Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 09:26.
Good morning from Surbiton. It is glorious morning with only 10% cloud cover. The top quarter of the draw has been sent to Roehampton and the bottom 3/4 is at Surbiton. They are using all 8 lawns at Surbiton which isn't proving popular with the players since lawn 8 is completely trivial (like lawn 7 at United). This means there will be 4 late starts and from memory, the best players are have these.
At 9.22, there is word that the manager is listening to players comments and has agreed not to use lawn 8. This is excellent management - the will to change a decision previously announced at late notice -well done Mike. Hopgood tells me that the players revolt was led by Maugham. Some players suggest that Maugham is revolting - harsh.....
So, the players are milling and still no indication of what lawns they will be playing on.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 09:28.
Today's matches are best of 3. I think the next players revolt will be to encourage the manager to play best of 5 in the last 16, as was done in Adelaide.
I'll cover the matches on lawns 2 and 3 at Surbiton. My computer battery life is about 2 minutes, so I need to stay near a power source. I'll try and give updates on the other matches.
Players still milling.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 09:33.
Bad news.........the lawns have been posted and Jenny v Robert Wilkinson is on lawn 3, so I'll be forced to commentate on her again!! :-)
On lawn 2, we have the Feast of James Hopgood v Andrew Johnston - two of the slowest players in the event. Johnston has played very well so far. He is a previous semi-finalist from the Wellington Worlds.
The players have started practising.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 09:35.
The public draw for the K.O. was done extremely well last night. It is such a good spectacle when handled correctly. Congrats to Phil Cordingley and his team.
The hoops are still in their old holes - I'm not sure when they are going to be moved.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 09:39.
The lawns look in great condition. They are still lighty green, but I think they might reach 13 seconds this afternoon if the sun keeps shining.
The bell sounds for the end of practice.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 09:49.
Jenny v Robert
1. Jenny won toss and goes 9y N of C4
2. Robert just S of C2
3. Jenny hits partner from A-Baulk. Ignores ball in C2 and leaves a rush from 10y N of C4 pointing at h5
4. Robert shoots down from C3..........hits, rushing it off the S boundary.
James v Andrew
1. James 9y N of C4
2. Andrew in C2
3. James misses partner from A-Baulk
4. Andrew shoots at partner from B-Baulk...........snicks it. Now has the horrible take-off. I really hate this opening.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 09:55.
Jenny v Robert
4. (cont.) Robert takes off, leaving the ball near C4 and rushes to hoop 1. Makes h1 and croquet the ball into the peg on it's way to h3. It stays 1 foot South of the peg. Hits partner in C2 and rolls up to h2..........4 foot straight hoop........clangs.
5. Jenny shoots from the peg top the ball at h2........hits
James v Andrew
4. (cont.) Andrew doesn't play the take off and plays a massive pass-roll. Partner finishes between peg and h6 and he has an 8 yarder at James............hits, getting a cannon. An ugly opening. Good cannon rushes to 3y S of h1 and gets the other ball well in-lawn. Should go round now.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 10:00.
Jenny v Robert
5. (cont.) Jenny's rush to h1 finishes off the S boundary. She approaches to 4 foot straight and gets a lot of wire, going 1 foot through. Can't hit the escape ball and shoots at partner near C4............hits. Pretty bonky match so far!! Plays big split sending partner to h3 getting a good rush on the ball N of hoop - a very good croquet stroke. Should go round now.
James v Andrew
4(cont.) Andrew is on h2 with a 4 ball break.
Elsewhere Hockey has the first break against Mounfield
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 10:08.
Quick update from the other lawns whilst the breaks are in progress
Lawn 1 Chambers has 1st break against Trimmer
Lawn 4 Paddy fails first 2 attempts to approach h1. Newcombe hits, misses 3 yarder before h4. Paddy hits a 7 yarder. Newcombe is now in again somehow.
Lawn 5 Openshaw won opening. Avery had the mopst feeble 3rd shot ever (Fulford's comment), but hit in later and was hampered after h3. Openshaw has now misapproached h1 and the ball are everywhere
Lawn 6 (trickiest lawn) Maugham has some early play, without picking up a break. Lines has just run h1 and has a hampered stroke with no ball at h2.
Lawn 7 Hockey has gone to 4-b with NSL. Mounfield lifts ball near h2 and takes long lift...........hits
Johnston sends an oppo ball to h1 before h4 ready to pop before h5, but it finishes nearer the S boundary, so he's focusing on his break again.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 10:14.
I was wrong about Johnston, He's trying to pop hoop 1 from the S boundary going to his h5 pioneer..........poppee misses hoop. Leaves himself a 3 yarder on h5 pioneer and now needs to approach from 2 feet to the side and behind.........no problem
Jenny (a fairly slow player) has made it to 4-b whilst Andrew has made 5 points. She has made an OSL.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 10:31.
Jenny v Robert
6. Robert is thinking..............pacing out various distances. This is just a standard position to lift the ball near h2 and take the short lift. No............he's taking the ball near h2 at his other ball. It's about 13 yards.............gives Jenny the opportunity not to have partner at h2 though...................shoots................no...........he's now standing by hoop 2 practising his swing..................shoots................hits.
Nothing missed so far this match. Takes off down to C4 and rushes to get a cannon. No, he's called a ref to check if it is a cannon. He's playing his h2 ball, so it's not very useful anyway.
He's been given the cannon. Looks like he's setting up a 1/2 cannon. Has he forgotten he's for h2? Might be putting the croqueted ball close to Jenny's ball........yes, it's 5 yards away and he's rushed to h1. Robert now spots that he is for h2. Looks like he's taking off to the other 2 balls in order to try some sort of scatter. Scatter partner to the boundary lengtheng Jenny's shot to 8yards
Jenny turns down her 8 yarder and takes a 16yarder with her hoop 1 ball.............snicks it. Still 100% hitting.
James v Andrew
4 (cont.) Andrew is round to 4-b and has made a diagonal spread
5. James lifts the ball at h2 and takes the long lift...........misses
On lawn 1, trimmer misses a long lift against Chambers. Chambers has had 3 Bristolic restalks on a 3 foot hoop 1.........sails through.
On lawn 7, Mounfield is on 4-b, made a mess of the spread, and Simon has hit his lift with his h1 ball. Mounfield is now back on the lawn
On lawn 4, Newcombe was hampered after h2 and missed partner. Paddy has hit in and now has a 4ball break
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 10:42.
On lawn 7, Simon is back on the lawn
On lawn 5, Openshaw hits the lift and sticks in h1 off partner
James v Andrew
6.Andrew makes hoop1 with control and has a rush pointing near C4. Doesn't try to rush into the corner.......looks like he's happy to play the Hogan roll. Plays the Hogan roll. Front ball finishes nearer the N boundary than h3 and he doesn't get a rush to h2. Now needs a jump through h2.........comfortable. Should I whinge again that these are 3 3/4" hoops???
Andrew is making h3 with partner not in peeling position. It'll be a delayed tp from him.
Jenny v Robert
7. (cont.) Jenny has made h1 and played a couple of good shots to get a break. her h3 pioneer is near the N boundary which might make getting control for a tp difficult. Although, let's be honest, with zero peels in 12 games, I'm not suddenly expecting 3 now. Does well to get a rush to h3 and has partenr roughly lurking in front of 4-b. She's trying to jaws the peel from 70 degrees..........hits the near wire. That's the closest peel attempt so far :-) I'm concerned I might get in trouble for that later tonight :-)
Jenny just losing a bit of control of her break as she rushes near h5 after h4 and has to roll up to partner at 4-b. Rushes that over towards h6 and now has to take off down to h5....copes
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 10:47.
On lawn 4, Paddy is round to 4-b with a B spread. Newcombe shoots with the ball near h2 at the open ball at the peg..........misses.....but his one of Paddy's ball near the E boundary. He is playing his h4 ball and has made h4 with a break - his other ball is for h3.
On lawn 7, Hockey splits off the lawn giving the innings to Mounfield with his 4-b ball. 1+4b v 1+4-b
On lawn 5, Openshaw sticks in h5 from nowhere giving Avery a standard tp.
On lawn 6, Maugham is in play
On lawn 1 Chambers has a 4- ball break after h4, no peels
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 10:53.
James v Andrew
6 (cont.) Andrew misses a short roquet after h4.
