Scottish Croquet Association

Middle Bisquers 2024

8-9 June 2022, Balgreen

A clash of schedules with the inaugural appearance of the Balgreen GC team at Carrickmines for three European inter-club matches depleted the field for the Middle Bisquers.  Attempts to increase numbers worked temporarily; thus only four players competed in a single block twice round.  Proximity to Murrayfield, the Taylor Swift venue for three days, did not affect play but produced the spectacle of appropriately attired fans passing by the lawns for the evening concerts.

Both days were devoid of rain with good sunshine and intermittent cloud and occasional wind.  Lawns 1 and 2 were generally running well; the rabbits had not left many marks and the birds kept away.

Time was set for 2:45.  After a random draw, John Campbell (8) pegged out +16 against David Houston (4) on Lawn 1, whilst on Lawn 2 Adrian Craxton (11) applied his own tactics to overcome Roger Binks (6) +13 on time.   In round 2 Adrian and John tussled to time reaching 12-7, whereas Roger and David managed to get to 21-19.  Round 3 saw an improvement as David won against Adrian +14 on time; whilst John was forced to sit and watch Roger peg out +26 after 70 minutes and returned home earlier than expected.

Two wins for Adrian imposed a reduction to 10; Roger was also on 2 wins with 1 each for David and John.  Time was reduced to 2:30 and the order for day 2 altered.  Round 4 was very tight, seeing Adrian to 16 against John’s 15.  Time was called in David’s turn and it was 16 all after the final turn; however a lapse by Roger and a distanced 4-back running by David clinched that game.  In round 5 David overcame Adrian +24 and Roger beat John +17.  This meant three on 3 wins for a tense round 6.  Roger was first to finish +14 over Adrian, whilst David and John ran to time for 16-12 in favour of David.

Only five out twelve games had finished within time.  John had won 1, Adrian 3 and 4 each for David and Roger.  Using gross hoops Roger was 10 (or net 20) ahead of David (a previous winner) who presented Roger with the Adam Trophy.

Roger Binks (manager)

Results

(also on Croquet Scores)