[<<] [>>] by Elizabeth Larsson at Broadwas Croquet Club
27th May 2012 (GC - Inter-Club)

Broadwas beat Tyneside in the first round of the Inter-Club Championship. The Tynesiders had made a long weekend out of the match by making the 250 mile journey south on Friday, visited Tewkesbury Abbey on Saturday, and were now all fired up for the much anticipated match. Their close-by friends at Belsay Hall had warned them of the slopes affecting the Broadwas lawns.

The doubles match started with Colin Green and Alison Heywood-Hill of Tyneside taking the first three hoops and the first game was only secured by Broadwas with a jump shot on the 13th hoop after one hour 42 minutes of play. Thankfully things speeded up after that and at lunch Broadwas had secured all three of the points.

The afternoon saw lots of hard-fought quality croquet played and a win for Mary Harrison of Tyneside over John Steel of Broadwas. Meanwhile Trevor Swindells of Broadwas showed the benefit of playing all winter in New Zealand by completing victories in all his matches.

The overall result was not a fair reflection on the balance of the game as Tyneside scrapped for ever hoop and every point and the result could well have been much closer.

The sides enjoyed the traditional Broadwas hospitality including the first local strawberries and parted the best of friends.

Full Results (Broadwas First)

Stuart Smith (1) and John Edwards (3) beat Colin Green (4) and Alison Heywood-Hill (7) 7-6, 7-0

Trevor Swindells (4) beat Mary Harrison (7) 7-4, 7-6

John Steel (7) beat Barbara Riddick (7) 4-7, 7-4, 7-5

Stuart Smith beat Colin Green 7-4, 3-7, 7-3

John Edwards beat Alison Heywood-Hill 7-3, 7-3

Trevor Swindells beat Barbara Riddick 7-4, 7-2

John Steel lost to Mary Harrison 6-7, 7-5, 4-7