7. James hits a 7 yarder and has a decent chance of a break/tpo. Opts not to rush the h5 ball to h1 and goes up to 4-b so he can rush the 4-b ball to h1........good shot finishes 3.5 y S of h1.
Jenny v Robert
7 (cont.) Jenny is trying to peel partner through 4-b before 4-b with the other 2 balls at penult. It isn't straight - I don't like this choice............plays it well. That's her first peel of the event!!!!!
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 11:05.
Jenny v Robert
7 (cont.) Jenny reaches pen and peg with a diagonal spread. (balls wrong way round - Roberts H2 at the peg)
8. Robert lifts the ball at the peg and takes the short lift............restalks several times............hits, maintaining the 100% shooting in this match.
James v Andrew
7.(cont.) James makes h1 with control. Will it be a tpo or a ball to 4-b with a good hoop leave?
No tpo from James. He needs a good leave now. Getting Andrew's 4-B ball in H2 would be ok. Alternatively, an NSL with the 4-B ball in H4 is interesting.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 11:17.
James v Andrew
7.(cont.) After 1-b, James leaves Andrew's h5 ball in MSL position. Looks like a standard MSL. No, he's got the 4-b ball in h4 - that's good.
8. Andrew lifts his h5 on h2 and takes the long lift..............hits.
Jenny v Robert
8 (cont.) Can Robert do something inventive for his leave? I always like peeling partner to h2 and getting oppos peg ball in h2. Robert misapproaches h4.......looks unrunnable. Jenny has a range of 8 yarders - I think C1 looks like his best option - or 1 foot out. Playing through 3-b, trying to scatter......misses to C2 - that's not too bad.
9. Jenny takes an 8 yarder with her penult ball...........hits. Now has croquet 10y E of C1 with a ball 5 feet off the S boundary behind h4.........takes off and gets rush pointing towards h3......rushes it 4y NW of hoop 3..........approaches penult.........sends oppo to rover gets in front of penult. Runs it by a yard and shoots at partner near S boundary.........misses. That's the first miss of the match
10. Robert has a 10 yarder at Jenny to stay in the game.................might have more than a single ball...................misses.
On lawn 4, Newcombe fails h3 with his second ball.
On lawn 5, Avery misses his return roquet after 4-b on a delayed tp with 2 peels done giving a laid break for openshaw's h5 ball.
On lawn 6, Maugham reaches 4-b and peg and Lines in now in play
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 11:22.
Jenny v Robert
11. Jenny finishes +23. I'd have offered a good price on Jenny finishing the first game of the day.
James v Andrew
8 (cont.) Andrew deliberately plays for the cannon of partner out fo h4...........I'd have just stop-shotted a ball out a few yards and got a tight rush to h5.
Plays the cannon/bombard........hits the ball in the hoop and it stays there - if anything in a worse position. Hits partner and tries to approach h5 from h4. Sends partner over towards h1 and gets good 3 foot position at h5....runs it and hits partner. Should be able to set up to peel 4-b before 1-b from here.
On lawn 7, it looks like Mounfield has broken down on his tp giving Hockey all the balls.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 11:31.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
1. Robert to 15y N of C4
2. Jenny to just S of C2
3. Robert shoots at partner from A-Baulk...............misses narrowly
4. Jenny takes double from B-Baulk.............misses by half a ball.
5. Robert makes h1, but without a useful rush. He'll need to approach h2 from the corner for a break.
James v Andrew
8 (cont.) Andrew tries to roll-peel 4-b going to 1-b. It's an angled peel..........misses peel and doesn't get a rush to 1-b. Takes off to good hoop position and calls for a ref to repair a hole.
On lawn 5, Openshaw is round to 4-b. Avery misses the lift and Openshaw has an 8 foot hoop 1..........clangs, leaving Avery a 4 yarder.
On lawn 1, Chambers failed 1-b with 1 peel done, Trimmer missed and Chamber is now trying to peeling penult going to his 3-b pioneer. Peels penult, fails 3-b giving Pete an easy chance.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 11:37.
James v Andrew
8 (cont.) Andrew has made 1-b and will now need an stp to finish as he wisely sends out a 3-b pioneer.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
5 (cont.) Robert approaches h2 well and runs it off the lawn. He now has a 4-ball break.
On lawn 4, Newcombe peels 4-b before h6, and is now needing to run a 5 foot h6..........through cleanly. Has 2 7 yarders, shoots at the peelee behind 4-b.........misses hitting the hoop. Paddy hits.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 11:44.
James v Andrew
8 (cont.) Andrew has started his stp. He's peeled 4-b and is rushing the peelee to penult..........not in front.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
5 (cont.) Robert is looking nervy on his break, but is still going. Fails 1-b from nowhere giving Jenny all the balls in the world.
On lawn 5, Avery is game up +17. Openshaw is having a tea break.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 11:49.
James v Andrew
8 (cont.) Fulford describes this game as "monstrously slow". He's much more polite that me :-)
On lawn 1, Trimmer only reached h3 with his break. Kris now has the innings with a chance to make more progress from 3-b and rover
On lawn 4, Paddy didn't get the 4-b after h3 and is setting up for a delayed tp.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 11:57.
James v Andrew
8 (cont.) Andrew reaches penult and peg with a reverse diagonal spread against 1+4-b. Not sure why it is reverse. Over 2hrs 10 minutes for 8 turns single-banked.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
6. Jenny is trundling round with pioneers that aren't very good. After h5, Jenny rushes near C2. Neither Fulford or myself can work out any logical sequence that would send a ball near C2.
On lawn 7, Mounfield reached peg and peg with Hockey in C2 and C3. He rolls up to the peg and finishes stymied from hitting the peg. Decides he can't risk leaving 2 balls at the peg and plays a scatter. All still to play for.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 12:04.
James v Andrew
9. James is looking at the flatness of all his possible lifts. Lifts his h1 ball to B-Baulk and shoots at Andrew..........misses. That should be game up to Andrew. He's played 2 strokes in the last 4 minutes.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
6 (cont.) This turn really has been untidy. Not only is her 3-b pioneer 5 yards WNW of 3-b, it is her partner ball. Coach sighs in resigned manner.
Jenny reaches 4-b with an OSL with Roberts 1-b ball on the W side of the lawn. Roberts h1 ball is 3y off the E boundary 15y S of C3.
On lawn 5, Avery has the first break in the second
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 12:11.
On lawn 4, Paddy completes his delayed tp............some quality at last.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
7. Robert lifts his 1-b ball and goes to A-Baulk to take the short lift at Jenny in C4................not a trivial pick-up if he hits..............shoots...................misses by 2 feet on the right. The only good thing is that's a lot better than 2 feet on the left.
James v Andrew
10. Andrew finishes +17
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 12:25.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
8. Not an easy pick-up for Jenny. Rushes to 4y NNW of hoop 1 and needs a backward thick-take-off. Plays a thin take-off and doesn't get hoop position. Dribbles back 4y SW of C3 trying to guard various shots, leaving herself 10 yards from partner.
9. Robert shoots from h1 at partner near C4..............misses
10. Jenny takes her 10 yarder........this is a big shot................misses
11. Robert has a rush with his h1 ball. Potential tpo with 6+ hoop lead? Or will he try a more difficult pick-up with his 1-b ball? Plays his h1 ball and plays a good approach to h1......fails easy hoop off partner
12. Jenny takes 13 yarder for everything.............hits
James v Andrew - Game 2
1. Andrew 13y N of C4
2. James to C2
3. Andrew shoots at partner from B-Baulk................hits. Takes off to C2 getting a 5 yarder.............hits. Rolls James to 3y NW of the peg and joins up.
4. James turns down 14 yarder from A-Baulk and shoots at 27 yard double from B-Baulk..............misses
On lawn 7, Hockey takes the first +2
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 12:28.
James v Andrew - Game 2
5. Andrew hasn't played a shot yet
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
As chances go, they don't come easier than this. Croquet on partner 6y S of hoop 3 with 2 balls at hoop 1. Maybe Jenny's first tp coming up?
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 12:40.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
12.(cont.) I've just been down to lawn 6 to watch some Maugham v Lines (see below) and return to find Jenny trying to run a 5 foot h4 having approached the hoop off partner. How you can destroy a standard tp that quickly is phenomenal!! Even Burridge would have struggled :-)
James v Andrew - Game 2
5. Andrew didn't get going.........not sure what happened
6. James now has a break. Slightly overapproaches h1. Fails hoop, leaving Andrew a 4 yarder at part of a ball or an 8 yarder at partner near h5
7. Andrew takes his 8 yarder...............hits in the middle and now has the first break
Lawn 6
Lines gets to the peg and pegs out Maugham leaving 4-b + peg v 4-b
Maugham misses lift
Lines makes 4-b off partner, but without any rush. Hits partner and splits both ball off the lawn in C4 and mid E boundary.
