- Introduction
- Entry
- Venues
- Transport/Hotels
- Other
- Results & Media
- Commentaries
Introduction
The World Croquet Federation(WCF) has awarded the hosting of the 12th WCF World Association Croquet Championship to the United States Croquet Association (USCA).
The winner will receive the Wimbledon Cup.
The event will be played from Saturday 9th to Sunday 17th May 2009 in West Palm Beach, Florida with the centrepiece at the National Croquet Center's 12 lawns.
Additional matches will be played at The PGA National Club (4 lawns).
Both clubs are within easy commuting distance of each other and Palm Beach International Airport.
Event Organising Committee
Johnny Mitchell (Chairman)
Joe Pierotti
Championship Management
Manager: Andrew Gregory (England)
Referee: Owen Edwards (Australia)
Additional Referees
Tony Hall: Australia
Christine Irwin: England
Rodger Lane: NZ
Rhys Thomas: USA
Martyn Selman: USA
Johnny Mitchell: USA
Bob Kroeger: USA
Len Canavan: USA
Anti-Doping
At this time, neither the WCF or USCA are signatories to the World Anti-Doping Agency Doping Code.
No testing will take place at this Championship.
For further information on the WADA Doping Code see the WCF Anti-Doping page.
Playing Conditions
The Championship shall be played in accordance with the Laws of Association Croquet, 6th Edition, under Law 36 Advanced play conditions, as amended from time to time, and the WCF Sports Regulations as amended from time to time.
All results of matches played in this Championship will be included in the WCF Association Croquet Rankings.
Sunshiny balls or Dawson 2000 International 2nd Series will be used (but not both).
Play will commence each day at 08.30hrs and will continue until dusk which is approximately 20.00hrs. At this time floodlighting is not available at the venues but this is being considered. Players must therefore be prepared to play under floodlight 's conditions at the Tournament Manager's discretion.
Child Protection
For those who are under 18 on the 9th May 2009:-
All member associations are reminded of the requirements of child protection for ALL WCF Championships and particularly the one cited above.
A child is any person under the age of 18 years. (United Nations: Convention on the Rights of the Child)
For WCF purposes it is interpreted that they are a child if they are under the age of 18 years on the first date of competition.
When nominating players for entry to ANY WCF event, the relevant member association must have regard to the age of the players they are nominating. Where it is apparent that a child is being nominated they must take all steps to prevent harm and ensure their continuing safety from home, back to home.
Whilst WCF and any host association will take all reasonable steps to mitigate any perceived risk to children, neither are in a position to guarantee the overall safety of a child or assume responsibility for them whilst they are attending a WCF event. This is particularly relevant to those periods where a child player is not actively participating.
Whenever a child is nominated by a member association, such nomination MUST be accompanied by:-
- WCFCP Form 1 Under Age Release;
- WCFCP Form 2 Child Protection Medical Information.
Both of these forms require the signature of the child’s parent / guardian.
The Under age release form also requires the signature of a responsible person on behalf of the nominating member association.
Only upon receipt of those forms and the nomination will the entry for the child be accepted.
Link to the forms and full WCF Child Protection Guidance
Member Associations should satisfy themselves, in dialogue with their own Child Protection Officer that the child they have nominated is of sufficient age and understanding that they look after themselves or, that they have put in place sufficient safeguarding arrangements to ensure the child’s safety is protected from home back to home.
They should bear in mind that many carriers and local jurisdictions actively prevent children from travelling alone.
Supervision of a child, from home back to home, may be undertaken by any person over the age of 18 years, such as:-
- a designated member of the nominating member association accompanying the child acting as a Team Supervisor;
- a parent / guardian of another child attending the event who is designated as a supervisor and who is conversant with their protective role;
- another player who is designated as a supervisor and who is conversant with their protective role.
Entry Fee
The entry fee is £60 (GBP) per player.
Click on the payment icon below to be taken to the secure PayPal site. All exchange costs are paid by WCF.
Semi-Finalists from 2008 event
Chris Clarke England (Champion)
Robert Fulford - England
Stephen Mulliner - England
Australia
K Bald
K Beard
B Fleming
E Fleming
R Fletcher *
S Forster
T Murphy (Wild Card)
M Prater
S Watkins
*National Association child protection clearance obtained
Austria
Declined
Belgium
Canada
Brian Cumming
Paul Emmett (Wild Card)
Leo McBride
Czech Republic
DeclinedEngland
Mark Avery
Jamie Burch
Debbie Cornelius (Wild Card)
James Death
Ed Duckworth
Marcus Evans
Chris Farthing (Wild Card)
John Gibbons
Jerry Guest (Wild Card)
Colin Irwin (Wild Card)
Roger Jenkins (Wild Card)
Ian Lines
David Maugham
David Openshaw
Samir Patel
Chris Patmore (Wild Card)
Brian Storey (Wild Card)
Peter Trimmer (Wild Card)
Andrew Winn (Wild Card)
Finland
Declined
France
Declined
Germany
Ireland
Isle of Man
Italy
Declined
Japan
Jersey
Tony Le Moignan
James Le Moignan (Wild Card)
New Zealand
Phillip Drew
Duncan Dixon
Anthony Ritchie
Aiken Hakes
Robert Lowe
Norway
Declined
Palestine
Declined
Russia
Declined
Scotland
Keith Aiton
James Hopgood (Wild Card)
Jonathan Kirby
Martin Murray (Wild Card)
South Africa
Reg Bamford
Carole Jackson (Wild Card)
Spain
Andres de Diego
Juan Ojeda (Wild Card)
Jose Alvarez-Sala (Wild Card)
Sweden
Switzerland
Representative has withdrawn due to injury.
United States of America
Jim Bast (Wild Card)
Paul Bennett
David Bent
Damon Bidencope
Bob Cherry
Doug Grimsley
Trevor Herin
Danny Huneycutt
Dick Knapp
Rich Lamm
Ron Lloyd
Johnny Osborn (Wild Card)
Ben Rothman
Wales
Ian Burridge
David Walters (Wild Card)
Chris Williams
WCF
Rutger Beijderwellen (Netherlands) (Wild Card)
Qualifiers
Paul Billings (USA); Greg Fletcher (Australia); Malcolm Fletcher (Australia); Charlie Gillmarten (USA); Peter Just (USA); Stuart Lawrence (USA).
Wild Cards
All initially declined allocated places (8) have been added to the total number of wild card places available (6). Total 14.
(A total of 33 players were nominated for wild card places.)
Total number of entries:- 80
Details of how WCF Wild Cards were considered.
Wild Cards Chosen and accepted:-
Rutger Beijderwellen (Netherlands) (Strength)
Chris Patmore (England) (Strength)
Chris Farthing (England) (Strength)
James Le Moignan (Jersey) (Strength)
Peter Trimmer (England) (Strength)
Tim Murphy (Australia) (Strength)
Colin Irwin (England) (Strength)
Juan Ojeda (Spain) (Development)
Walid Wahban (Egypt) (Development)
Roger Jenkins (England) (Strength)
Andrew Winn (England) (Strength)
Johnny Osborn (USA) (Host Country)
Jim Bast (USA) (Host Country)
Jose Alvarez-Sala (Spain) (Development)
The WCF Wild Card selection process for the above event has now been completed.
