[<<] [>>] by Ian Bond at Surbiton
24th April 2000 (AC)

With only five lawns available this year, the field for this event was reduced to 24 from its normal 30. Heavy rain in the preceding weeks had made the lawns slow, and a hailstorm mid-afternoon on the Sunday left standing water on two of them for the rest of the day which had barely drained by the following morning. But we battled on nonetheless...

Fulford was again outstanding, conceding four points in his first game but then only a single croquet stroke until his last, against Patmore, who was at least able to break the sequence of triples and had Fulford in some trouble. Fulford barely hit the short final lift to gain the innings for the first time, and peeled his partner to four on the way to peg - reducing Patmore to his 4b ball. After a few turns of manoeuvring, Patmore had taken up residence in corner three and Fulford had a tight rush north, wired behind the fourth hoop. From there he proceeded to construct a textbook three-ball break (making fourth off Patmore's ball) to win the Robert Prichard trophy for the fourth time in five years.

Manager, RoT and handicapper: Ian Bond

Handicap Changes

Morrow reduced from 1 to .5
Bennett increased from - .5 to 0

Results

Round 1

R Fulford +22tp B Smith
N Morrow +16 N Gray
E Dymock +17 C Ross
S Comish +25 J Cosier
T Wilkins +8 C Patmore
G Bennett +13 M Bigg
G Noble +19 E Solomon
C Steward +3 P Hort
C Farthing +12 K Carter
C Southern +7 P Healey
C Clarke +10tp R Jenkins
M Murray +19 A Fathers

Round 2

Fulford +25tp Morrow
Comish +25tp Dymock
Bennett +5 Wilkins
Noble +10 Steward
Farthing +6tp Southern
Clarke +17tp Murray
Smith +25 Gray
Cosier +9 Ross
Patmore +16 Bigg
Hort +20 Solomon
Carter +9 Healey
Jenkins +17 Fathers

Round 3

Fulford +24tp Comish
Noble +5 Bennett
Farthing +12 Clarke
Morrow +26 Dymock
Wilkins +14 Steward
Southern +8 Murray
Smith +11 Cosier
Patmore +5 Hort
Carter +11 Jenkins
Gray +11 Ross
Solomon +16 Bigg
Fathers +5 Healey

Round 4

Fulford +26tp Noble
Comish +26tp Farthing
Clarke +10 Bennett
Wilkins +5 Morrow
Southern +18 Smith
Patmore +26tp Carter
Dymock +13 Steward
Cosier +18 Murray
Jenkins +26tp Hort
Solomon +22 Gray
Fathers +17 Ross
Bigg +20 Healey

Round 5

Fulford +26tp Farthing
Comish +17tp Noble
Morrow +20 Bennett
Solomon +5 Wilkins
Patmore +25 Southern
Dymock +3 Smith
Jenkins +3 Cosier
Carter +2 Fathers
Hort +21 Murray
Bigg +17 Gray
Healey +4 Ross

Round 6/7

Patmore +26 Comish
Jenkins +18 Southern
Hort +26 Cosier
Fulford +4 Patmore
Noble +14 Farthing
Jenkins +19 Morrow
Hort +24 Carter
Bennett +7 Southern
Fathers +20 Cosier
Ross +19 Murray
Healey +13 Gray
Smith +13 Wilkins

Winner: Fulford 6/6
Next: Jenkins 5/7
Patmore 5/7
Then: Comish 4/6
Noble 4/6