Maugham takes lift and hits ball in C4 and finishes +4
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 12:50.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
12 (cont.) Jenny reaches 4-b and once again takes on a straight 4-b peel with both oppos at penult. It's dead straight bit longer than the last one...........I don't like this..........copes
James v Andrew - Game 2
7. (cont.) Andrew is on h5 on his break
On lawn 5, Openshaw has gone to 4-b, so both players have had a ball round. Avery seems to have just made h1 with a break. Fulford reports there might be some wedging at h2.
On lawn 1, Chambers must have won the first because they are in game 2
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 12:56.
James v Andrew - Game 2
7. (cont.) Andrew tries a pop on his way to h5............gets it
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
12 (cont.) Jenny reaches penult and peg and makes a spread, laying up about 13y N of C4
On lawn 4, Paddy has had a ball round and Jeff has just missed the lift.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 13:03.
James v Andrew - Game 2
7. (cont.) Looks like Andrew has jawsed the poppee in h2 after 1-b.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
13. Robert lifts his 1-b ball which was on the W side of the lawn and goes to B-Baulk to shoot.................this is 21 yards................I don't understand why he doesn't take his 17 yarder at partner.............shoots..................restalks....................now swinging along the N boundary.................shoots................now wandering all around the lawn.............now moving towards A-Baulk..............swinging from A-Baulk, but his ball is still on the N boundary..................back to B-Baulk to collect his ball which he's trundling to A-Baulk...............shooting at Jenny's balls from A-Baulk.................(Andrew has played 1 stroke in this time)..................shoots..................now looking at the top of his mallet's handle...................now practising his swing on the S boundary..................shoots...............misses
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 13:11.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
14. Jenny rushes poorly to the ball at the peg and finishes 2y S of penult. Rolls partner to rover and gets decent rush to penult. Rushes short and has 1 yard backward take-off from directly S of penult.........ok, has a 2 foot 20 degree hoop..............hoop and roquet (phew). Easy from here.
Jenny was the last player to make the last 32. She is the first to reach the last 16. Solid performance today. +20
James v Andrew - Game 2
7. (cont.) Don't think Andrew has got the second pop. He's on 4-b now about to make his leave.
On lawn 4, Paddy is on 1-b with 1 peel of his tp done.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 13:12.
Lunch for me now, after which I'll pass commentary over to my touch typist wife.
Chris
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 13:58.
James v Andrew - Game 2
There was a bit of interaction, where James turned down a 9 yarder at oppo to take a longer shot but also leave Andrew something longer. Missed partner, joining up at hoop 2. Andrew hit hit 17 yarder for the game. He has just jawsed penult going to 2-b. Has a backward takeoff to 2-b which he plays well.
Lawn 6: Maugham is rushing to hoop 1 with his second ball.
Lawn 5: Robbie and Alain are practising
Lawn 4: Burch is having the first break against Cumming
Lawn 3: Robin is having his second break with a delayed TP ahead of him with after Forster missed his lift by a mile.
Lawn 1: Game 2: Chambers is on 2 and 4back with a B spread against Trimmer who is on 1 and 1.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 14:02.
Lawn 2: Andrew is still going. Had to hit a 3 yarder half-ball through penult - plays a good shot.
Meanwhile I've had my first Surbiton lunch and it was lovely! Various cold potato dishes from the excellent BBQ last night and a choice of ham, pie or casserole. Dessert deserves a special mention - Mary Knapp concocted a dessert with huge amounts of dark chocolate, biscuit, glace cherries - yum! Small amount of pleading and I also got a piece of a delicious apple pie. Catering has always been a great strength of Surbiton - I recall commenting on this in my early commentary days.
Meanwhile, back to the croquet. Chris is now spotter, so we should be able to cover most of the 7 lawns.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 14:09.
Quick update:
Lawn 1: Trimmer thinking about what lift shot to take against Chambers. Chambers game up and 2 and 4-b v 1 and 1. Taking a 9 yarder on the open spread, shooting at the ball at the peg - hit partner. Chambers had had an 8y wide join on the east boundary.
Lawn 2: Andrew (game up) is on 4b with 2 peels done and peelee in front of rover. James still on 1 and 2.
Lawn 3: Robin going around to the peg with his second ball, other clip still on 4b. Stephen on 1 and 1 (this was a late start)
Lawn 4: Burch has had first ball around. Cumming has hit the long lift against a spread. Now had a long rush to hoop 1 which was racing off the south boundary, but hit 2-b and finished 6 inches from hoop 1. Cumming looking a bit unhappy - looks worse-than-death. He's back-peeling to approach hoop 1. (This was a late start.) Cumming back-peeled, ran the hoop, and got a view of the ball south of hoop 1 - off on his break now.
Lawn 5: turn 1: Robbie Fletcher to EB, Alain has laid a tice. 3. Robbie has hit this.
Lawn 6: Maugham (game up) is on a standard TP, with Lines around 1 and 1
Lawn 7: Mounfield won the second 26TP. Looks like they are at lunch. Ok, we're up to date, hope this commentary thingie starts updating soon!
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 14:14.
Andrew Johnston pegs out to win game 2 +25TP, taking the match against James Hopgood.
Andrew is still picking up the clips as Rutger steps up for his practice.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 14:21.
Lawn 1: (Trimmer v Chambers, G2): Chambers: r on h2, yellow on 4-b, Pete has just made 1 with black off the 4-b ball and will have to do some work to get a break as there's a ball a yard out of c4 and a ball 2y frmo b-baulk, and no rush out of 1
Lawn 2: (Rutger v Brian, G1): practising.
Lawn 3: (Robin v Forster, G1): Robin now 4b and peg with an OSL. Sounds like the match that just game off, if a little faster! Having missed his first lift by a yard, Forster misses his second lift by over a yard - both shots looked like left-edge bevels.
Robin now through 4b and with an easy finish to take game 1
Lawn 6: (Maugham v Lines, G2): Straight rover peel left
Lawn 7: (Mounfield v Hockey, G3): lunching
James whinging at me that there was no "interaction" - the option of a 9 yarder at Andrew which he declined was apparently a part of Andrew's leave. I just made an assumption... Apparently his match totalled 19 turns. He'll correct me if I'm wrong on that too ;-)
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 14:30.
Lawn 2: (Rutger v Brian, G1):
1. Brian to east boundary
2. Rutger s of c2
3. Brian centre-balls partner from A-baulk
4. Looks like Rutger hit something, taking off along the north boundary to get a rush to hoop 2, little short, but he should cope and have a break. I'm going to have to pick a couple of games to concentrate on here.
Lawn 3: (Robin v Forster, G1):
Lawn 4: (Burch v Cumming, G1): Cumming wanting a spread, but had yellow on the wrong side of the peg approaching 3b. Ends up with a tidy fairly-horizontal reverse spread. Break-all now. Burch has missed down to corner 4. Cumming rushed across and is currently down in corner 4.
Lawn 5: (Robbie v Alain, G1): Turn 5: Robert on the first break
Lawn 6: (Maugham v Lines, G2): Dave wins game 2, plus 26-ish TP. Rob should be pleased to have the most difficult lawn at the venue for his game.
Lawn 7: (Mounfield v Hockey, G3): still lunching
James is still whittering about "I should have taken the 9 yarder", and making comments about the commentators lack of peels this week!
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 14:36.
Spotter gives a correction on the Fletcher game: Robbie has gone around 3rd turn having hit the tice. Having a 3 ducks leave.
Forster v Brown.
1. Brown to east boundary
2. Forster s of c2
3. Brown misses partner
4. Forster hits the double, didn't get a rush to hoop 1. Split Robin to hoop 1 going to partner in c2. Robin's ball went off the west boundary. Stephen finished 6y from partner.
5. Robin to c4 with ball on west boundary.
6. Stephen has hit partner in c2, so has a 35y takeoff. Copes. Now taking croquet from black to the ball in c4 which is 6 yards away. Doesn't get a rus and has failed to roll in front of hoop 1. Joins partner in C2.