WCF has established a “reserve” list from which further selections will be made in the event of any withdrawals prior to the Qualification Tournament closing date of 13th April 2009.
News: 9th March 2009
Jenny Clarke (New Zealand) withdrew on 29th January 2009.
Jerry Stark (USA) withdrew on 11th February 2009.
Robin Brown (England) withdrew on 12th February 2009
They are replaced by:-
Debbie Cornelius (England)
Martin Murray (Scotland)
Brian Storey (England)
Ian Sexton (Switzerland) withdrew on 17th February 2009. He has been replaced by Jerry Guest (England)
Paddy Chapman (New Zealand) withdrew on 26th February 2009. An invitation to compete was extended to Nina Mayard-Husson (New Zealand) who has declined. The invitation has now been accepted by Carole Jackson (South Africa)
Michael Wright (New Zealand) withdrew on 1st March 2009. He has been replaced by David Walters (Wales)
Aaron Westerby (New Zealand) withdrew on 6th March 2009. He has been replaced by Paul Emmett (Canada).
Paul Skinley (New Zealand) withdrew on 9th March 2009. He has been replaced by James Hopgood (Scotland).
Players who are unsuccessful in obtaining direct entry or a wild card place may wish to consider entering the Qualification Tournament. Further details can be found via the "Other" tab above.
Original Wild Card Nominations to WCF
| Member order | Forename | Surname | Member | Ranking @ 2nd December 2008 |
| Non Member | Rutger | Beijderwellen | Netherlands | 4 |
| 2 | Chris | Farthing | England | 26 |
| 1 | Chris | Patmore | England | 45 |
| 1 | James | LeMoignan | Jersey | 51 |
| 3 | Peter | Trimmer | England | 60 |
| 1 | Tim | Murphy | Australia | 74 |
| 4 | Colin | Irwin | England | 75 |
| 9 | Debbie | Cornelius | England | 87 |
| 7 | Jerry | Guest | England | 97 |
| 1 | Martin | Murray | Scotland | 100 |
| 5 | Roger | Jenkins | England | 102 |
| 6 | Andrew | Winn | England | 107 |
| 8 | Brian | Storey | England | 117 |
| 11 | Michael | Heap | England | 133 |
| 1 | Johnny | Osborn | USA | 146 |
| 4 | Paul | Billings | USA | 159 |
| 2 | Jim | Bast | USA | 161 |
| 1 | David | Walters | Wales | 166 |
| 2 | James | Hopgood | Scotland | 167 |
| 5 | Rory | Kelley | USA | 170 |
| 10 | Tom | Weston | England | 183 |
| 3 | Stuart | Lawrence | USA | 196 |
| 2 | Richard | Griffiths | Jersey | 205 |
| 1 | Nina | Mayard-Husson | New Zealand | 234 |
| 1 | Peter | Just | Sweden | 246 |
| 2 | Stuart | Bullen | New Zealand | 296 |
| 1 | Carole | Jackson | South Africa | 325 |
| 1 | Paul | Emmett | Canada | 345 |
| 1 | Juan | Ojeda | Spain | 384 |
| 2 | David | Hopkins | Wales | 387 |
| 3 | Mike | McClure | New Zealand | 389 |
| 2 | Jose | Alvarez-Sala | Spain | 462 |
| 1 | Walid | Whaban | Egypt | 551 |
Reserve List
The list of reserves, in order, will be published in due course.
The World Croquet Federation (WCF) has allocated the following number of places to member associations for selection of their best available players.
| Member | Allocation |
| Australia | 8 |
| Austria | 1 |
| Belgium | 1 |
| Canada | 2 |
| Czech Republic | 1 |
| Egypt | 1 |
| England | 11 |
| Finland | 1 |
| France | 1 |
| Germany | 1 |
| Ireland | 2 |
| Isle of Man | 1 |
| Italy | 1 |
| Japan | 1 |
| Jersey | 1 |
| New Zealand | 9 |
| Norway | 1 |
| Palestine | 1 |
| Russia | 1 |
| Scotland | 2 |
| South Africa | 1 |
| Spain | 1 |
| Sweden | 1 |
| Switzerland | 1 |
| USA | 12 |
| Wales | 2 |
| Total | 66 |
The remaining entry will be:-
- the four semi-finalists from the last event;
- 6 wild card places;
- 4 Qualifiers.
Total:- 80 players
The closing date for nominations for allocated and wild card places is 1st December 2008.
Transport
The main local airport is Palm Beach International Airport served by many carriers.
Other airports in the locality are:-
Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport
Palm Tran offers a bus service to every corner of the county. It provides an efficient and inexpensive public transportation operating 7 days a week.
Tri Rail, South Florida's commuter rail service, offers convenient, comfortable and affordable travel from Palm Beach County to Dade County, also operating 7 days a week. It also connects the three airports listed above.
There are many rental car firms in the area. Enterprise Rent-A-Car is a corporate partner of the Palm Beach County Sports Commission and Institue, offering discount rates to all major sport groups that choose the conuty as its destination.
Palm Beach County has twp major expressways, I-95 and the Florida Turnpike, running north-south throughout the County.
Accommodation
West Palm Beach (closest to NCC and more moderate pricing than Palm Beach).
- Best Western Palm Beach Airport
- Radisson Hotel, Palm Beach Airport
- Courtyard by Marriott
- Holiday Inn Palm Beach Airport
- Hilton Palm Beach Airport
Palm Beach
Further Away
Opening Ceremony
This will take place at the NCC at 5.00pm Friday 8th May 2009. Hors D’ouerves will be served between 5.00pm and 7.00pm.
Player Briefing
This will take place at the NCC, immediately after the Opening Ceremony.
Championship Dinner
This will take place at the NCC at 7.30pm Saturday 16th May 2009 sponsored by the USCA.
Other Catering
Lunches will be available to purchase at both venues at an approximate cost of $10 (USD) each.
The Qualification Tournament for those players that are unsuccessful in securing a direct entry or selection via the wild card process, will take place at the National Croquet Centre, West Palm Beach, Florida, USA from 4th to 7th May 2009 inclusive.
The cost of entry is $70 (USD) per player.
Entries should be sent to:-
United States Croquet Association
700 Florida Mango Road
West Palm Beach, Florida 33406, USA
Phone: +001 (561) 478-0760
E-Mail: tournamentusca@aol.com
The closing date for entries is Monday 13th April 2009.
All Travel into the USA requires a passport and possibly a visa, although many countries have a visa waiver programme.
This is a changing situation and those intending to play or visit the event from foreign countries, should log on to the USA Department of Homeland Security web site for their current entry status and documentation requirements.
Those that require a visa are encouraged to make early application.
