Meadows West
The format was three rounds, eighteen point games with full bisques (base 10) with a
possible play-off should there be no clear winner at the end of this. Fortunately,
this was unnecessary.
Before the games even started, I was confronted with awkward questions as manager.
In an 18 point game, once the first ball goes through hoop 1, partner ball goes to
3-back. But, showing his Lauriston roots, Joe Henderson asked what happened if
he peeled partner ball through hoop 1 – did this mean that the ball he was playing
with was then for 3-back? My opinion was that it did, but it would be a rather
pointless exercise! (The laws say “… as soon as one of the balls of a side scores
hoop 1 for itself or by being peeled through hoop 1, 3-back becomes the next hoop for
its partner ball and the appropriate clip is placed on 3-back immediately. If both
the striker’s ball and the partner ball complete the running of hoop 1 in the same stroke,
it is deemed that hoop 1 was only scored by the striker’s ball.”) In the event,
no-one attempted to peel their ball through hoop 1, so the question was purely academic.
As manager, it was my role to cook the lunch, so once all the games had started, I prepared
to leave. But as I did so, another awkward refereeing question arose. Joe
Henderson accidentally changed from playing his red ball to his yellow ball after running
hoop 1. Neither he nor his opponent, Chris, had spotted this. However,
Joe Lennon, who was playing on the same lawn, mentioned it without thinking to
Chris. I was called on to decide whether Joe H’s turn should end (Joe himself
being totally unaware of all the discussion). Chris did not think he would have
spotted the error, and was happy to condone it. I agreed, but then made a
telephone call to Rod in Cambridgeshire to check I’d made the right decision.
By the time I returned from the shops, both Joe H and Chris had used all their bisques,
with a rather lamentable scarcity of hoops. But at least no more refereeing
questions…
Wrong balls seemed to be a prominent feature of the first round. Robert had a
superb turn, under complete control, only to realise well into it that he was playing
with Duncan’s ball. And Tony, in his game against Joe L, played the wrong ball
twice. Perhaps the brilliant sunshine was going to all their heads. It also
led to some slow play – all the games went close to, or over, the 2¼ hour
time-limits. Both Joes were victorious, and Duncan finally managed to beat
Robert +3 on time (a close game, in which Robert as well as Duncan played some
excellent turns but neither seemed to be able to complete them).
Lunch (or perhaps the wine?) seemed to loosen the players up a little, and the
remaining games were mostly played much more expeditiously. Joe Lennon beat
Joe Henderson in less than an hour, and Duncan beat Chris in about the same amount
of time. Tony beat Robert, meaning that the final round of games got started
in good time for an early finish to the day.
On the third lawn, James Hopgood was practising hard, and announced with elation that he
had succeeded in doing his first triple, the one minor flaw being that he had failed to
put a peg on the lawn...
In the third round, I was surprised to see Joe Henderson join up, having scored a hoop, at
hoop 1 with Tony’s balls joined up at hoop 2. Joe explained that his aim in the game
had been fulfilled – he was not going to be whitewashed by Tony! Joe has started a
campaign for double bisques for the over-eighties. Despite this somewhat uninspiring
start to the game, Joe went on to win without any extra bisques – albeit on time.
While Joe relaxed in the knowledge of his hoop, the other 20 handicap player, Chris, was
getting into his form. His scores were improving each game, and he succeeded in
scoring six hoops without a bisque in his final game against Robert. This was not
enough to gain him a win, however, but it was a creditable performance in his first-ever
tournament. [Actually it was his second tournament, but the previous one was just
short croquet - Ed.]
At the beginning of the third round, Duncan and Joe Lennon were both unbeaten, and
since they were playing one another, the winner of that game was to be the winner of the
tournament. It was hardly surprising that they were the contenders in the final,
given that both of them have had significant handicap rises this year – I found it hard to
believe that Joe was playing off 16, and Duncan off 14 – and they were both playing
significantly better than those handicaps. However, the end of their game was wobbly
to say the least. Duncan missed a very short, gentle roquet at penult, leaving Joe
the opportunity to run rover and peg out in that turn. Joe, however, chose to ignore
Duncan’s balls and take his own ball down to rover, leaving himself no opportunity to peg
out. He joined up, well away from Duncan’s balls, and Duncan promptly hit in.
Just as things were getting exciting, Duncan missed another short roquet and Joe managed
his peg-out, +5.
Joe L was presented with the prestigious “Walker Cup in absentia Cup” as the whereabouts of
the cup were unknown (perhaps with Steven Boyne, last year’s winner?). [In fact
the Walker Cup had been left in the pavilion by Steven, who had phoned the Match
Secretary to say where it was, but as the Match Secretary was away for the weekend the
message didn't get through in time.] A good day was had by all, and we finished it
off in Cloisters.
Charlotte Townsend
Results
Joe Lennon beat Tony Whateley +6, Joe Henderson +14 and Duncan Reeves +5.
Duncan Reeves beat Robert Lay +3T and Chris Soper +9
Joe Henderson beat Chris Soper +13 and Tony Whateley +3T
Tony Whateley beat Robert Lay +12
Robert Lay beat Chris Soper +8