Lawn 2: Rutger has established the first break. Turn 3 Brian left himself a rush to hoop 1, ignoring the ball in C2. Rutger hit the long shot down from corner 3 to pick up this turn, then rushed into corner 2.
Lawn 6: Ian reporting that Dave played rather well in game 2.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 14:46.
Lawn 2: Turn 4: Rutger appears to have failed hoop 6 from nowhere - I was just thinking how nice it was to see a tidy controlled break.
5. Brian has hit and has a ball a couple of yards north of hoop 2 and red 6 inches in front of 1. Has to approach hoop 1 from a bit of an angle. Approaches still to a bit of an angle and hits too much of the far hoop. Rutger has a 2 yarder for a septuple... Has hit with his hoop 1 ball and is under way.
Lawn 3: Robin tried to corner from near hoop 1 - hits hoop 3 and stays there. Stephen has failed to get in front of hoop 1 and returned to partner. Robin heading to near corner 4 this time.
Stephen appears to have failed to get near hoop 1 again, so is joined up on the north boundary north of hoop 2.
Alarming sight from in the marquee where Dave has given James a consoling hug!
Results from last night's BBQ... there was an excellent range of prizes on offer for the raffle, and some great food on the tables.
Nelson Morrow won the new square Pidcock "Pidcock 4000", Tim King won the Hobbs mallet and Stephen Mulliner is to be the recipient of an hour's coaching from Reg Bamford!
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 14:51.
Lawn 3: Robin now in corner 3. Stephen has rushed 8y short of this along the N boundary. Has put blue down to hoop 1 and is now laying up near the north boundary. I wonder which corner robin will go to .... no... ran out of corners - hits the target on the north boundary. Might see the rare sight on this lawn of a hoop being made.
Lawn 2: Looks like Rutger had a go at the hoop 6 peel on the way to hoop 2 - failed. Jawses the peel on the way to hoop 3.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 15:01.
Lawn 7: Mounfield v Hockey. Mounfield blobs 1back on second break frmo nowhere. Hockey to 4b with NSL.
Lawn 6: Fulford v Farthing. 1. Fulford narrow 12y supershot
2. Farthing hits supershot from A baulk gently. croquets it to duffer tice position and goes off 8y n of c4.
3. Fulford shoots from end of B baulk at duffer tice. Missed on left, to 4y east of end of A baulk.
4. Farthing hits 4 yarder. Takes off behind partner, almost going off the lawn. ends up with a rush pointing at the end of a baulk, which he rushes to the south boundary in front of 1. Approaches and runs the hoop with a rush and has a break.
Lawn 5: Giraud misses from corner 1 at horizontal 3ducks. Fletcher in control. Hasn't peeled penult after hoop 6, but looks in complete control. Is playing beautifully, as usual. The bookie is feeling a little nervous at offering 9-2.
Lawn 4: Burch approaching hoop 1. 1 and 4b plays 1 and 4b. Has overapproached off partner and is now looking at guarding various shots.
Lawn 3: Brown is on hoop 6 on the first break.
Lawn 2: Blink and you'll miss an error here! Rutger's clips are now on 5 and 1b. Brian has hit and rushed well to hoop 1. Makes it off red , has yellow just north of hoop2 and partner in the middle of the lawn.
Lawn 1: 2 and 4-b for Chambers and Trimmer has the innings, but at least one of his clips on hoop 1.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 15:17.
Right...back in action...relocated to near c1 of lawn 6.
Cumming has taken the first game v Burch after Jamie missed a 3yarder to give the world away.
Robbie has all the peels done and is finishing game 1 v Alain Giraud. +26TP 5th turn.
Farthing has all the balls near 3b and is looking to construct a NSL.
Mounfield is on his way to 4b with his other clip on 1b. Paddy is complaining about the lack of a sextuples or tpo.
(just a heads up that I am on an iPad now, thanks to the uni of canterbury so more mobile, but occasionally subject to interesting auto corrections.
Mounfield has just pulled out a top shot... 3b pioneer now lodged in rover and ran into red which was directly behind the ball he wanted to rush to 1b. Longish hoop 1 ...copes.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 15:20.
Farthing's NSL is a little ugly...the ball at hoop 4 is wide open from a few yards west of a baulk. Nope... Robert has taken the shot from where red lies... Must have had a big double...misses on the left. Great opportunity for 2009 world champ medalist to take first blood in this match.
meanwile Mounfield has coped with his break and is now constructing what looks like a B spread.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 15:36.
Lawn 5: quick resumption from Fletcher and Giraud.
1. Giraud to east boundary.
2. Fletcher to s of C2
3. Giraud misses
4. Fletcher hits and he's off again.
lawn 6. Farthing has opted to play the promotion, cannoning partner 6y north of hoop 1. Doesn't get a rush on the ball at hoop 4 and comes up 3y short on the croquet stroke, leaving a rush to the west boundary. Now has a long takeoff to hoop 1. Has a 7ft slightly angled hoop 1...hits the middle of the near wire.
fulford just misses to his right from hoop 2. This gives Farthing a 7 yarder to pick up the break again -dribbles it off well and has got north of partner but now has a backward takeoff.. Gets a 45 deg hoop... No problem.
meanwhile...
lawn7: Simon is in with a break. Not completely sure what happened, but we think that Nick split his balls off in making his leave, Simon missed the shot at Nick's 4b ball and then nick must have missed the longish shot with his 1back ball.
simon has jawsed 4b and is making 5... Has approached it well and runs 5 with a hamper rush which he elects to nudge.
lawn 5: Robbie had to rush to 3 from hoop 2 but his clip is now on3 and Alain has just run hoop 1 with balls near 2 and 3
lawn 2: Rutger missed the lift, Brian made hoop 1 but missed a 7yard return joining up with Rutger's 1back ball. Rutger's other clip is still on 5
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 15:40.
Farthing has now peeled 4b after hoop 3 and looks nicely in control. Can't get back to the peeled after 4... IIt's well through
Hockey's penultimate peel, from a horrible angle, rejected to nearly hoop 3. Death roll just through on the way to 2b.
Alain's break now well under control...let's see if he can put some pressure on the Aussie star.
other lawns too far away to see sorry.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 15:47.
Farthing has a good rush out of hoop 5.
Hockey has played a beautiful roll from 2y north of penultimate putting peeled within a yard of rover and getting a perfect rush on a good 3b pioneer. Lawn 7 looks by far the easiest of the main lawns. Great decision by the management to only use these 7 lawns today - it's really hard playing a main event game in an isolated place, on rather different conditions. Hope they don't use the bowling green tomorrow...
penult pioneer is closer to the north boundary than penult. Peeled waiting in position at rover. Runs 4b with a rush across to the bad penult pioneer..no problems here.
Paddy is looking for a chance of revenge for the last worlds should Hockey prevail here.
Oops...Giraud has just clanged hoop 6.
Farthing has peeled penult after hoop 6.
lots and lots of lawn time for Robin Brown in the distance ... Can't be good for Forster who is game down.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 15:55.
Hockey, with two sideish balls, stabs the peel stroke and sends partner deep staying in the jaws with strikers ball. Just avoids the grevious to take the deciding game +11TP.
Farthing has one peel to do and is going to a northerly 2b pioneer. Gets nice position with peeled and a longish rush to 2b. Copes well.
the English to non-English ratio is getting a little more balanced now.
Robbie played with his hoop 3 ball...his rush from hoop 1 to hoop 3 ended up a yard south of c3. Sends reception ball. Deep approaching the hoop well. Runs it to near hoop 4.
Farthing didn't get the peel before 3b, but all under control.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 16:05.
Quick check by Farthing to remember which ball he's playing... Chris would be proud that his former doubles remembered.
Bullen v Rutger a bit scrappy. Bullen hit the lift with his hoop 2 ball and established a break...missed the return roquet after hoop 4. Rutger now taking his hoop 5 ball around.
Evan Burridge now sitting with us looking very cute in Paddy's Oakley sunglasses...he is now explaining to me that the clear lenses I have are good for bad hay fever days. Useful tip.
Farthing with a very straightforward rover peel for game 1. copes well. Farthing takes game 1 +26TP.
Submitted by Chris Clarke on Wed, 08/14/2013 - 16:18.
