Powfoulis
After only two entries last year it was good to have four players contesting this
year's tournament which was run as short croquet with one-hour time limits. Manager
and defending champion, Fergus, organised the tournament with his customary
efficiency so we played each other twice, once on each lawn, before and after
lunch. The lawns were as good as they have ever been but still a long way
short of the description "lawns". As in the past the best technique for rushing
seemed to be to jump the striker's ball so that it landed just behind the object ball
and rushed it in the desired direction.
Round 1:
AW v JL: Alan got to 2 in turn 1, Joe jawsed in 1, Alan peeled and went round
to 4. Joe then used his bisques to reach 5 and 6 while Alan used two to
reach peg with the back ball and the remaining bisques to finish.
FM v AH: Allan found the conditions very difficult indeed with balls either
stopping dead before hoop position or scooting past and attempted roquets sailing
clean over the top of the object ball. Fergus used his past experience
to take two tidy breaks round and finished +14.
Both games took about 45 minutes.
Round 2:
JL v FM: Fergus used his full bisque to make hoop 1 then went round to 6. Joe
used his bisques well using the last to peel partner through 6. He failed the
long peg-out and also the attempted peg-out with striker's ball. Fergus then
went round to peg peeling partner through 6, used oppo to cannon the peelee to the
side but failed to get a rush to peg. Joe failed to peg out again and Fergus
finished.
AH v AW: Allan (H) was still finding the lawns very difficult but, at last, made a
couple of hoops. Alan (W) had two tidy breaks using his bisques and
finished. Again both games finished well within time.
Round 3:
AH v JL: Allan and Joe both made the mistake of taking the first ball round to 6
leaving a pioneer (or two) at hoop 1. Oppo then used a bisque to start.
Unfortunately for Joe his mistake was second so Allan took his second ball round to
win.
FM v AW: Alan went clean through 1 to North Boundary on turn 1 then took partner ball
round to 6 on turn 5 without bisques. Fergus missed the leave, used his bisque
and failed hoop 1. Alan used a bisque to make hoop 2 then missed the reception
ball 4 times(!) using the remaining bisques. Alan had reached hoop 5 with Fergus
at 1 and 2 but left Fergus a lift with his back ball and a pioneer at 1. Two
controlled breaks with a good leave, which Alan missed. Fergus wins in 30 minutes.
Lunch. The normal Powfoulis 5 courses. Good yeoman fare.
Round 4:
Too much food, feel sleepy, note taking deteriorates, memory starts to fail.
AH v FM: Fergus takes turn 3 to peg; Allan is seriously intimidated. Fergus wins.
JL v AW: Joe runs 6 after 2, uses bisque, jumps over reception ball. Alan to 6.
Joe to peg. Alan decides not to use bisques to start second ball. Joe
finishes. Oops.
Both games 30 minutes, peg-outs virtually simultaneous, Fergus and Alan trip over
boundary string in near unison.
Round 5:
AW v AH:
Allan (H) uses bisques in turn 3 to reach 6. Alan (W) uses bisques to peel and
peg out Allan (H). Allan (H) nearly manages three ball break. Alan finishes.
FM v JL:
Fergus continues to play well-controlled breaks and wins.
Round 6:
AW v FM: Fergus goes to 3 on turn 2. Alan can't compete with the shooting
accuracy. Fergus fails initial peg-out, short by inches with balls in contact,
so pegs out partner ball. Alan hits ball at peg from near East boundary, fails
to make a hoop. Fergus hits peg from near hoop 1.
JL v AH: Joe gains revenge on Allan.
So Fergus wins and retains the trophy. He was the only player to regularly
roquet and make rushes and thoroughly deserved his victory. No games went to
time and the final game between Alan and Fergus was the longest of the match
lasting some 55 minutes mainly because Alan was standing wondering what to do.
Alan Wilson
| FM | AW | JL | AH | Wins | Points | |
| Fergus McInnes | -- | +5 +11 |
+2 +9 |
+14 +9 |
6 | +50 |
| Alan Wilson | −5 −11 |
-- | +5 −9 |
+12 +6 |
3 | −2 |
| Joe Lennon | −2 −9 |
−5 +9 |
-- | −5 +9 |
2 | −3 |
| Allan Hawke | −14 −9 |
−12 −6 |
+5 −9 |
-- | 1 | −45 |
Allan Hawke, Fergus McInnes with the Bridal Style Trophy*, Joe Lennon.
*(not that he - or any of the others - is likely ever to be a bride, but at least he is dressed in white)