From 12th January 2009, it is compulsory for travellers who are citizens or an eligible national of a Visa Waiver Program country for business or pleasure purposes to obtain an authorisation to travel via the ESTA Web site at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
This is a free service.
If your electronic travel authorization application is approved, it establishes that you are eligible to travel, but does not establish that you are admissible to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. Upon arrival to the United States, you will be inspected by a United States Customs and Border Protection officer at a port of entry who may determine that you are inadmissible under the Visa Waiver Program or for any reason under United States law.
A determination that you are not eligible for electronic travel authorization does not preclude you from applying for a visa to travel to the United States.
For those with paper based visa approval:-
After the event and upon leaving the USA, ensure you return the Department of Homeland Security Form I-94 (white) or Form I-94W (green) Departure Record in your passport, at the port of exit.
If you returned home with your Department of Homeland Security Form I-94 (white) or Form I-94W (green) Departure Record in your passport, it means that your departure was not recorded properly. It is your responsibility to correct this record. You must provide U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with sufficient information so they can record your timely departure from the United States. This will close out your earlier record of arrival to this country. Failure to do so automatically means that you may be recorded as overstaying without permission and future entry to the USA adversely affected.
Day Trips
With over 47 miles of white sandy beaches, Palm Beach County offers every conceivable amenity.
40 cultural venues, 5 major shopping malls, 2,400 restaurants, 1,500 tennis courts and over 160 golf courses.
Here is an inexhaustible list of some of the more popular attractions:-
- Armory Art Centre
- Boca Raton Museum of Art
- Boomers
- Flagler Museum
- Jonathan Dickinson State Park
- Hoffman's Chocolate Shoppe
- Kravis Center of Performing Arts
- Lion Country Safari
- Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
- Loxahatchee Everglades Tour
- Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
- Moroso Motorsports Park
- Norton Museum of Art
- Palm Beach County Convention Center
- Palm Beach Pops
- Palm Beach Princess
- Palm Beach Kennel Club
- Palm Beach Skate and Ice Zone
- Palm Beach Zoo
- Palm Beach Water Taxi
- Rapids Water Park
- Roger Dean Stadium
- South Florida Science Museum
- Sound Advice Amphitheatre
- The South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Centers
- Sports Immortals Museum
Shopping Districts
Worth Avenue
Atlantic Avenue
City place
Clematis Strreet
Downtown at the Gardens
Mizner Park
Shopping Malls
- Boynton Beach Mall
- The Gardens of the Palm Beaches
- The Mall at Wellington Green
- The Palm Beach Mall
- Town Center at Boca Raton
General Information
The event will have an opening and closing function including the official awards ceremony.
Social Functions will be arranged.
Further details will circulated in due course.
Climate
South Florida's tropical climate is unique to any other region in the USA.
The average temperature for May is 78F (25C) with a monthly average rainfall of 5.39 inches. (13.7 cm)
Video
Commentary by Chris Clarke
- Clip 1 - The 2009 Final - 1st Game (8:58 seconds)
- Clip 2 - The 2009 Final - 2nd Game (6:48 seconds)
- Clip 3 - The 2009 Final - 2nd Game (9:26 seconds)
- Clip 4 - The 2009 Final - 3rd Game (9:28 seconds)
- Clip 5 - The 2009 Final - 3rd Game (8:48 seconds)
Photographs
A Selection of photos can be seen here
Results
Reg Bamford of South Africa lifted the coveted Wimbledon Cup for the third time in beating Ben Rothwell of USA +13tp, +22, +18tp for a 3-0 victory.
Group Stage
| BLUE GROUP | ||||||||||||
| Player | CC | JD | ED | TM | JL | MM | DD | JO | RL | AM | Wins | Place |
| C. Clarke | +26 | -26tp | +25tp | +23tp | +26tp | +26tp | +17tp | +24tp | +26tp | 8 | 1 | |
| J. Death | -26 | -26tp | +25 | -4 | +16 | +4 | +19 | +5 | +26tp | 6 | 4 | |
| E. Duckworth | +26tp | +26tp | -5 | -5 | +17 | +11 | +26tp | +17 | +26tp | 7 | 2 | |
| T. Murphy | -25tp | -25 | +5 | -3 | +16tp | -25 | -14 | +20tp | +20 | 4 | 7 | |
| J. LeMoignan | -23tp | +4 | +5 | +3 | +23 | -25 | +17 | +13 | +26 | 7 | 2 | |
| M. Murray | -26tp | -16 | -17 | -16tp | -23 | -26 | -25 | -2 | +20 | 1 | 9 | |
| D. Dixon | -26tp | -4 | -11 | +25 | +25 | +26 | -18 | +16 | +16 | 5 | 5 | |
| J. Osborn | -17tp | -19 | -26tp | +14 | -17 | +25 | +18 | +11 | +21 | 5 | 5 | |
| R. Lloyd | -24tp | -5 | -17 | -20tp | -13 | +2(T) | -16 | -11 | +26 | 2 | 8 | |
| A. Morris | -26tp | -26tp | -26tp | -20 | -26 | -20 | -16 | -21 | -26 | 0 | 10 | |
| RED GROUP | ||||||||||||
| Player | RF | JK | TL | DO | KB | JB | JG | TH | EN | KM | Wins | Place |
| R. Fulford | +12 | +26tp | +13tpo | +3 | +24tp | +16 | -20 | +25sxp | +24 | 8 | 1 | |
| J. Kirby | -12 | -6 | -24 | -17tp | -15 | +26tp | +4 | +20 | +25 | 4 | 6 | |
| T. LeMoignan | -26tp | +6 | -6 | -5 | -1 | +24 | +8 | +16 | +23 | 5 | 5 | |
| D. Openshaw | -13tpo | +24tp | -6 | -2 | -25 | +18 | +18 | +1(T) | +17 | 6 | 4 | |
| K. Beard | -3 | +17tp | -5 | +2 | +26 | +20 | +15 | +24 | +26 | 8 | 1 | |
| J. Bast | -24tp | +15 | -1 | +25 | -26 | +24 | +20 | +24 | +13 | 7 | 3 | |
| J. Guest | -16 | -26tp | -24 | -18 | -20 | -24 | -6(T) | -1(T) | +10 | 1 | 9 | |
| T. Herin | +20tp | -4 | -8 | -18 | -15 | -20 | +6(T) | +18 | +21 | 4 | 6 | |
| E. Newell | -25sxp | -20 | -16 | -1(T) | -24 | -24 | +1(T) | -18 | +19(T) | 2 | 8 | |
| K. Moriyama | -24 | -25 | -23 | -17 | -26 | -13 | -10 | -21 | -19(T) | 0 | 10 | |
| BLACK GROUP | ||||||||||||
| Player | SM | RF | CF | LMc | PT | KB | AR | DW | CG | PJ | Wins | Place |
| S. Mulliner | -4 | -7 | +25 | +5 | +17tp | +15 | +26tp | +25 | +25 | 7 | 2 | |
| R. Fletcher | +4 | +18 | -17 | +16tp | +6tp | +14 | +21 | +26tp | +24tp | 8 | 1 | |
| C. Farthing | +7 | -18 | -26tp | -26tp | +9 | -26 | -3 | +14 | +9 | 4 | 4 | |
| L. McBride | -25 | +17 | +26tp | +26tp | +8 | +26tp | +24tp | -14tp | +22 | 7 | 2 | |
| P. Trimmer | -5 | -16tp | +26tp | -26tp | -6tp | -13 | +26tp | +24 | +22tp | 4 | 4 | |
| K. Bald | -17tp | -6tp | -9 | -8 | +6tp | +5 | -2(T) | +14 | +1 | 4 | 4 | |
| A. Richie | -15 | -14 | +26 | -26tp | +13 | -5 | -16 | -20tp | -16 | 2 | 9 | |
| D. Walters | -26tp | -21 | +3 | -24tp | -26tp | +2(T) | 16 | +24 | -7 | 4 | 4 | |
| C. Gillmarten | -25 | -26tp | -14 | +14tp | -24 | -14 | 20tp | -24 | -12 | 2 | 9 | |
| P. Just | -25 | -24tp | -9 | -22tp | -22 | -1 | 16 | +7 | +12 | 3 | 8 | |
| YELLOW GROUP | ||||||||||||
| Player | RB | SP | PD | MA | SW | MP | PB | DK | CJ | JA | Wins | Place |
| R. Beijderwellen | +26tp | +16tp | -25tp | +17tp | -4 | +10 | +25tp | +11 | +14stp | 7 | 1 | |
| S. Patel | -26tp | +14 | +17 | +26tp | +16 | -2(T) | +2 | +13 | +26 | 7 | 1 | |
| P. Drew | -16tp | -14 | +17 | -8tp | -17 | +8 | +11 | +26 | +22 | 5 | 5 | |
| M. Avery | +25tp | -17 | -17 | +19tp | +16tp | -5tp | +26tp | +23tp | +23tp | 6 | 4 | |
| S. Watkins | -17tp | -26tp | +8tp | -19tp | -20 | -3 | +13 | +21 | +20 | 4 | 6 | |
| M. Prater | +4 | -16 | +17 | -16tp | +20 | -23 | -17 | -16 | +16 | 4 | 6 | |
| P. Billings | -10 | +2(T) | -8 | +5tp | +3 | +23 | +23 | +24 | +21 | 7 | 1 | |
| D. Knapp | -25tp | -2 | -11 | -26tp | -13 | +17 | -23 | -21 | +26tp | 2 | 9 | |
| C. Jackson | -11 | -13 | -26 | -23tp | -21 | +16 | -24 | +21 | +24 | 3 | 8 | |
| J. Alvarez-Sala | -14stp | -26 | -22 | -23tp | -20 | -16 | -21 | -26tp | -24 | 0 | 10 | |
| GREEN GROUP | ||||||||||||
| Player | RB | JB | RL | RL | DH | DC | BS | EC | JH | MF | Wins | Place |
| R. Bamford | -2 | +7 | +25tp | +25tp | +26qp | +26sxp | +11otp | +26tp | +26tp | 8 | 1 | |
| J. Burch | +2 | +17 | +10tp | -10 | +25 | +26 | +25qp | +17tp | +15 | 8 | 1 | |
| R. Lowe | -7 | -17 | +17tp | -17tp | +23 | +12 | +7 | +19 | +21 | 6 | 4 | |
| R. Lamm | -25tp | -10tp | -17tp | -12otp | +6 | +22 | +4 | +25 | +7 | 5 | 5 | |
| D. Huneycutt | -25tp | +10 | +17tp | +12otp | +23 | +26tp | +26tp | +17 | +14 | 8 | 1 | |
| D. Cornelius | -26qp | -25 | -23 | -6 | -23 | -23 | +3tp | -14 | -24 | 1 | 10 | |
| B. Storey | -26qp | -26 | -12 | -22 | -26tp | +23 | -3tp | +15 | -3 | 2 | 7 | |
| E. Cunningham | -11otp | -25qp | -7 | -4 | -26tp | -3tp | +3tp | -19 | +12 | 2 | 7 | |
| J. Hopgood | -26tp | -17tp | -19 | -25 | -17 | +14 | -15 | +19 | -19 | 2 | 7 | |
| M. Fletcher | -26tp | -15 | -21 | -7 | -14 | +24 | +3 | -12 | +19 | 3 | 6 | |
| PINK GROUP | ||||||||||||
| Player | DM | SF | IB | BF | DB | CI | RJ | BC | AV | KW | Wins | Place |
| D. Maugham | -6 | +17tp | +25tp | +26tp | +26tp | +25tp | +20 | +25tp | +25tp | 8 | 1 | |
| S. Forster | +6tp | +21 | +10 | +11 | -26tp | +19 | +13 | +14 | +26 | 8 | 1 | |
| I. Burridge | -17tp | -21 | +8 | +1(T) | +4 | +3 | +25 | -3 | +26tp | 6 | 3 | |
| B. Fleming | -25tp | -10 | -8 | +17 | +14 | +17 | +1(T) | +7 | +25 | 6 | 3 | |
| D. Bent | -26tp | -11 | -1(T) | -17 | -26tp | +26tp | +14 | -4 | +23 | 3 | 7 | |
| C. Irwin | -26tp | +26tp | -4 | -14 | +26tp | -18 | +16 | -17tp | +17 | 4 | 6 | |
| R. Jenkins | -25tp | -19 | -3 | -17 | -26tp | +18 | +26 | -6(T) | +19 | 3 | 7 | |
| B. Cherry | -20 | -13 | -25 | -1(T) | -14 | -16 | -26 | -3(T) | +10 | 1 | 9 | |
| A. Varnas | -25tp | -14 | +3 | -7 | +4 | +17tp | +6(T) | +3(T) | +14 | 6 | 3 | |
| K. Wells | -25tp | -26 | -26tp | -25 | -23 | -17 | -19 | -10 | -14 | 0 | 10 | |
| BROWN GROUP | ||||||||||||
| Player | IL | BC | ME | PB | DB | LF | AW | SL | JO | BH | Wins | Place |
| I. Lines | +25 | -2 | +25 | +17tp | +12 | +18 | +26tp | -12 | +4(T) | 7 | 1 | |
| B. Cumming | -25 | +10 | -11 | -22 | +17 | +8 | +17 | +12 | +9 | 6 | 3 | |
| M. Evans | +2 | -10 | +3 | +26tp | +26tp | +5 | -26 | +9 | +22 | 7 | 1 | |
| P. Bennett | -25 | +11 | -3 | +3 | -17 | +10tp | -20 | -23 | +23 | 4 | 6 | |
| D. Bidencope | -17tp | +22 | -26tp | -3 | +16tp | +2 | +9 | -4 | +26 | 5 | 5 | |
| L. Fleming | -12 | -17 | -26tp | +17 | -16tp | -13 | -16tp | +25 | -1(T) | 2 | 9 | |
| A. Winn | -18 | -8 | -5 | -10tp | -2 | +13 | -25 | +9 | +22 | 3 | 8 | |
| S. Lawrence | -26tp | -17 | +26 | +20 | -9 | +16tp | +25 | +13 | +13 | +20 | 6 | 3 |
| J. Ojeda | +12 | -12 | -9 | +23 | +4 | -25 | -9 | -13 | +14 | 4 | 6 | |
| B. Hess | -4(T) | -9 | -22 | -23 | -26 | +1(T) | -22 | -20 | -14 | 1 | 10 | |
| WHITE GROUP | ||||||||||||
| Player | KA | JG | BR | CP | DG | AH | CW | GF | PE | AD | Wins | Place |
| K. Aiton | -22 | +21tp | +5 | +3 | +26 | +14 | +10tpo | +25 | +19 | 8 | 1 | |
| J. Gibbons | +22 | -3 | +26 | +13 | +14 | +15 | +26 | +26tp | +16tp | 8 | 1 | |
| B. Rothman | -21tp | +3 | +16 | +19 | +7 | +5 | -7 | +19 | +14 | 7 | 3 | |
| C. Patmore | -5 | -26 | -16 | +20 | -16tp | +18tp | -8 | +25tp | +16 | 4 | 6 | |
| D. Grimsley | -3 | -13 | -19 | -20 | -2 | -18 | +6 | +6 | +17tp | 3 | 8 | |
| A . Hakes | -26 | -14 | -7 | +16tp | +2 | -17 | +16 | +24tp | +18 | 5 | 4 | |
| C. Williams | -14 | -15 | -5 | -18tp | +18 | +17 | -3 | +5 | +19 | 4 | 6 | |
| G. Fletcher | -10tpo | -26 | +7 | +8 | -6 | -16 | +3 | +26 | +21 | 5 | 4 | |
| P. Emmett | -25 | -26tp | -19 | -25tp | -6 | -24tp | -5 | -26 | +16 | 1 | 9 | |
| A. de Diego | -19 | -16tp | -14 | -16 | -17tp | -18 | -19 | -21 | -16 | 0 | 10 |
Group Play Off Stage
Black Group (4 way tie for one place)
Chris Farthing bt David Walters
Peter Trimmer bt Ken Bald
Chris Farthing bt Peter Trimmer
Farthing qualifies for the KO stage
Pink Group (3 way tie for 2 places)
Bruce Fleming bt Ian Burridge
Ian Burridge by Anton Varnas
Flerming and Burridge qualify for KO stage
White Group (2 way tie for 1 place)
Greg Flether bt Aiken Hakes
Greg Fletcher qualifies for the KO stage
1st Round Knock-out
Chris Clarke bt Jim Bast +24, +17tp
James Death bt Brian Cumming +9, +6
Robert Fletcher bt Ian Burridge +26stp, +10
David Maugham bt Danny Huneycutt +26tp, +17
Rutger Beijderwellen bt David Openshaw +12tp, +23tp
Stephen Forster bt Mark Avery +14, +21tp
Bruce Fleming bt Samir Patel +21, +17
Reg Bamford bt Stuart Lawrence +10tpo, +26tp
Chris Farthing bt Keith Aiton +14, -26, +26tp
Ed Duckworth by Robert Lowe +5, -24tp, +17tp
Leo McBride bt Jamie Burch +15, -17, +22
Stephen Mulliner bt Paul Billings +3, +3
Ian Lines bt Greg Fletcher +12, +23tp
John Gibbons bt Kevin Beard +25tp, -12, +14
Ben Rothman bt Marcus Evans +25, -21, +20
Robert Fulford bt James LeMoignan +10tpo, -14, +17
2nd Round Knock-out
James Death bt Chris Clarke +8, +13, -26tp, -4tp, +5
Robert Fletcher bt David Maugham +15tp, +17, -15, -17tp, +9
Rutger Beijderwellen bt Stephen Forster +17tp, +5, +18
Reg Bamford bt Bruce Fleming -12, +17tp, +25, +17tp
Chris Farthing bt Ed Duckworth -16, +5, +13, +5
Stephen Mulliner bt Leo McBride +16, +26tp, -4, +26
John Gibbons bt Ian Lines +16, +26, -26tp, -26, +15
Ben Rothman bt Robert Fulford +14, +15tp, +17
Quarter-Final Knock-out
Robert Fletcher bt James Death +26tp, +12tpo, -23, +14tp
Reg Bamford bt Rutger Beijderwellen +26tp, +24tp, -26tp, +26tp
Chris Farthing bt Stephen Mulliner 17tp, -17, +19tp, +17, +26tp
Ben Rothman bt John Gibbons +17, +17, +16
Semi-Final Knock-out
Reg Bamford bt Robert Fletcher -8otp, +26tp, +26tp, +5tp
Ben Rothman bt Chris Farthing +13tp, -8, +23, -26tp, +26tp
Final Knock-out
Reg Bamford bt Ben Rothman +13tp, +22, +18tp
Plate Event
Round 1 - Draw
- A. Hakes bt B. Hess +21;
- J. Hopgood bt J. Warlick +16
- M.Murray bt J. Guest +5tp
- M. Prater bt B. Storey +17
- J. Alvarez-Sala bt K.Moriyama +14
- A. Winn bt P. Emmett +8
- M. Fletcher bt R. Lloyd +9
- C. Patmore bt A. Ritchie +26tp
- P. Bennett bt A. de Diego +18
- C. Gillmarten bt T. Herin +4
- T. Murphy bt T. Harrington +26
- D. Knapp bt J. Osborn +2
- K. Wells bt P. Drew +14
- J. Bast bt S. Patel +22
- M. Avery bt D. Huneycutt +17tp
- B. Cumming bt G. Fletcher +3tp
- R. Lowe bt S. Lawrence +16
Round 2 - Draw
- S. Watkins bt R. Jenkins +17
- A. Hakes bt J. Hopgood +26tp
- C. Irwin bt D. Walters +6
- M. Prater bt M. Murray +10
- J. Alvarez-Sala bt A. Winn +13
- C.Patmore bt M. Fletcher +26tp
- L. Fleming bt A. Morris +26
- D. Grimsley bt D. Bidencope +15
- M. Avery bt B. Cumming +17
- R. Lowe bt J. LeMoignan +26tp
- J. Burch bt K. Beard +26
Round 3 - Draw
- S. Watkins bt A. Hakes +17
- C. Irwin bt M. Prater +2
- L. Fleming bt C. Patmore +4(T)
- P. Bennett bt E. Cunningham +24
- D. Grimsley bt K. Wells +14tp
- M. Avery bt J. Bast +26
- R. Lowe bt J. Burch +3tpo
Quarter-Final - Draw
- S.Watkins and C. Irwin withdrew
- D. Dixon bt L. Fleming +26
- D. Grimsley bt P. Bennett +24
- R. Lowe bt M. Avery +8tp
Semi-Final - Draw
- D. Dixon w/o S. Watkins or C. Irwin
- D. Grimsley bt R. Lowe +18
Final - Draw
- D. Dixon w/o D. Grimsley
Round 1 - Process
- S. Watkins bt A. de Diego +1
- C. Irwin bt D. Knapp +16
- M. Fletcher bt S. Lawrence +14tp
- T. Murphy bt A. Hakes +2
- D. Huneycutt bt J. Alvarez-Sala +11
- E. Cunningham bt J. Hopgood +26tp
- B. Cumming bt P. Emmett +1
- D. Bidencope bt B. Storey +5tp
- R. Lowe bt R. Lloyd +3
- B. Hess bt T. Harrington +4
- M. Avery bt K. Moriyama +15
- D. Grimsley bt M. Murray +14
- T. Herin bt R. Jenkins +9
- D. Walters bt P. Drew +15
- C. Patmore bt J. LeMoignan +2
- A. Winn bt G. Fletcher +15
- J. Burch bt A. Morris +23
Round 2 - Process
- S. Patel bt S. Watkins +16
- M. Fletcher bt C. Irwin +15
- D. Huneycutt bt T. Murphy +21
- L. Fleming bt J. Guest +4
- D. Dixon bt C. Gillmarten +1
- A. Ritchie bt K. Wells +13
- E. Cunningham bt B. Cumming +25tp
- P. Bennett bt J. Bast +4
- J. Osborn bt R. Lowe +1
- M. Avery by B. Hess +5
- K. Beard bt D. Grimsley +19tp
- D. Walters bt C. Patmore +26
- A. Winn bt J. Warlick +23
- M.Prater bt J. Burch +26
Round 3 - Process
- S. Patel bt M. Fletcher +25
- D. Huneycutt bt L. Fleming +26tp
- A. Ritchie bt D. Dixon +25
- D. Bidencope bt E. Cunningham +15tp
- J. Osborn bt P. Bennett +4
- K. Beard bt M. Avery +25tp
- D. Walters bt T. Herin +4
- M. Prater bt A. Winn +26
Quarter-Final - Process
- D. Huneycutt bt S. Patel +7
- A. Ritchie bt D. Bidencope +3
- J. Osborn bt K. Beard +17
- M. Prater bt D. Walters +26tp
Semi-Final - Process
- D. Huneycutt bt A. Ritchie +25
- J. Osborn bt M. Prater +14
Final - Process
- D. Huneycutt bt J. Osborn +4
Plate Final
- D. Dixon bt D. Huneycutt
Media Releases
23rd September 2008
Advance notification has been given to WCF Member Associations that the 13th WCF Ordinary General Meeting (Council Meeting) will take place at the 12th WCF World Association Croquet Championship, National Croquet Centre, in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA, on the evening of Tuesday 12th May 2009, commencing at 8.00pm, ending approximately 10.30pm.
A WCF sponsored buffet dinner will be provided for delegates, commencing at 7.00pm.
All Member Associations have been asked to consider any proposals to initiate or change WCF Statutes, Regulations, Policies, Customs or Practices they may wish to make for consideration by Full Members, at this meeting, and forward them to the WCF Secretary-General.
The closing date for proposals that are to be considered at this meeting is 6th March 2009.
(WCF Statutes, Article 109 applies).
-end-
20th August 2007
The World Croquet Federation (WCF) has much pleasure in announcing that the United States Croquet Association (USCA) has been awarded the hosting of the 12th WCF World Association Croquet Championship.
The event will be played from Saturday 9th to Sunday 17th May 2009 in West Palm Beach, Florida with the centrepiece at the National Croquet Center’s 12 lawns. Additional matches will be played at The PGA National Club (5 lawns), The Beach Club (3 lawns) and The Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club (2 lawns).
All the clubs are within easy commuting distance of each other and Palm Beach International Airport.
The event was previously hosted by the USCA in 1992 in Newport, Rhode Island.
There will be an expected entry of up to 80 of the world’s top players in the main event.
President of the USCA, Richard Curtis said,
"The USCA is excited to be hosting the 2009 WCF World Association Croquet Championship once again. This is one of the premier croquet events in the world and we are looking forward to welcoming the top croquet players from around the globe to the Palm Beach area. With matches at the National Croquet Center, PGA National, the Beach Club and the Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club, there will plenty of action for croquet fans and the weather and many attractions of South Florida should provide much enjoyment for the participants."
President of the WCF, David Openshaw commented,
“I am very pleased that the USCA has put forward a successful bid to hold the Association Croquet World Championships in 2009. We really appreciate their commitment and enthusiasm to hold such an event. I am sure all other member associations and players will join with me in saying thank you to the USCA.
I know that the players will appreciate playing at the venues in Florida. The Golf Croquet World Championship and the MacRobertson Shield have already been held with great success at the National Croquet Center in West Palm Beach.
We look forward to a very enjoyable event in May 2009”.
Further details of the 12th WCF Association Croquet World Championship will be released in due course.
Note to Editors:
1. The current World Association Croquet Champion is Reginald Bamford, South Africa who beat Robert Fulford, England at Cheltenham, England in August 2005. He will be defending the “Wimbledon Cup” in Christchurch, New Zealand at the 11th WCF World Championship which takes place from 2nd – 10th February 2008.
2. The USCA was founded in 1977 by five original clubs, largely through the efforts of Jack Osborn, its first president. It is celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year and has grown to more than 250 clubs throughout North America, including Canada and Mexico.
3. The forward schedule for other key Association Croquet World events is as follows:-
2nd - 10th February 2008: 11th WCF World Championship, Christchurch, New Zealand
July / August 2010 MacRobertson Shield, England
2011 / 2012 WCF World Championship (preferred bidder Australia).
Commentaries
08:40 15/05/2009
Lawn 2: Reg Bamford v Rutger Beijderwellen
Lawn 3: Ben Rothman v John Gibbons
Lawn 6: Chris Farthing v Stephen Mulliner
Lawn 7: James Death v Rob Fletcher
Reg, Chris, Rob, Ben supershot
Rutger, Rob, Stephen corner II
John dribbled
Chris, Rob missed corner II
Ben missed dribble
John missed hard turn 4
Reg hit turn 3
Rob, Stephen hit turn 4
Stephen makes hoop 1 turn 4
Reg has got cross-pegged from his supershot ball turn 3; Rutger has 15 yarder at ball in the middle
Rob is going round turn 4
Ben has rushed well to hoop 1
Rutger missed; Reg going ground turn 5
08:52 15/05/2009
Welcome all; Samir commentating today; at least until I start my plate game, Some clouds in the sky; and not feeling quite as hot as yesterday. However, today's forecast is for mid 80's, humid, with 30% chance of thunderstorms Lawns look to have greened up; probably a result of Wednesday's rain.
Mulliner has just misseed a 2 yard return roquet after hoop 6. Chris has a choice of 7 yarders for an easy break.
Other breaks under control.
Chris misses. Mulliner SXP? He is playing his hoop 1 ball. Stephen misses his 6 yarder.
Chris Clarke reports being disappointed that Stephen missed. He was looking forward to the SXP attempt.
Chris Farthing nicks his 7 yarder.
Rob has had a diagonal spread. James has missed into corner IV.
Difficult to see Reg v Rutger, since it's a bit around the corner. However, there's a second commentator arrived (Dave Maugham) who will take over Reg v Rutger and Ben v John once he's set up.
09:00 15/05/2009
Chris has made hoop 1. Has 7 yard forward roquet.
Ben is at 3-back having a spread
Reg is at 1-back
Rob is at hoop 3, delayed TP
Chris has his break under control
09:03 15/05/2009
We have four players over forty, and four under. No one over the age of 40 has yet won the world championship.
We also have four English players, 1 Dutch, 1 Australian, 1 South African and 1 US.
No Australian player has yet made a Worlds semi final.
Ben has abandoned his spread and had an OSL
Rob has tight position for his delayed TP
Only 16 spectators on the veranda at the moment (plus some players, referees etc)
Rob has jawsed 4-back before 6.
Rob has got hampered after 6, it shooting at peelee in 4-back
Hits it, but out of the hoop.
Seemed to hit the small (north) part of the target, and hence unpeeled the ball, rather than the bigger side he would have aimed at
Is peeling again going to his hoop 6 pioneer. Peel stays on by a couple of yards.
Rob has rushed a ball up to 2-back, and taken off back to his 1 back pioneer. Stays on by 2 feet.
Dave has taken over Reg v Rutger and Ben v John.
Switch your browser to http://2009worldchampionship.com/commentaryQF.html#end for both matches
Rob has tried a speculative long peel of penult. Misses the hoop completely, but has good control at 2-back.
Rob peels penult by 12 yards before 4 back.
Chris is having an NSL. Stephens 1-back ball on 4-back, but sends red off when stopping it over to 1-back.
Stephen has 3 yard roquet to start, but forced into playing with his 1-back ball.
Rob has everything under control for straight rover peel, from about 18 inches. Peels rover almost to the boundary, but striker's ball stays in the hoop. Referee checks. Ball has not run hoop; no problem.
Rushed to 3 yards from the peg.
Rob Fletcher leads James Death +26tp
Stephen has had a spread but joined on E boundary about 6 yards wide. Chris seems to have an open show from the peg ball at partner
James supershot. Rob corner 2. James hits and has made hoop 1.
Chris has missed, Stephen has a TP in front of him. Should be able to make it standard with a rush out of hoop 1.
James is still going, now at 1-back. Stephen did get the balls out for a standard TP
, now at hoop 3.
09:45 15/05/2009
James has defensive spread; Rob centre balls the long lift, rushing it to corner IV
Rob has dealt with that, and is now at hoop 1
Looks like he wants a TPO
First peel completed
Stephen is at 3-back; 2 peels completed.
Apologies to anyone reading using IE 8; there appears to be a bug in IE which means the word wrapping doesn't work properly. IE 7 works fine.
10:00 15/05/2009
Rob's penult peel is through.
Stephen has straight rover peel. Peels yellow into the yard area.
Stephen Mulliner leads Chris Farthing +17tp
Stephen E boundary ball, level with 5.
Chris duffer tice (11 yards).
Stephen misses partner
Rob has peeled rover before 3-back
Chris misses his duffer. Looked very close.
Stephen has rushed duffer to near corner IV. Takes off to Chris' ball on S boundary and rushes to 2 yards from hoop 1. Approaches well, and has a break.
Malcolm Fletcher has just completed his first tournament TP in the process against Stuart Lawrence.
Rob's contact leave after his TPO is blue (for hoop 1) on E boundary level with 4. Had to put it there with a stop shot from corner Iv so I don't know how accurate it is. Partner (for peg) has gone into corner III.
10:15 15/05/2009
Stephen was hampered after hoop 3, but hit.
James has rolled from corner III to hoop 1 and blue. Hits blue south - more or less corner IV. Sends blue between hoop 2 and corner II and has a 3 yard 20 degree hoop 1. Fails the hoop.
Rob rushes James to corner IV. Joins in corner II.
More people arriving now, 28 people on the veranda.
James played to E boundary, about 15 yards from corner III. Rob has rushed to near hoop 1 and looks to be laying a wired rush.
Stephen got stuck in 3-back for no apparent reason. Chris hits 4 yarder at the ball in 3-back.
James shoots to corner II. Rob makes hoop 1, but then plays a bad split, looks to have sent black off the lawn near corner III and blue off W boundary about 10 yards from yellow.
James hits blue; thick take off to hoop 1, looks to have hulled (or possibly blown by the wind) into the back of hoop 1.
Chris has failed hoop 1. Stephen has 10 yarder with his 3-back ball from hoop 2 to partner (and Chris' pivot).
James looks to be shooting at black (Rob's peg ball) in corner III. Misses.
Rob sends yellow towards corner IV, but hoop 4 seems to be wiring it from most of the lawn. Rob finds somewhere open near hoop 2 to join with a rush.
Column sizing should now be working on IE8 - thanks Dave!
James to peg high on West boundary. Rob ignores him and rushes to 2.
Stephen is attempting a cross wire at hoop 1, and joining about 2 yards wide on East boundary about peg high with a rush to corner IV.
Chris misses. Says he would have nicked it had it stayed on line.
Rob made 4 before taking off to James' ball, has put that towards corner II and is lagging back to partner.
10:42 15/05/2009
James has gone to the middle of E boundary.
Stephen has made 2 and rushed partner over to 4-back for his TP.
Rob has made 1 back and then gone to corner II and IV.
James misses his lift from B baulk at black
Keith reckons he should have shot at blue, partly to avoid the need for a cross-lawn take-off and also to stop Rob just pegging out black.
Rob just takes off and lays a rush near corner IV.
Stephen got a tight angled hoop 4 and failed. Chris has just run 2 but has a hampered roquet. Looks to be thinking about a TPO. Declines it.
Rob has misapproached 2-back. Shoots blue into corner IV. Yellow is near fourback. James is looking at yellow at black; it may be wired. James has had a dribble at black and misses.
James reports he played for some hill, and didn't fancy the suicide shot at blue.
Chris is still going on his break.
Just worked out what doen't seem right. Three quarters have Rob, Chris, Stephen, James, Reg and Rutger. All perfectly plausible! Ben v John doesn't sound right though.
Ben has an angled 2-back, declines into corner IV. James hits black. Approaches hoop 1, makes it, put it in hoop 3 going to blue in corner IV. Overapproaches hoop 2 by a yard. Retires to penult high on west boundary.
Rob has shot to A baulk, about 3 yards from the corner. James now has to shoot at the ball on the wire of hoop 3.
Chris has had an NSL.
Stephen shoots with his hoop 4 ball (which was on hoop 2). Hits. Now has an easy start to his break, given Chris has left red by his hoop. Chris reports not thinking about TPO, but thinking about how to make sure he didn't get forced to peel 4-back.
