percentage.

When he was giving away bisques one of Peter’s games took three hours. Several other games also went to time, most notably when John Wells beat Hugh Gilbert 12-11! Poor Hugh managed only one day’s play and is now off for a hip transplant. Typically with Swiss blocks, most people won 2 games out of 5.

Peter Rothwell (7) 5/6

George Collin (0) 4/5

Tim Nurse (9) 3//5

Hugh Manson (4) 3/5

John Wells (9) 2/5

Jonathan Toye (7) 2/5

Tim Brewer (2½) 2/5

Eric Audsley (1) 2/5

Hugh Gilbert (8) 1/3

David Gillett (7) 0/5

© Wrest Park Croquet Club

Peter Rothwell receives the trophy from Eric Audsley