Club

Croquet

Wrest Park

Mary Rose 2024

v Pinchbeck (home)     2 May     won 4-3

John Bevington (½) and Tim Brewer (2½) lost to Adrian Kirby (0) and Gordon Mills (3) -24

Tim Nurse (9) lost to Charles Ostler (3½) -18

Peter Rothwell (8) beat Mike Bowser (4) +24

John Bevington beat Adrian Kirby +20

Tim Brewer lost to Gordon Mills -5t

Peter Rothwell beat Charles Ostler +4t

Tim Nurse beat Mike Bowser +1t

Peter and Tim Nurse were making their Mary Rose debuts and this was their first experience of Level Advanced play. To their great credit they both won their afternoon singles to get us over the line by the narrowest of margins, but, as is often the case in this competition, the scoreline is only half the story.

We agreed on three-hour time limits, which after the morning’s play seemed more than adequate. John and Tim B failed to make anything of the few opportunities on offer, but Peter’s play was in stark contrast, going to 4-back early on and then doing two peels of a TP before running out an easy winner, so we were 2-1 down before everyone sat down to a good lunch provided by Bryan and Sharman Harral. The weather was relatively kind: no rain or wind and some sunshine in the afternoon.

All four lawns were used for the afternoon singles which eliminated the delays and possible confusion that can be caused when double-banking. Given that three of the games went to time this probably a wise move. John recovered his form with an early break to 3-back which included a fluke peel of partner through 1. Adrian’s form of the morning rather deserted him and John won after a good finishing turn.

Tim B was struggling out on lawn 4 but recovered before eventually losing on time, so it was now 3-2 to Pinchbeck and all depended on Peter and Tim N.

Peter running 2-back

Tim running rover

Peter finally got home in spite of (I think this is what happened) forgetting a lift and laying up near corner 3! Tim sometimes failed to heed the Walker Brothers advice to make it easy on yourself, but held on to win +1t to give us the match win. Phew!

Many thanks to team organiser Bryan Harral for looking after us all day, and to the grounds team for getting the lawns cut the day before.

© Wrest Park Croquet Club