Fulford v Farthing game 2:
1. Farthing 12y narrow supershot
2. Fulford south of c2
3. Farthing misses to the left, has probably left a bit of a double.
4. Rob misses to the right.
5. Farthing has a cannon. Plays it decently, putting yellow 9 y east of c2 rushing well to near partner. Croquet stroke rush onto partner! Long backward takeoff is perfect...fails hoop 1.
6. Rob has a 7.5 yarder for the world. ....hits.
meanwhile a noisy game of one-ball is underway on the adjacent lawn. Can't be good for those already-floppy hoops.
Comments
Good morning from Surbiton. It is glorious morning with only 10% cloud cover. The top quarter of the draw has been sent to Roehampton and the bottom 3/4 is at Surbiton. They are using all 8 lawns at Surbiton which isn't proving popular with the players since lawn 8 is completely trivial (like lawn 7 at United). This means there will be 4 late starts and from memory, the best players are have these.
At 9.22, there is word that the manager is listening to players comments and has agreed not to use lawn 8. This is excellent management - the will to change a decision previously announced at late notice -well done Mike. Hopgood tells me that the players revolt was led by Maugham. Some players suggest that Maugham is revolting - harsh.....
So, the players are milling and still no indication of what lawns they will be playing on.
Today's matches are best of 3. I think the next players revolt will be to encourage the manager to play best of 5 in the last 16, as was done in Adelaide.
I'll cover the matches on lawns 2 and 3 at Surbiton. My computer battery life is about 2 minutes, so I need to stay near a power source. I'll try and give updates on the other matches.
Players still milling.
Bad news.........the lawns have been posted and Jenny v Robert Wilkinson is on lawn 3, so I'll be forced to commentate on her again!! :-)
On lawn 2, we have the Feast of James Hopgood v Andrew Johnston - two of the slowest players in the event. Johnston has played very well so far. He is a previous semi-finalist from the Wellington Worlds.
The players have started practising.
The public draw for the K.O. was done extremely well last night. It is such a good spectacle when handled correctly. Congrats to Phil Cordingley and his team.
The hoops are still in their old holes - I'm not sure when they are going to be moved.
The lawns look in great condition. They are still lighty green, but I think they might reach 13 seconds this afternoon if the sun keeps shining.
The bell sounds for the end of practice.
Jenny v Robert
1. Jenny won toss and goes 9y N of C4
2. Robert just S of C2
3. Jenny hits partner from A-Baulk. Ignores ball in C2 and leaves a rush from 10y N of C4 pointing at h5
4. Robert shoots down from C3..........hits, rushing it off the S boundary.
James v Andrew
1. James 9y N of C4
2. Andrew in C2
3. James misses partner from A-Baulk
4. Andrew shoots at partner from B-Baulk...........snicks it. Now has the horrible take-off. I really hate this opening.
Jenny v Robert
4. (cont.) Robert takes off, leaving the ball near C4 and rushes to hoop 1. Makes h1 and croquet the ball into the peg on it's way to h3. It stays 1 foot South of the peg. Hits partner in C2 and rolls up to h2..........4 foot straight hoop........clangs.
5. Jenny shoots from the peg top the ball at h2........hits
James v Andrew
4. (cont.) Andrew doesn't play the take off and plays a massive pass-roll. Partner finishes between peg and h6 and he has an 8 yarder at James............hits, getting a cannon. An ugly opening. Good cannon rushes to 3y S of h1 and gets the other ball well in-lawn. Should go round now.
Jenny v Robert
5. (cont.) Jenny's rush to h1 finishes off the S boundary. She approaches to 4 foot straight and gets a lot of wire, going 1 foot through. Can't hit the escape ball and shoots at partner near C4............hits. Pretty bonky match so far!! Plays big split sending partner to h3 getting a good rush on the ball N of hoop - a very good croquet stroke. Should go round now.
James v Andrew
4(cont.) Andrew is on h2 with a 4 ball break.
Elsewhere Hockey has the first break against Mounfield
Quick update from the other lawns whilst the breaks are in progress
Lawn 1 Chambers has 1st break against Trimmer
Lawn 4 Paddy fails first 2 attempts to approach h1. Newcombe hits, misses 3 yarder before h4. Paddy hits a 7 yarder. Newcombe is now in again somehow.
Lawn 5 Openshaw won opening. Avery had the mopst feeble 3rd shot ever (Fulford's comment), but hit in later and was hampered after h3. Openshaw has now misapproached h1 and the ball are everywhere
Lawn 6 (trickiest lawn) Maugham has some early play, without picking up a break. Lines has just run h1 and has a hampered stroke with no ball at h2.
Lawn 7 Hockey has gone to 4-b with NSL. Mounfield lifts ball near h2 and takes long lift...........hits
Johnston sends an oppo ball to h1 before h4 ready to pop before h5, but it finishes nearer the S boundary, so he's focusing on his break again.
I was wrong about Johnston, He's trying to pop hoop 1 from the S boundary going to his h5 pioneer..........poppee misses hoop. Leaves himself a 3 yarder on h5 pioneer and now needs to approach from 2 feet to the side and behind.........no problem
Jenny (a fairly slow player) has made it to 4-b whilst Andrew has made 5 points. She has made an OSL.
Jenny v Robert
6. Robert is thinking..............pacing out various distances. This is just a standard position to lift the ball near h2 and take the short lift. No............he's taking the ball near h2 at his other ball. It's about 13 yards.............gives Jenny the opportunity not to have partner at h2 though...................shoots................no...........he's now standing by hoop 2 practising his swing..................shoots................hits.
Nothing missed so far this match. Takes off down to C4 and rushes to get a cannon. No, he's called a ref to check if it is a cannon. He's playing his h2 ball, so it's not very useful anyway.
He's been given the cannon. Looks like he's setting up a 1/2 cannon. Has he forgotten he's for h2? Might be putting the croqueted ball close to Jenny's ball........yes, it's 5 yards away and he's rushed to h1. Robert now spots that he is for h2. Looks like he's taking off to the other 2 balls in order to try some sort of scatter. Scatter partner to the boundary lengtheng Jenny's shot to 8yards
Jenny turns down her 8 yarder and takes a 16yarder with her hoop 1 ball.............snicks it. Still 100% hitting.
James v Andrew
4 (cont.) Andrew is round to 4-b and has made a diagonal spread
5. James lifts the ball at h2 and takes the long lift...........misses
On lawn 1, trimmer misses a long lift against Chambers. Chambers has had 3 Bristolic restalks on a 3 foot hoop 1.........sails through.
On lawn 7, Mounfield is on 4-b, made a mess of the spread, and Simon has hit his lift with his h1 ball. Mounfield is now back on the lawn
On lawn 4, Newcombe was hampered after h2 and missed partner. Paddy has hit in and now has a 4ball break
On lawn 7, Simon is back on the lawn
On lawn 5, Openshaw hits the lift and sticks in h1 off partner
James v Andrew
6.Andrew makes hoop1 with control and has a rush pointing near C4. Doesn't try to rush into the corner.......looks like he's happy to play the Hogan roll. Plays the Hogan roll. Front ball finishes nearer the N boundary than h3 and he doesn't get a rush to h2. Now needs a jump through h2.........comfortable. Should I whinge again that these are 3 3/4" hoops???
Andrew is making h3 with partner not in peeling position. It'll be a delayed tp from him.
Jenny v Robert
7. (cont.) Jenny has made h1 and played a couple of good shots to get a break. her h3 pioneer is near the N boundary which might make getting control for a tp difficult. Although, let's be honest, with zero peels in 12 games, I'm not suddenly expecting 3 now. Does well to get a rush to h3 and has partenr roughly lurking in front of 4-b. She's trying to jaws the peel from 70 degrees..........hits the near wire. That's the closest peel attempt so far :-) I'm concerned I might get in trouble for that later tonight :-)
Jenny just losing a bit of control of her break as she rushes near h5 after h4 and has to roll up to partner at 4-b. Rushes that over towards h6 and now has to take off down to h5....copes
On lawn 4, Paddy is round to 4-b with a B spread. Newcombe shoots with the ball near h2 at the open ball at the peg..........misses.....but his one of Paddy's ball near the E boundary. He is playing his h4 ball and has made h4 with a break - his other ball is for h3.
On lawn 7, Hockey splits off the lawn giving the innings to Mounfield with his 4-b ball. 1+4b v 1+4-b
On lawn 5, Openshaw sticks in h5 from nowhere giving Avery a standard tp.
On lawn 6, Maugham is in play
On lawn 1 Chambers has a 4- ball break after h4, no peels
James v Andrew
6 (cont.) Andrew misses a short roquet after h4.
7. James hits a 7 yarder and has a decent chance of a break/tpo. Opts not to rush the h5 ball to h1 and goes up to 4-b so he can rush the 4-b ball to h1........good shot finishes 3.5 y S of h1.
Jenny v Robert
7 (cont.) Jenny is trying to peel partner through 4-b before 4-b with the other 2 balls at penult. It isn't straight - I don't like this choice............plays it well. That's her first peel of the event!!!!!
Jenny v Robert
7 (cont.) Jenny reaches pen and peg with a diagonal spread. (balls wrong way round - Roberts H2 at the peg)
8. Robert lifts the ball at the peg and takes the short lift............restalks several times............hits, maintaining the 100% shooting in this match.
James v Andrew
7.(cont.) James makes h1 with control. Will it be a tpo or a ball to 4-b with a good hoop leave?
No tpo from James. He needs a good leave now. Getting Andrew's 4-B ball in H2 would be ok. Alternatively, an NSL with the 4-B ball in H4 is interesting.
James v Andrew
7.(cont.) After 1-b, James leaves Andrew's h5 ball in MSL position. Looks like a standard MSL. No, he's got the 4-b ball in h4 - that's good.
8. Andrew lifts his h5 on h2 and takes the long lift..............hits.
Jenny v Robert
8 (cont.) Can Robert do something inventive for his leave? I always like peeling partner to h2 and getting oppos peg ball in h2. Robert misapproaches h4.......looks unrunnable. Jenny has a range of 8 yarders - I think C1 looks like his best option - or 1 foot out. Playing through 3-b, trying to scatter......misses to C2 - that's not too bad.
9. Jenny takes an 8 yarder with her penult ball...........hits. Now has croquet 10y E of C1 with a ball 5 feet off the S boundary behind h4.........takes off and gets rush pointing towards h3......rushes it 4y NW of hoop 3..........approaches penult.........sends oppo to rover gets in front of penult. Runs it by a yard and shoots at partner near S boundary.........misses. That's the first miss of the match
10. Robert has a 10 yarder at Jenny to stay in the game.................might have more than a single ball...................misses.
On lawn 4, Newcombe fails h3 with his second ball.
On lawn 5, Avery misses his return roquet after 4-b on a delayed tp with 2 peels done giving a laid break for openshaw's h5 ball.
On lawn 6, Maugham reaches 4-b and peg and Lines in now in play
Jenny v Robert
11. Jenny finishes +23. I'd have offered a good price on Jenny finishing the first game of the day.
James v Andrew
8 (cont.) Andrew deliberately plays for the cannon of partner out fo h4...........I'd have just stop-shotted a ball out a few yards and got a tight rush to h5.
Plays the cannon/bombard........hits the ball in the hoop and it stays there - if anything in a worse position. Hits partner and tries to approach h5 from h4. Sends partner over towards h1 and gets good 3 foot position at h5....runs it and hits partner. Should be able to set up to peel 4-b before 1-b from here.
On lawn 7, it looks like Mounfield has broken down on his tp giving Hockey all the balls.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
1. Robert to 15y N of C4
2. Jenny to just S of C2
3. Robert shoots at partner from A-Baulk...............misses narrowly
4. Jenny takes double from B-Baulk.............misses by half a ball.
5. Robert makes h1, but without a useful rush. He'll need to approach h2 from the corner for a break.
James v Andrew
8 (cont.) Andrew tries to roll-peel 4-b going to 1-b. It's an angled peel..........misses peel and doesn't get a rush to 1-b. Takes off to good hoop position and calls for a ref to repair a hole.
On lawn 5, Openshaw is round to 4-b. Avery misses the lift and Openshaw has an 8 foot hoop 1..........clangs, leaving Avery a 4 yarder.
On lawn 1, Chambers failed 1-b with 1 peel done, Trimmer missed and Chamber is now trying to peeling penult going to his 3-b pioneer. Peels penult, fails 3-b giving Pete an easy chance.
James v Andrew
8 (cont.) Andrew has made 1-b and will now need an stp to finish as he wisely sends out a 3-b pioneer.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
5 (cont.) Robert approaches h2 well and runs it off the lawn. He now has a 4-ball break.
On lawn 4, Newcombe peels 4-b before h6, and is now needing to run a 5 foot h6..........through cleanly. Has 2 7 yarders, shoots at the peelee behind 4-b.........misses hitting the hoop. Paddy hits.
James v Andrew
8 (cont.) Andrew has started his stp. He's peeled 4-b and is rushing the peelee to penult..........not in front.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
5 (cont.) Robert is looking nervy on his break, but is still going. Fails 1-b from nowhere giving Jenny all the balls in the world.
On lawn 5, Avery is game up +17. Openshaw is having a tea break.
James v Andrew
8 (cont.) Fulford describes this game as "monstrously slow". He's much more polite that me :-)
On lawn 1, Trimmer only reached h3 with his break. Kris now has the innings with a chance to make more progress from 3-b and rover
On lawn 4, Paddy didn't get the 4-b after h3 and is setting up for a delayed tp.
James v Andrew
8 (cont.) Andrew reaches penult and peg with a reverse diagonal spread against 1+4-b. Not sure why it is reverse. Over 2hrs 10 minutes for 8 turns single-banked.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
6. Jenny is trundling round with pioneers that aren't very good. After h5, Jenny rushes near C2. Neither Fulford or myself can work out any logical sequence that would send a ball near C2.
On lawn 7, Mounfield reached peg and peg with Hockey in C2 and C3. He rolls up to the peg and finishes stymied from hitting the peg. Decides he can't risk leaving 2 balls at the peg and plays a scatter. All still to play for.
James v Andrew
9. James is looking at the flatness of all his possible lifts. Lifts his h1 ball to B-Baulk and shoots at Andrew..........misses. That should be game up to Andrew. He's played 2 strokes in the last 4 minutes.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
6 (cont.) This turn really has been untidy. Not only is her 3-b pioneer 5 yards WNW of 3-b, it is her partner ball. Coach sighs in resigned manner.
Jenny reaches 4-b with an OSL with Roberts 1-b ball on the W side of the lawn. Roberts h1 ball is 3y off the E boundary 15y S of C3.
On lawn 5, Avery has the first break in the second
On lawn 4, Paddy completes his delayed tp............some quality at last.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
7. Robert lifts his 1-b ball and goes to A-Baulk to take the short lift at Jenny in C4................not a trivial pick-up if he hits..............shoots...................misses by 2 feet on the right. The only good thing is that's a lot better than 2 feet on the left.
James v Andrew
10. Andrew finishes +17
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
8. Not an easy pick-up for Jenny. Rushes to 4y NNW of hoop 1 and needs a backward thick-take-off. Plays a thin take-off and doesn't get hoop position. Dribbles back 4y SW of C3 trying to guard various shots, leaving herself 10 yards from partner.
9. Robert shoots from h1 at partner near C4..............misses
10. Jenny takes her 10 yarder........this is a big shot................misses
11. Robert has a rush with his h1 ball. Potential tpo with 6+ hoop lead? Or will he try a more difficult pick-up with his 1-b ball? Plays his h1 ball and plays a good approach to h1......fails easy hoop off partner
12. Jenny takes 13 yarder for everything.............hits
James v Andrew - Game 2
1. Andrew 13y N of C4
2. James to C2
3. Andrew shoots at partner from B-Baulk................hits. Takes off to C2 getting a 5 yarder.............hits. Rolls James to 3y NW of the peg and joins up.
4. James turns down 14 yarder from A-Baulk and shoots at 27 yard double from B-Baulk..............misses
On lawn 7, Hockey takes the first +2
James v Andrew - Game 2
5. Andrew hasn't played a shot yet
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
As chances go, they don't come easier than this. Croquet on partner 6y S of hoop 3 with 2 balls at hoop 1. Maybe Jenny's first tp coming up?
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
12.(cont.) I've just been down to lawn 6 to watch some Maugham v Lines (see below) and return to find Jenny trying to run a 5 foot h4 having approached the hoop off partner. How you can destroy a standard tp that quickly is phenomenal!! Even Burridge would have struggled :-)
James v Andrew - Game 2
5. Andrew didn't get going.........not sure what happened
6. James now has a break. Slightly overapproaches h1. Fails hoop, leaving Andrew a 4 yarder at part of a ball or an 8 yarder at partner near h5
7. Andrew takes his 8 yarder...............hits in the middle and now has the first break
Lawn 6
Lines gets to the peg and pegs out Maugham leaving 4-b + peg v 4-b
Maugham misses lift
Lines makes 4-b off partner, but without any rush. Hits partner and splits both ball off the lawn in C4 and mid E boundary.
