Mike Akester won Middlesbrough's One-Ball Tournament

[<<] [>>] by Charles Waterfield at Albert Park
19 Apr 2009 (Other News)

On one of the first real sunny spring days, twelve players from local clubs enjoyed an energetic and friendly day of handicap one-ball croquet. Geoff Taylor diligently managed his customary 'Egyptian' format, in which players were matched wherever possible with opponents fairly close in index. There were no time-limits and most people completed games in 30-45 minutes. Five players had 9 games and seven had 8. In this system quality of wins rather than simple number is of most benefit and this proved to be the case.

Alice Fleck galloped away, winning all of her first six games, and looked impossible to catch; however the other runners found form towards the end. In a close finishing bunch, dark horse Mike Akester edged ahead by a length and received the Golden Ball trophy for this year.

Final positions, in terms of index (starting at 100), were as follows: