Good morning from Surbiton.

GB win toss on lawn 3 and will go in.

G1T1 Aiton (Black) to peg-high East boundary

G1T2 Forster (Red) to 6" N of 4th corner

G1T3 Mulliner (Blue) to 1y N of Red.

G1T4 Clarke (Martin) (Yellow) misses Red from A-baulk.

G1T5  Mulliner fails to get cannon, doesn't get Yellow out of the way for rush on Red to Black.  Red is croqueted 5yN of hoop 3, Blue rushes Black east of hoop 2.  Aiton is on lawn. Mulliner rolls both balls off: Blue just N of 2nd corner, Black 3y N of Blue.

G1T6 Forster plays Red 10y N of Yellow (which is near 4th corner)

G1T7  Much discussion from the GB pair.  Mulliner (Blue) taps Black, takes off to Red.  Croquets Red to 5y ESE of hoop 1.  Yellow is sent 3y E of 3rd corner, presumably in lawn a bit.  Blue goes off 4'S of Black.

G1T8  Red goes 1'N of 4th corner.

G1T9  Black must have been in-lawn, so Mulliner is still playing.  Rolls Black 4y WSW of 3rd corner going to Yellow.  Yellow is stopped maybe peg-high near W boundary.  Leaves rush toward Red.

Thanks to Phil for the graphic there.

G1T10 Clarke shoots Yellow at Black and Blue. Goes through middle to 3rd corner.

G1T11 Mulliner hits Yellow, stops it a yard or 2 out off the end of B-baulk.  Good cut rush into 4th corner.  At last, a hoop approach!  Mulliner now has break.

G1T11 Mulliner round to 4-back.  Spread coming up.

G1T11  Red is 2yN of peg-high, 2y in from W bdry.  Yellow 1" peg. 

G1T12  Yellow (Clarke) is lifted to B-baulk, taking on 22-yarder.  Misses into 4th corner.

G1T13 Aiton (Black) over-approaches hoop 1, leaving short angled hoop (maybe 45 degrees).  Fails into jaws.

G1T14 Red is 4y from hoop, but can't see much of Black.  Forster shoots at Yellow (20y), missing into contact.

G1T15 Black is less than half-way through.  Rhys Thomas is refereeing as Black runs hoop to Blue. Blue is rushed to 3yS of hoop 3, takes off to Red and Yellow.  Colin Irwin now refereeing whether Aiton has a 4th corner cannon.  He has.  Doesn't really use it, croqueting Red 1' W of the corner.  Rushes Yellow to 2, makes it, rushes back near Red.  Yellow now 3y WNW of 4th corner, an adequate pioneer for the standard TP attempt, I'd say.

G1T15.  Aiton peels 4-back after 3 by not very much, rushes escape ball into 4th corner.  Approaches 4 off Yellow, stopping Yellow toward 5.  Runs hoop, no rush on Red.

Wright shoots Blue (nr 3) at Yellow (nr 4) (15y), missing, joining up with partner.

USA on lawn looking at state of Red in 3.  Can't be great, Rothman is shooting Yellow at Blue (8y).  Misses.

Sorry, I mis-read the body language.  Rothman hit the 8-yarder (at Black not Blue)

Oops, wrong match syndrome strikes again

G1T15  Aiton has peeled penult after 6.  2-back pioneer maybe 3y N of hoop.  3-back pioneer deep, maybe 5y SSW of hoop.

G1T15  Aiton only just runs 2-back, Rhys refereeing again.  Can't tell how tricky this is.  Ooh, sweep required.  Copes.

G1T15  Aiton makes rover peel, is rolling up to 3-back from 5y.  Copes.  Should finish.

G1 +26tp(A)

G2T1  Forster (black) 8yN of 4th corner

G2T2 Aiton (red) just S of 2nd corner

G2T3  Clarke (blue) misses Black from A-baulk

G2T4 Mulliner (yellow) hits Blue from a-baulk, rushes Black 2y from 1, approaches it... with Black! WRONG BALL

G2T5 Forster (black) makes 1 off yellow, rushes yellow maybe 5yS of 1, takes off to Blue, goes off lawn.

Aiton picked the wrong moment to go to the toilet there.

G2T6  Mulliner shoots Yellow at Blue.  Misses (18y).

G2T7  Forster (Black) hits Yellow, croquets it to 4.  Rushes Blue near Red (nr II).  Makes 2 off Red,rushes Red back to II.

Forster on break, has reached 2-back

G2T7  Forster to 4-back.  Mulliner is having a conversation on his mobile - I thoroughly disapprove of this behaviour.  Fairly horizontal spread coming up, Yellow at peg, Red maybe 2y in lawn.

G2T8  Mulliner (Yellow) thinks he can see (some of) Red as they lie.  Misses on the side you'd expect.

G2T9  Clarke has great opportunity here.  Sending Black to 3 not 2 for the standard TP - I'd rather have a good hoop 2 pioneer.  Good cut to 1yE hoop 1.  Roquets Yellow in hoop stroke.  Red is 7y SW of hoop 2.  Takes off to Red  - short.  Rolling to hoop from 5y.  Good approach.  grovels through.  Rhys is earning his supper.

Clarke has a very missable sweep, but snicks it.  Now has position for standard TP.  4-back peel goes through after 3.

Clarke has a prominent bright green stripe across his nose and face.  Presumably suncream not warpaint.  It actually clouded over shortly after Phil and I had arranged our media centre under some shading umbrellas.

G2T9  Clarke (Blue) rushes back to peelee after 4.

G2T9 Clarke gets penult peel after 6.

G2T9  Clarke has grovelled through 2-back.  Rhys on again.  Rejects sweep option.  Sliding mallet along hoop.  Other ball is 4' away.  Is it going to reach? Yes, just!  Now lining up rover peel before 3-back.

G2T9 Rover peel before 3-back bounced off.  Referee required again after penult.  Straight rover peel.  Finishes.

G2T9 Rover peel before 3-back bounced off.  Referee required again after penult.  Straight rover peel.  Finishes.

G2 Australia +26TP(C)

GB pair discussing tactics.  Mulliner is holding tightly onto the Yellow ball.

G3T1  Mulliner plays Yellow from B-baulk.  It's 4' off E bdry, maybe peg-high.

G3T2  Aussie pair discussing tactics, standing in 2nd corner.

G2T2  Forster shoots Black at Yellow, missing to 3y N of 4th corner. 

Thanks to Phil for balls graphic.  It was at this juncture in G2 when Phil says... I see Mulliner's playing Black.  He's doing what now?

G3T3  Aiton misses Black from A-baulk, coming on 1" N of Black.

G3T4  Clarke misses 13y double from A-baulk.

G3T5  Aiton (Red) picks up break.  He's now for 3 with all the balls.

G3T5  Aiton making 1-back.

Behind me Radio Jackie is interviewing Aaron Westerby.

G3T5  Spread coming up.

G3T5  Aiton (Red) round to 4-back.  Spread with Blue maybe 1y in from W bdry, Black 1" from peg, Yellow and red 11y N of 4th corner, with 1y rush into lawn.

G3T6  Clarke lifts Blue to B-baulk, misses into 4th corner.

G3T7  Mulliner's rush to 1 is short - 4y NE hoop.  Underapproaches.  45degree hoop or worse.  Red is 4y SE hoop 2.  Keith is suggesting somewhere near the end of B-baulk.  Mulliner's looking at the hoop again.  Or is it to be wired posi?  Aiton has gone back to B-baulk.  And finally Mulliner sends Yellow maybe 12yE of 2nd corner.

Most spectators are watching this match on lawn 3 - there's not much room for a crowd off the S boundaries of 1 and 2.  20something crowd.

G3T8  Forster shoots Black at Blue, missing into contact.

G3T9  Mulliner (Yellow) hits Red (10y).  Takes off to Black and Blue.  Thick wafer leaves 4y approach.  Maybe 15" 15 degree hoop.  Fails it giving Black easy chance.

G3T10  Forster (Black) rushes Yellow 4y S of 1.  Approaches hoop to 18", grovels through.  Can't hit Yellow, shoots at Blue (16y)  Misses.  (Blue is halfway between hoops 3 and 4.)

G3T11  Mulliner misses 6-yarder.

G3T12  Blue and Black are 7 yards apart.  Clarke (Blue) is shooting at Black.  Snicks it.  Rolls Black to 2 leaving 4-yarder at Yellow (on N bdry).  Hits it.  Takes off to Red, which is 7y N of hoop 1.  Good take-off.  Rush to 1y NW hoop.  Makes hoop.

G3T12 ctd  Clarke plays good roll after 1.  Red is now at 3 for standard TPO if he wants it....

Chris Clarke has just turned up, having been at Southwick for the start of Tier 3.  He saw a Swede go round to 4-back with a leave, which is more than some Brits have been managing.  Swedes good, Brits turnips?

G3T12  Clarke (Blue) attempts to peel red through 4-back after 3.  Peel fails.

G3T12ctd  Clarke persisting with TPO - hoop 6 pioneer is 8' W of 4-back.  Gets forward rush out of 5.  Peels Red through 4-back before 6.

G3T12ctd  Clarke (Blue) playing well this turn.  Black is 3y E of 1-back, Yellow rushed near 3rd corner after 6.  Yellow croqueted 3y NNE 2-back.  Roll sends Red 1'W of penult.  Makes 1-back off Black.

G3T12ctd  Clarke (Blue)  croquets Black 6"N of 3-back.  Death roll before 2-back puts Red 1' through penult.  Overhit, so has to roll off 2-back from 4 yards.  Copes.

G3T12ctd  Clarke (Blue) has Yellow at 4-back.  Rolls Red 4' in front of rover going to Black at 3-back.  He'll be needing straight rover peel to finish TPO.

G3T12ctd  Clarke (Blue) now has Red 1' in front of rover.  He's just run penult.  Partner is summoned.

G3T12ctd  Clarke (Blue) has made penult off Black.  Red is 1' in front of rover, Yellow 1y NW of Red.  Blue has 2y rush on Black.  Black is now 2y ESE rover.  Yellow is 1'W of hoop  Rushes red into jaws.  Forster is lurking.  Stops Red 3y through.  Runs hoop, rushes Black.  Overcuts it - that was surely meant to go off E bdry.  Instead it's halfway between hoop 3 and 4.  Thick take-off puts Black maybe 5y NE of hoop 4.  Has 1y rush on Red to peg.  It hits the back of rover.  Now has to take on 7-yard peg-out ....

G3T12ctd  Clarke (Blue) is lining up 7-yard peg-out of Red from beside rover.  Rhys called on to umpire the peg.  Gets it!

G3T12ctd  Clarke (Blue) goes off in 2nd corner.

So we have Mulliner (Yellow, for 1) v Forster (Black, for 2) and Clarke (Blue, for peg).  Aiton's Red is pegged out.

G3T13  Yellow takes contact off Blue.  Takes off short of Black.  Rushes it off E bdry 4y N of 4th corner.  Rolls to 1.  Black is 7y N of hoop, Yellow has 4 yard hoop.  Takes 1y posi, wired from Black (presumably!)

Long pause.  Lunch?

G3T14  Forster Black plays 3Y E of 4th corner - wired from 2.

G3T15 Mulliner rejects off hoop to slightly better position.

G3T16  Blue to9y E of 3rd corner.  Why?  Answers on a postcard....

G3T17 Mulliner (Yellow) runs hoop 1 to N of hoop 2.  Hits Blue.  Underapproaches with roll.  Takes wired position at 2.

G3T18  Clarke (Blue) to 2y E W of Black.

G3T19  Mulliner runs hoop 2 by 18" (Murray control).  Yellow misses Blue to halfway between Black and Blue.

G3T18  Clarke (Blue) to 2y E W of Black.

G3T19  Mulliner runs hoop 2 by 18" (Murray control).  Yellow misses Blue to halfway between Black and Blue.

Sorry for repeated comment.  Trigger happy on the Save button.

G3T20   Forster (Black) doesn't get cannon.  Leaves Yellow behind, rushes Blue to 2y in front of hoop 2.  Makes 2, rushes Blue 8y W of Yellow.  Good take-off.  Rush bobbled a bit, ends up 4yS of hoop 3.  Croquets Yellow 3y WNW of hoop 2.  Joins up near end of A-baulk with rush pointing NW uselessly.

Both backward clips on 3.

G3T21  Mulliner (Yellow) and Aiton in discussion.  Surely it's wrong to shoot.  Yellow goes 10y N of 1st corner.

G3T22  Black & Blue actually a few yards E of A-baulk.  Blue (Clarke) plays.  Hits Black, takes off to Yellow.  Hits it, croquets it halfway between hoop 2 and 2nd corner (open on Black). (Black is 5y SSW of hoop 4.)  Blue goes off S bdry 3y WSW of Black.

G3T23  Yellow shoots at Black.  Misses.

G3T24  Forster (Black) hits Yellow.  Taking off to Blue, shy of rush to 3.  Rushes off near middle of West boundary.  Looking at setting up semi-wired by hoop 5.  Lays up with rush to 3.

G3T25  Mulliner  takes 25-yarder at Blue.  Has it hilled on?  No, hills off at the end.

