David Maugham won the 2024 Newport open weekend 18th-19th May

[<<] [>>] by Nick Steiner at Newport Croquet Club
19 May (AC)

Seven players entered the Newport tournament, handicaps ranging from -2.5 to 2.

We played a block with four games played on Saturday, and two on Sunday. Managed excellently by Andrew Gregory. There was time between games for Gabrielle Higgins and David Maugham to join Gabrielle's Godson, Bertie Baker aged 11 and his Mum for a game of Pirates on a short croquet lawn (Once the rules were explained to David). Every so often there were whoops of delight when Bertie hit a ball or ran a hoop, a refreshing reminder of how much fun croquet can and should be.

After a cool start on Saturday the sun came out and we enjoyed glorious sunshine throughout.

Higgins and Maugham dominated the other five with Higgins making 3 triples out of 5, and Maugham had 2 triples and 3 failed sextuples.

The final was best-of-three

Game one
Maugham to 4 back
Higgins to 4 back having had to jump through 1 back. NSL leave
Maugham hits lift wins +17tp

Game two
Higgins to 4-back NSL
Maugham misses lift
Higgins breaks down at 1-back and penult
Maugham picks up break
Higgins misses lift
Magham wins +10tp

Maugham wins the Cornelius Trophy