Nicky Newberry won the McClements Cup

[<<] [>>] by Minty Clinch at Cheltenham
22nd April (AC - Handicap)

Cheltenham Croquet Club opened its Easter season with a fierce handicap competition for the McClements Cup. 22 players arrived on a bitter Good Friday to find James Death, a last minute replacement for Peter Petrie, in full control of the organisation as well as the catering he'd already signed up for. Nine hours later, he announced the skilful octet who'd fought their way to the Saturday knockout to three heavily muffled survivors in semi darkness.

Most would have put money on Sarah Hayes and Dave Kibble; others who had risen to the occasion included the Nottingham couple, Mike Hedge and Nicky Newberry, Liz Webb from Bowdon, Kibble's fellow Bristolian, Neil Kingston, and Cheltenham's own John Gilden and Brent Watkins.

By the time James served his pork pie lunch on Saturday, eight had become four, with the two minus handicappers, Dave and Sarah, in one semi and Neil (2.5) and Nicky (18) in the other. James, who'd endured a 26-0 defeat by young titan, Harvey Smith, when he filled in as a spare in the consolation event, grabbed a pint and sat down to wait. And wait. Games between experts are often played with swift dispatch, but not this one. 'It'll be over when one of us stops messing up', Sarah commented on her way to a narrow win. An all women's final? Only if Nicky's forest of bisques could hold out against Neil's rare errors. As it did. James sighed and pulled another pint. Nearly everyone else went home.

So there was a shortage of due trumpets for Nicky as she raised the trophy around 7.30. An early lead for Nicky with her bisques was whittled away to almost nothing but she held on for a 23-22 victory as time ran out. A wonderful victory as high bisquers rarely hold their nerve to ride so high against an irrepressible force like Sarah Hayes. Thank you James. Even the also rans had a great time.