Maugham takes lift and hits ball in C4 and finishes +4
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
12 (cont.) Jenny reaches 4-b and once again takes on a straight 4-b peel with both oppos at penult. It's dead straight bit longer than the last one...........I don't like this..........copes
James v Andrew - Game 2
7. (cont.) Andrew is on h5 on his break
On lawn 5, Openshaw has gone to 4-b, so both players have had a ball round. Avery seems to have just made h1 with a break. Fulford reports there might be some wedging at h2.
On lawn 1, Chambers must have won the first because they are in game 2
James v Andrew - Game 2
7. (cont.) Andrew tries a pop on his way to h5............gets it
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
12 (cont.) Jenny reaches penult and peg and makes a spread, laying up about 13y N of C4
On lawn 4, Paddy has had a ball round and Jeff has just missed the lift.
James v Andrew - Game 2
7. (cont.) Looks like Andrew has jawsed the poppee in h2 after 1-b.
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
13. Robert lifts his 1-b ball which was on the W side of the lawn and goes to B-Baulk to shoot.................this is 21 yards................I don't understand why he doesn't take his 17 yarder at partner.............shoots..................restalks....................now swinging along the N boundary.................shoots................now wandering all around the lawn.............now moving towards A-Baulk..............swinging from A-Baulk, but his ball is still on the N boundary..................back to B-Baulk to collect his ball which he's trundling to A-Baulk...............shooting at Jenny's balls from A-Baulk.................(Andrew has played 1 stroke in this time)..................shoots..................now looking at the top of his mallet's handle...................now practising his swing on the S boundary..................shoots...............misses
Jenny v Robert - Game 2
14. Jenny rushes poorly to the ball at the peg and finishes 2y S of penult. Rolls partner to rover and gets decent rush to penult. Rushes short and has 1 yard backward take-off from directly S of penult.........ok, has a 2 foot 20 degree hoop..............hoop and roquet (phew). Easy from here.
Jenny was the last player to make the last 32. She is the first to reach the last 16. Solid performance today. +20
James v Andrew - Game 2
7. (cont.) Don't think Andrew has got the second pop. He's on 4-b now about to make his leave.
On lawn 4, Paddy is on 1-b with 1 peel of his tp done.
Lunch for me now, after which I'll pass commentary over to my touch typist wife.
Chris
James v Andrew - Game 2
There was a bit of interaction, where James turned down a 9 yarder at oppo to take a longer shot but also leave Andrew something longer. Missed partner, joining up at hoop 2. Andrew hit hit 17 yarder for the game. He has just jawsed penult going to 2-b. Has a backward takeoff to 2-b which he plays well.
Lawn 6: Maugham is rushing to hoop 1 with his second ball.
Lawn 5: Robbie and Alain are practising
Lawn 4: Burch is having the first break against Cumming
Lawn 3: Robin is having his second break with a delayed TP ahead of him with after Forster missed his lift by a mile.
Lawn 1: Game 2: Chambers is on 2 and 4back with a B spread against Trimmer who is on 1 and 1.
Lawn 2: Andrew is still going. Had to hit a 3 yarder half-ball through penult - plays a good shot.
Meanwhile I've had my first Surbiton lunch and it was lovely! Various cold potato dishes from the excellent BBQ last night and a choice of ham, pie or casserole. Dessert deserves a special mention - Mary Knapp concocted a dessert with huge amounts of dark chocolate, biscuit, glace cherries - yum! Small amount of pleading and I also got a piece of a delicious apple pie. Catering has always been a great strength of Surbiton - I recall commenting on this in my early commentary days.
Meanwhile, back to the croquet. Chris is now spotter, so we should be able to cover most of the 7 lawns.
Quick update:
Lawn 1: Trimmer thinking about what lift shot to take against Chambers. Chambers game up and 2 and 4-b v 1 and 1. Taking a 9 yarder on the open spread, shooting at the ball at the peg - hit partner. Chambers had had an 8y wide join on the east boundary.
Lawn 2: Andrew (game up) is on 4b with 2 peels done and peelee in front of rover. James still on 1 and 2.
Lawn 3: Robin going around to the peg with his second ball, other clip still on 4b. Stephen on 1 and 1 (this was a late start)
Lawn 4: Burch has had first ball around. Cumming has hit the long lift against a spread. Now had a long rush to hoop 1 which was racing off the south boundary, but hit 2-b and finished 6 inches from hoop 1. Cumming looking a bit unhappy - looks worse-than-death. He's back-peeling to approach hoop 1. (This was a late start.) Cumming back-peeled, ran the hoop, and got a view of the ball south of hoop 1 - off on his break now.
Lawn 5: turn 1: Robbie Fletcher to EB, Alain has laid a tice. 3. Robbie has hit this.
Lawn 6: Maugham (game up) is on a standard TP, with Lines around 1 and 1
Lawn 7: Mounfield won the second 26TP. Looks like they are at lunch. Ok, we're up to date, hope this commentary thingie starts updating soon!
Andrew Johnston pegs out to win game 2 +25TP, taking the match against James Hopgood.
Andrew is still picking up the clips as Rutger steps up for his practice.
Lawn 1: (Trimmer v Chambers, G2): Chambers: r on h2, yellow on 4-b, Pete has just made 1 with black off the 4-b ball and will have to do some work to get a break as there's a ball a yard out of c4 and a ball 2y frmo b-baulk, and no rush out of 1
Lawn 2: (Rutger v Brian, G1): practising.
Lawn 3: (Robin v Forster, G1): Robin now 4b and peg with an OSL. Sounds like the match that just game off, if a little faster! Having missed his first lift by a yard, Forster misses his second lift by over a yard - both shots looked like left-edge bevels.
Robin now through 4b and with an easy finish to take game 1
Lawn 6: (Maugham v Lines, G2): Straight rover peel left
Lawn 7: (Mounfield v Hockey, G3): lunching
James whinging at me that there was no "interaction" - the option of a 9 yarder at Andrew which he declined was apparently a part of Andrew's leave. I just made an assumption... Apparently his match totalled 19 turns. He'll correct me if I'm wrong on that too ;-)
Lawn 2: (Rutger v Brian, G1):
1. Brian to east boundary
2. Rutger s of c2
3. Brian centre-balls partner from A-baulk
4. Looks like Rutger hit something, taking off along the north boundary to get a rush to hoop 2, little short, but he should cope and have a break. I'm going to have to pick a couple of games to concentrate on here.
Lawn 3: (Robin v Forster, G1):
Lawn 4: (Burch v Cumming, G1): Cumming wanting a spread, but had yellow on the wrong side of the peg approaching 3b. Ends up with a tidy fairly-horizontal reverse spread. Break-all now. Burch has missed down to corner 4. Cumming rushed across and is currently down in corner 4.
Lawn 5: (Robbie v Alain, G1): Turn 5: Robert on the first break
Lawn 6: (Maugham v Lines, G2): Dave wins game 2, plus 26-ish TP. Rob should be pleased to have the most difficult lawn at the venue for his game.
Lawn 7: (Mounfield v Hockey, G3): still lunching
James is still whittering about "I should have taken the 9 yarder", and making comments about the commentators lack of peels this week!
Spotter gives a correction on the Fletcher game: Robbie has gone around 3rd turn having hit the tice. Having a 3 ducks leave.
Forster v Brown.
1. Brown to east boundary
2. Forster s of c2
3. Brown misses partner
4. Forster hits the double, didn't get a rush to hoop 1. Split Robin to hoop 1 going to partner in c2. Robin's ball went off the west boundary. Stephen finished 6y from partner.
5. Robin to c4 with ball on west boundary.
6. Stephen has hit partner in c2, so has a 35y takeoff. Copes. Now taking croquet from black to the ball in c4 which is 6 yards away. Doesn't get a rus and has failed to roll in front of hoop 1. Joins partner in C2.
Lawn 2: Rutger has established the first break. Turn 3 Brian left himself a rush to hoop 1, ignoring the ball in C2. Rutger hit the long shot down from corner 3 to pick up this turn, then rushed into corner 2.
