[<<] [>>] by Chris Clarke at Hurlingham
9th July 2000 (AC - Championships)

• Stephen Mulliner became the British Open Singles champion for the third time (88, 90, 00) and, with Reg Bamford, the Open Doubles Champion too!
• Steve Comish beat Mark Suter +14OTP in the Association Plate
• Jeff Dawson &amp; Tony Mrozinski beat Matt Burrow &amp; Michael Heap +4TP(D) in the Doubles Plate

This years Opens provided the best quality of croquet that I have ever seen. The lawns and hoops were very easy and several players made the most of it. Bamford and Fulford were both exceptional, with Reg looking capable of doing anything he tried and Fulford trying and normally succeeding to play to the highest levels. Mulliner, after a slight scare against Hort was very good, often taking better lines of play than usual. His 3/3 at the tea-lady shot on lawn 4 was a vital part of his success. Maugham was also good but sometimes chose unusual openings given his exceptional shooting ability. Avery, Clarke, Comish and Garrison were all very competitive.

Highlights of the tournament for myself were Bamfords easy sextuples and Fulfords recovery from 1-2 against Garrison, finishing with an all-round 2 ball break.

It was a pleasure to welcome so many foreighn visitors, Mark Suter, Andrew Hobbs, Roger White and Maureen and Brian Bamford to Hurlingham. Hopefully we will have 40 visitors for next years Worlds and another high quality tournament

Chris also mentioned the rude timing of the trophy presentation, held in the middle of one of our foreign guests (Mark Suter) turn in the final of the Plate.

British Open Final 2000

Reg Bamford v Stephen Mulliner, best of 5
Hurlingham Lawn 4
Report by Robert Fulford.

Lawn conditions, slow, unchallenging hoops

Game 1, SNM Wins Toss, Chooses to Go First, RLB Plays RY

1 U to 3 yards W of peg
2 R to middle of Eb
3 K misses R from A-baulk
4 Y misses 19 yd perfect double from B-baulk to v. close to C4
5 K misses gentle hampered stroke after running 1
6 Y misses from 2 to 1
7 U takes rush on K to R near C4, plays stopshot approach 1 sending Y to 2 going too far, goes back to partner.
8 R hits (just) from 1 to Eb. Goes to 4b with DSL leaving K near 2.
9 U misses 13yd shot at K form B-baulk
10 Y finishes

Game 2, RB Plays UK

1 U to Eb level with rover
2 Y 10yd duffer (well placed in relation to hoop 6 to help prevent Reg hitting U and splitting to get a rush on Y to 1)
3 K misses U to just W of C4
4 R misses Y from end of B-baulk
5 U misses K
6 R misses 15yd shot at U
7 K to 4b with DSL
8 Y hits long lift at K (the in lawn ball), sticks in 1
9 U misses from 2 to 1
10 Y goes to 1b with delayed SXP leave
11 U misses 33yd shot
12 R tpos K and pegs 2 balls out
13 U splits towards 1 from Eb level with 6. Takes posn at 1.
14 Y to C4
15 U runs 1, takes posn at 2
16 Y to Wb level with 1
17 U runs 2, takes poor posn at 3
18 Y takes good posn at 1b
19 U hits Y, fails to approach 3 splitting Y to 4, takes posn
20 Y plays to Nb 4 yds E of C2
21 U runs 3 by 9 inches, plays towards hoop 5 being unable to play towards 4.
22 Y to posn at 1b
23 U to posn at 4
24 Y runs 1b, plays to 14yd S of C2
25 U runs 4, takes posn at 5
26 Y hits U rushing it 5 yards, splits U to 1yd W of 2, takes posn at 2b.
27 U shoots at Y hitting 2b and bouncing close to the end of A-baulk
28 Y runs 2b, rushes 6 yarder perfectly in front of 3b and finishes.

Game 3, SM Plays UK

1 U to 3 yards W of peg
2 R to middle of Eb
3 K misses R from the extreme end of B-baulk
4 Y misses 19 yd perfect double from B-baulk (again) to close to C4
5 K goes to 4b with NSL
6 Y hits lift, goes to 1b with delayed SXP leave
7 U hits tea lady shot. finishes

Game 4, RB Plays UK

1 U to Eb level with rover
2 Y 10yd duffer
3 K misses U to C4
4 R misses Y from end of B-baulk
5 U hits K, goes to 1b with delayed SXP leave
6 R hits tea lady shot (again). Goes to 4b with NSL such that K is against hoop 4.
7 U misses long lift badly finishing off the Wb level with 4.
8 Y sends R to 2, manages to rush K half way to U, takes off getting a difficult rush, cuts to just off the end of A-baulk and plays a perfect roll approach to 1. Doesn't get organised in time to do standard TP but completes routine delayed TP with no trouble.

Stephen Mulliner bt Reg Bamford -25TP+9TPO+20TP+20TP

Congratulations to Stephen on his third win in this event (88,90,00). Commisserations to Reg, who hardly made an error all week and generally shot superbly too, though he entirely forgot to run 3b on a SXP against Phil (only the spectators noticed).