SCA v CAI 2024
11-12 May, Meadows
HOME SUCCESS IN APPLETON TROPHY
David Appleton presented a trophy for an annual contest between the Scottish Croquet Association (SCA) and the Croquet Association Ireland. The Trophy was first played for in 1987 and takes place in Scotland and Ireland in alternate years and this year it was the turn of the SCA to host the event at the Meadows Croquet Club. The Club did the SCA proud with Charlotte’s excellent catering on both days.
Ownership of the Trophy has continuously oscillated between the associations as neither side has managed to retain it for more than two years. A brief look at records might lead to a sense of jubilation amongst the Scots where the SCA is shown as having a run of four successes at the turn of the century but, in fact, the trophy was shared in two of those years, as it was in 2017.
We were blessed with fabulous weather, especially on the Saturday, and the home team responded to the warmth by building a commanding lead at the end of the first day, courtesy of winning all six of the second round of singles. Competition was then held in abeyance as we all headed off for a very convivial supper at a local restaurant where bottles of wine kept appearing at a rate that ensured that the conversation continued to flow. Your scribe was somewhat bemused to discover that he had ordered a vegetarian haggis which, whilst slightly confusing to the taste buds, was not bad!
The Irish in looking to the heavens for inspiration may have taken the view of the Northern Lights as some form of omen but the lights were mainly in the red part of the spectrum, rather than green so their fortunes did not change and the SCA ran out comfortable victors at the end of play on Sunday. This result means that the tally of Irish wins only exceeds ours by two so there is all to play for next year.
David Magee
Results
(also on Croquet Scores)
SATURDAY
Stefan Colling & Rosemary Saunders Robertson lost to Nathaniel Healy & Jane Morrison -6T (10-16)
John Owen & David Magee beat Russell Harris & Duncan Styles +7T (19-12)
Alastair Burn-Murdoch & Andrew Symons beat Fiachra Carroll & Fred Rogerson +1T (22-21)
Stefan Colling beat Jane Morrison +18
David Magee lost to Duncan Styles -3T (6-9)
Andrew Symons lost to Nathaniel Healy -7T (14-21)
Rosemary Saunders Robertson lost to Russell Harris -17
Alastair Burn-Murdoch beat Fred Rogerson +6
John Owen beat Fiachra Carroll +9
John Owen beat Fred Rogerson +18
Rosemary Saunders Robertson beat Jane Morrison +8T (21-13)
Alastair Burn-Murdoch beat Nathaniel Healy +7
Stefan Colling beat Duncan Styles +19
Andrew Symons beat Fiachra Carroll +7T (24-17)
David Magee beat Russell Harris +2T (15-13)
SUNDAY
Alastair Burn-Murdoch & Andrew Symons beat Nathaniel Healy & Jane Morrison +2T (22-20)
Stefan Colling & Rosemary Saunders Robertson lost to Russell Harris & Duncan Styles -1T (19-20)
John Owen & David Magee lost to Fiachra Carroll & Fred Rogerson -3T (16-19)
John Owen beat Nathaniel Healy +21
David Magee lost to Jane Morrison -24
Stefan Colling lost to Russell Harris -13
Alastair Burn-Murdoch lost to Fiachra Carroll -8
Rosemary Saunders Robertson beat Duncan Styles +24
Andrew Symons beat Fred Rogerson +4T (21-17)
Match score: SCA beat CAI 15-9