Lawn 6: Ian reporting that Dave played rather well in game 2.
Lawn 2: Turn 4: Rutger appears to have failed hoop 6 from nowhere - I was just thinking how nice it was to see a tidy controlled break.
5. Brian has hit and has a ball a couple of yards north of hoop 2 and red 6 inches in front of 1. Has to approach hoop 1 from a bit of an angle. Approaches still to a bit of an angle and hits too much of the far hoop. Rutger has a 2 yarder for a septuple... Has hit with his hoop 1 ball and is under way.
Lawn 3: Robin tried to corner from near hoop 1 - hits hoop 3 and stays there. Stephen has failed to get in front of hoop 1 and returned to partner. Robin heading to near corner 4 this time.
Stephen appears to have failed to get near hoop 1 again, so is joined up on the north boundary north of hoop 2.
Alarming sight from in the marquee where Dave has given James a consoling hug!
Results from last night's BBQ... there was an excellent range of prizes on offer for the raffle, and some great food on the tables.
Nelson Morrow won the new square Pidcock "Pidcock 4000", Tim King won the Hobbs mallet and Stephen Mulliner is to be the recipient of an hour's coaching from Reg Bamford!
Lawn 3: Robin now in corner 3. Stephen has rushed 8y short of this along the N boundary. Has put blue down to hoop 1 and is now laying up near the north boundary. I wonder which corner robin will go to .... no... ran out of corners - hits the target on the north boundary. Might see the rare sight on this lawn of a hoop being made.
Lawn 2: Looks like Rutger had a go at the hoop 6 peel on the way to hoop 2 - failed. Jawses the peel on the way to hoop 3.
Lawn 7: Mounfield v Hockey. Mounfield blobs 1back on second break frmo nowhere. Hockey to 4b with NSL.
Lawn 6: Fulford v Farthing. 1. Fulford narrow 12y supershot
2. Farthing hits supershot from A baulk gently. croquets it to duffer tice position and goes off 8y n of c4.
3. Fulford shoots from end of B baulk at duffer tice. Missed on left, to 4y east of end of A baulk.
4. Farthing hits 4 yarder. Takes off behind partner, almost going off the lawn. ends up with a rush pointing at the end of a baulk, which he rushes to the south boundary in front of 1. Approaches and runs the hoop with a rush and has a break.
Lawn 5: Giraud misses from corner 1 at horizontal 3ducks. Fletcher in control. Hasn't peeled penult after hoop 6, but looks in complete control. Is playing beautifully, as usual. The bookie is feeling a little nervous at offering 9-2.
Lawn 4: Burch approaching hoop 1. 1 and 4b plays 1 and 4b. Has overapproached off partner and is now looking at guarding various shots.
Lawn 3: Brown is on hoop 6 on the first break.
Lawn 2: Blink and you'll miss an error here! Rutger's clips are now on 5 and 1b. Brian has hit and rushed well to hoop 1. Makes it off red , has yellow just north of hoop2 and partner in the middle of the lawn.
Lawn 1: 2 and 4-b for Chambers and Trimmer has the innings, but at least one of his clips on hoop 1.
Right...back in action...relocated to near c1 of lawn 6.
Cumming has taken the first game v Burch after Jamie missed a 3yarder to give the world away.
Robbie has all the peels done and is finishing game 1 v Alain Giraud. +26TP 5th turn.
Farthing has all the balls near 3b and is looking to construct a NSL.
Mounfield is on his way to 4b with his other clip on 1b. Paddy is complaining about the lack of a sextuples or tpo.
(just a heads up that I am on an iPad now, thanks to the uni of canterbury so more mobile, but occasionally subject to interesting auto corrections.
Mounfield has just pulled out a top shot... 3b pioneer now lodged in rover and ran into red which was directly behind the ball he wanted to rush to 1b. Longish hoop 1 ...copes.
Farthing's NSL is a little ugly...the ball at hoop 4 is wide open from a few yards west of a baulk. Nope... Robert has taken the shot from where red lies... Must have had a big double...misses on the left. Great opportunity for 2009 world champ medalist to take first blood in this match.
meanwile Mounfield has coped with his break and is now constructing what looks like a B spread.
Lawn 5: quick resumption from Fletcher and Giraud.
1. Giraud to east boundary.
2. Fletcher to s of C2
3. Giraud misses
4. Fletcher hits and he's off again.
lawn 6. Farthing has opted to play the promotion, cannoning partner 6y north of hoop 1. Doesn't get a rush on the ball at hoop 4 and comes up 3y short on the croquet stroke, leaving a rush to the west boundary. Now has a long takeoff to hoop 1. Has a 7ft slightly angled hoop 1...hits the middle of the near wire.
fulford just misses to his right from hoop 2. This gives Farthing a 7 yarder to pick up the break again -dribbles it off well and has got north of partner but now has a backward takeoff.. Gets a 45 deg hoop... No problem.
meanwhile...
lawn7: Simon is in with a break. Not completely sure what happened, but we think that Nick split his balls off in making his leave, Simon missed the shot at Nick's 4b ball and then nick must have missed the longish shot with his 1back ball.
simon has jawsed 4b and is making 5... Has approached it well and runs 5 with a hamper rush which he elects to nudge.
lawn 5: Robbie had to rush to 3 from hoop 2 but his clip is now on3 and Alain has just run hoop 1 with balls near 2 and 3
lawn 2: Rutger missed the lift, Brian made hoop 1 but missed a 7yard return joining up with Rutger's 1back ball. Rutger's other clip is still on 5
Farthing has now peeled 4b after hoop 3 and looks nicely in control. Can't get back to the peeled after 4... IIt's well through
Hockey's penultimate peel, from a horrible angle, rejected to nearly hoop 3. Death roll just through on the way to 2b.
Alain's break now well under control...let's see if he can put some pressure on the Aussie star.
other lawns too far away to see sorry.
Farthing has a good rush out of hoop 5.
Hockey has played a beautiful roll from 2y north of penultimate putting peeled within a yard of rover and getting a perfect rush on a good 3b pioneer. Lawn 7 looks by far the easiest of the main lawns. Great decision by the management to only use these 7 lawns today - it's really hard playing a main event game in an isolated place, on rather different conditions. Hope they don't use the bowling green tomorrow...
penult pioneer is closer to the north boundary than penult. Peeled waiting in position at rover. Runs 4b with a rush across to the bad penult pioneer..no problems here.
Paddy is looking for a chance of revenge for the last worlds should Hockey prevail here.
Oops...Giraud has just clanged hoop 6.
Farthing has peeled penult after hoop 6.
lots and lots of lawn time for Robin Brown in the distance ... Can't be good for Forster who is game down.
Hockey, with two sideish balls, stabs the peel stroke and sends partner deep staying in the jaws with strikers ball. Just avoids the grevious to take the deciding game +11TP.
Farthing has one peel to do and is going to a northerly 2b pioneer. Gets nice position with peeled and a longish rush to 2b. Copes well.
the English to non-English ratio is getting a little more balanced now.
Robbie played with his hoop 3 ball...his rush from hoop 1 to hoop 3 ended up a yard south of c3. Sends reception ball. Deep approaching the hoop well. Runs it to near hoop 4.
Farthing didn't get the peel before 3b, but all under control.
Quick check by Farthing to remember which ball he's playing... Chris would be proud that his former doubles remembered.
Bullen v Rutger a bit scrappy. Bullen hit the lift with his hoop 2 ball and established a break...missed the return roquet after hoop 4. Rutger now taking his hoop 5 ball around.
Evan Burridge now sitting with us looking very cute in Paddy's Oakley sunglasses...he is now explaining to me that the clear lenses I have are good for bad hay fever days. Useful tip.
Farthing with a very straightforward rover peel for game 1. copes well. Farthing takes game 1 +26TP.
Fulford v Farthing game 2:
1. Farthing 12y narrow supershot
2. Fulford south of c2
3. Farthing misses to the left, has probably left a bit of a double.
4. Rob misses to the right.
5. Farthing has a cannon. Plays it decently, putting yellow 9 y east of c2 rushing well to near partner. Croquet stroke rush onto partner! Long backward takeoff is perfect...fails hoop 1.
6. Rob has a 7.5 yarder for the world. ....hits.
meanwhile a noisy game of one-ball is underway on the adjacent lawn. Can't be good for those already-floppy hoops.
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