G3T26 Forster (Black) ignores Yellow, rushes Blue to 3, makes it.  Goodish long cut after hoop to 6y NNE hoop 4. Makes it off the lawn, with rush pointing to 4th corner.  Sets up wired rush to 5.

G3T27  GB pair in discussion.  Mulliner plays Yellow to middle of East boundary.

G3T28  Forster (Black) rushes Blue 1y in front of 5.  Makes it, but overruns Blue.

G3T28ctd  Forster is taking croquet off Blue 2yN of 5.  Summons partner.  Looking for wired spots near both 1st and 2nd corners.  Blue has been croqueted 4y N of 1st corner and 1y in lawn.  Yellow can see Blue through the gap between hoops 1 and 5.  Black leaves himself rush to 6, presumably wired by 1.

G3T29  Mulliner sends Yellow 1' W of 3rd corner.

G3T30  Forster Black trying to set up tight wired rush.

G3T31  Mulliner to 6" S of 3rd corner.

G3T32  Forster rushes Blue to hoop 6.  Makes it, rushes Blue to 3y NE 1-back.  Makes 1-back.  Lift coming up.  Blue is left in middle of West boundary.  Black to 2nd corner.

G3T33  Mulliner lifts Yellow to end of B-baulk, hits Black (13y).  Croquets Black 2y SE of hoop 5, hits Blue.  Tries to roll off hoop 3, good effort but a yard short.  Takes position, Blue can hit most of his 7-yarder at Yellow.

G3T34  Blue retires to 1y S of 2nd corner.

G3T35  Mulliner runs hoop 3 by 10y.  Has 10-yarder at Black.  Misses it.

G3T36  Black to 6y E of 2nd corner.

G3T37  Mulliner misses Blue.

G3T38  Blue (Clarke) hits Yellow, croquets it 10y E of 3rd corner.  Rushes Black 2y E of peg.  Aussie pair wandering along A-baulk looking for suitable spot.

G3T38ctd  Black has been croqueted 5y SSW of 2-back.  It is wired from Yellow.  Blue goes off S bdry 6y E of 1st corner.

G3T39  Discussion.  Yellow shoots at Blue (34y).  Misses.

G3T40  Forster (Black) hits Yellow.  Rushes Blue near 2-back (not aggressive stoppo approach going for finish).  Makes 2-back, and he's rushing Blue to 2nd corner.  (Why not run it to Yellow?)  Looks like Mulliner's got away with shooting last time. Black and Blue have leave 7y E of 2nd corner.

G3T41  Mulliner shoots (30y)  Misses.

G3T42  Forster (Black) hits Yellow, croquets it 3y NW of hoop 2.  Clubs rush to 3-back 4y past hoop.  Has 1y straight hoop.  Runs it cleanly.  Hits 3y return roquet.  Partner's on the lawn.

The consensus around me is that Johnny Foreigner does not play 3-ball endings tactically well.

Blue is 3y SW of hoop 4.  A thick take-off sends Blue 7yE of 1st corner (and in-lawn a foot or so) - Black gets rush on Yellow!  Approaches 4-back.  Hoop looks runnable enough, but without prospect of rush to penult and a ball in baulk he retires to 7y S of 2nd corner. 

G3T43  Mulliner misses Yellow at Blue.

G3T44  Clarke (Blue) hits Yellow to 3y E of 1st corner.  Takes off to Black, hits it near 2nd corner.  Rolling toward 3rd corner.  Black is short of where was intended.  Black is 4y NNE of 4-back, Blue off N bdry, wired, I guess.

The Lady Mayor has turned up.

G3T45  GB pair in discussion.  Yellow to 10y E of 2nd corner.

G3T46  Clarke (Blue) plays.  Takes off from Black to Yellow.  Black is 2y W of 4-back.  Blue hits Yellow.  Surely Blue must be coming off?  Yes indeed.  Yellow is croqueted 10y N of 1st corner, Blue pegs out.

Are you reading, Mr. Rutger?

Well, no, his match is still in progress.

Mulliner emerges from the pavilion

G3T47  Mulliner takes 5' position at hoop 4.  Good shot!

G3T48  Forster takes posi at 4-back.

G3T49  Mulliner runs hoop to boundary.  Yellow takes 1y posi at 5.

G3T50  Forster runs 4-back.  (Lift pending.)  More partnership thinking.

G3T50ctd  Whither is Black going to run away?  Middle of East boundary is the answer.  Maybe just S of peg-high

Black is for penult, Yellow for 5.  Only 2 balls on the lawn.

G3T51  Mulliner (Yellow) runs hoop 5 by 5y.  Yellow shooting at Black (13y).  Misses on South side.

G3T52  Forster (Black) knocks Y 7yN of 4th corner.  Takes off toward penult.  2y short.  Retires to 12y S of 2nd corner.

G3T53  Mulliner puts Yellow 6y S of hoop 3.

G3T54  Forster 3y W of hoop 2 - wired?

G3T55 Mulliner goes 2'ENE of hoop 6.

G3T56  Forster shoots at whatever he could see missing to middle of East Boundary

G3T57 Mulliner takes close posi.

G3T58  Forster to 1yW of 3rd corner.

G3T59  Mulliner runs 6, takes 1y posi at 1-back

G3T60  Forster to 10y W of 3rd corner (???)

G3T61  Mulliner (Yellow) hits Black (11y).  Approaches 1-back sending Black 2y W of 2-back.  Runs 5' hoop off South boundary.  Hits Black (7y). 

G3T61ctd  Mulliner (Yellow) approaches 2-back OK.  Reasonable rush to 3-back.  Undercuts it, Black is 4y NNE of 3-back.  Good thick take-off approach.  More lying down on lawn.  Runs it by a few inches.  Ref is called on (Rhys again).  Striking through hoop, missing to N bdry.  I do hope Yellow isn't wired!

G3T62  Forster not wired.  Plays peg-high between hoops 3 and 4, wired I presume.

So we have Forster (Black) on penult, Mulliner (Yellow) on 4-back.  Red and Blue in the box.

G3T63  Mulliner plays Yellow 3y ESE of 4-back. 

G3T64  Forster goes 18" SE of penult (wired?)

G3T65  Mulliner is lying down to see what he can see of Black.  Shoots, snicks it.  Black is 4y S of penult.  Good roll approach.  Runs hoop but not to boundary - rushing Black to 1y S of end of B-baulk.  Approaches penult to 5'; Black 1y W of rover.  Good hoop, controlled fisting.

G3T65ctd Mulliner takes off from Black to 1' 20 degree rover.  Fails it into front of jaws.

Black is 8' SW of rover.

G3T66  Forster (Black) calls on umpire.  Rushes Yellow out of hoop to 2y SW peg.

G3T66ctd  Black takes off from Yellow to penult.  Short - he's level with hoop.  Takes posi - has to be slightly angled to avoid conceding wiring lift.

G3T67  Mulliner hits 10-yarder.

G3T67ctd  GB pair on lawn.  Black is 2y NW of penult.  Thick take-off sends Balck 3y SE of hoop 2.  Yellow has 4' hoop.  Restalking going on.  Gaggle of Aussies on lawn 2 (where match has just finished).  Mulliner runs hoop by 1".

G3T67ctd  Mulliner & Aiton in conflab.  Mulliner hits Yellow back through hoop to 3y S of peg.

G3T68  Forster Black hits Yellow (12y).  Yellow is 4y S of rover and a bit to side.  Take-off short again.  Yellow is wired from peg.  Black takes v. angled posi - may not be runnable.  Had to avoid wiring lift again. 

G3T69  Aiton is pointing to wired posi near peg.  Mulliner fails to find it.

G3T70  Forster (Black) hits Yellow (10y).  Another take-off to penult!  Third time lucky?  Fails angled hoop to 5y W of penult.

G3T71  Yellow is 8y from the peg and can see it.  Instead decides to go 4y SE peg.  Wired from Black - maybe merest sliver.

G3T72  Forster shoots at sliver.  Hits peg, bounces off 6y W of Yellow

G3T73  The ball is the bigger target.   Mulliner misses it.

G3T74  Forster takes 2y posi at penult.

G3T75  Mulliner is on West boundary 11y N of 1st corner.  Shoots at peg.  Misses, finishing 2 yards in from East boundary.

G3T76  Forster runs penult to 18" N of peg.  Is peg in way of rover?  Takes 8' posi at rover.

G3T77  Mulliner plays Yellow 2y S of penult.

G3T78  Forster fails hoop, bouncing off 1' to W of hoop.

G3T79  Mulliner adjusts Yellow to 8' N of peg, wired we hope.

G3T80  Forster misses Yellow, bouncing off penult.

G3T81  Mulliner hits peg

Never In Doubt.

GB wins the match, and the day, 2-1.

Just the 105 turns in the match then.

This part of the crowd thought the Aussies right to peg out the forward ball (G3T46).  However the tice at 1-back (G3T60) didn't work out so well!