11:11 15/05/2009
Rob takes his lift, and sets a rush wired behind 2-back
James to peg high on West boundary. Rob is having a 2-ball break.
Rob is laying for a wired rush behind 4-back.
James level with hoop 4 on E boundary.
Stephen is just having a break to the peg, aiming for 4-back and peg v 1 + 4-back.
Rob didn't take his rush. He's played black, taken off to the peg, leaving 2 v 4-back.
James shoots at blue. Obvious shot seemed to be to take position at hoop 2.
Rob has hit James, thick take off to 4-back, runs to the boundary and gets a rush to penult
Stephen still on his break; now for 4-back.
Rob Fletcter +12 TPO
11:25 15/05/2009
Delay in the other commentary; Dave has power problems.
Rutger is having a fourth turn ball around.
Ben looks to be setting up for a delayed TP, now for hoop 5.
Stephen is having a spread. Blue (for 4-back) has gone close to hoop 2. Stephen places the peg ball by rolling it into partner and looks to want to join level with hoop 5.
Fairly hazy sunshine, so it's not yet as hot as it has been. The players are probably grateful, but it will take some of the edge off the lawn speed.
James seems to be having a break; Rob is sitting by the lawn so I assume it's just a short interval rather than an early lunch.
Chris has lifted the peg ball (for hoop 1) and is shooting at blue. Misses.
11:31 15/05/2009
James and Rob are back. Dave is also back commentating.
Rob supershot with blue, about 2 yards NNW of hoop 5.
James shooting from corner I with red. Misses to about 3 yards SE of hoop 6.
Stephen has his rush to 4-back
Rob hits red from B baulk. Looked to be shortest shot, medium pace.
Rob has angled hoop 1. No problem.
James says "Hmmm..."
Rob misses his hoop 4 pioneer. Wasn't that long.
Stephen wins game 2 +17
11:39 15/05/2009
Chris long supershot, almost peg high.
Stephen corner II.
James hits from A baulk has easy break opportunity.
Stewart Jackson reports a lawn speed test conducted by Archie Peck first thing this morning of 13 seconds.
Chris has hit in corner II and now has a long (10 yd) take off to hoop 1. Sailed past, 3 yard hoop, maybe 30 degrees. Fails the hoop.
I'm going to try to keep a clip update with the scores below. Expect some errors!
James' break is under control, now at 6.
Stephen is lining up is 6 yard turn 4. May even have a double with black in the background (about 7 yards further).
Hits and is on his way round.
James is having a spread, Rob's hoop 4 ball near the boundary by 2. Joins about 4 yards wide near corner IV.
Rob shoots from B baulk at the peg ball. Misses (seemed to go between the ball and the peg), but hits hoop 5 and stays in court.
Stephen is setting for a sextuple, currently for hoop 6.
James looks to be peeling 4-back before hoop 2. Jawsed it.
Big round of applause from Chris Clarke for Stephen's leave.
James will be rush peeling 4-back which is doubling as his hoop 3 pioneer.
12:00 15/05/2009
Chris shooting with black at the tea-lady.
Much bigger round of applause from the gallery for Chris: centre ball!
12:05 15/05/2009
James is peeling penult after 6.
Chris is for hoop 2.
James has just played a poor croquet stroke after 1-back, leaving himself a 3 yarder on peelee and his 3-back pioneer a yard towards the boundary which will be difficult to peel rover to.
Didn't get a rush on the 3-back pioneer, rolls up.
James has failed 3-back will all three peel completed.
Rob nicks his rush to hoop 1, attempts the roll and seems to have a 2 yard 40 degree hoop. Retires to corner I, guarding red (for 3-back) at yellow.
Chris is now for hoop 6
I'm going to get some lunch
12:20 15/05/2009
James is back in with his 3-back ball. Just needs a break to the peg.
James +23
James and Rob are stopping for lunch
Chris has NSL. Stephen has lifted his hoop 1 ball from hoop 4 and is shooting down E boundary. Hits. Has the parity to start his SXP, but instead chooses to rush peelee to hoop 1. Good cut-rush to hoop 1, but has stuck in hoop 1.
Chris hits from hoop 2 to hoop 1, but with his 4-back ball
Chris is cross-wiring Stephen across hoop 1 (having rush peeled red). Sends blue off while rolling to corner III. Nervous check for wirings, but big sigh of relief.
Stephen is shooting with his 1-back ball. Has hit hoop 3.
Chris hits Stephen's yellow, sends that to 2 and gets a rush on partner. He has a standard TP available
to claw a game back.
12:48 15/05/2009
Chris has peeled 4-back after hoop 3
John Gibbons and Ben Rothman have started their third game. They'll miss out on lunch. John is having a third turn ball around after a supershot. I didn't see where the other ball went.
I suspect the players will be skipping the sponsor-provided champagne during lunch.
Chris is approaching 6 with peelee well placed.
12:59 15/05/2009
Chris is approaching his 2-back pioneer, simple stop shot to put peelee in front of rover.
13:04 15/05/2009
James+Rob have restarted.
James E boundary level with 5
Rob corner II
James hits partner from A baulk
Rolls partner across to between 1+2 going to Rob's ball in corner II. Big split attempting to get in front of hoop 2, with yellow in spread position. Shoots off E boundary behind yellow in third turn spread position.
Rob shot at James from corner III, and missed into IV.
Chris has just run penult with all peels complete.
James didn't get a rush to 1, tried a defensive roll and ended up in the jaws of 1. Took position.
Farthing finished his break +19tp
13:16 15/05/2009
James is having a ball round. Commentary from me is about to get patchy, since I've got a game to play against Simon Watkins, and I don't want the deputy manager to get grumpy.
49 spectators on the veranda now.
13:47 15/05/2009
James clearly didn't have a ball around, but Rob missed, so James took the other ball around. He's now for 4 and 4-back. Rob has hit his lift and is en-route to 4-back, currently at hoop 6.
Having now played a break (on lawn 10), Archive's estimate of 13 seconds seems about right. However, the wind (when it's blowing) is quite strong, so perhaps 12/14 seconds up or down wind, perhaps even more. Certainly enough to cause problems. And despite the fact the sunshine is only hazy, I can confirm that it still hot. And humid. And I've only played one break. These guys are in game 4.
13:54 15/05/2009
Rob has had an NSL. James' 4-back ball on 3-back. Hoop 4 ball by hoop 2. Offers James everything if he hits with his hoop 4 ball. James takes the long lift with his hoop 4 ball (maybe 21 yards), and misses.
14:20 15/05/2009
Tidy finish from there by Rob; +13tp
14:36 15/05/2009
Chris is on a TP to win the third. I think he's for 3-back with one peel completed. Stephen is for 1 and 2.
Chris has failed to hit a hampered stroke after 3-back.
Stephen in play with his hoop 2 ball
Has a angled hoop 4. Fails. Didn't like he was that convinced it was possible. Rejects to between rover and peg.
Chris Clarke and Stewart Jackson have just timed lawn 7 (where James and Rob were playing). 12 seconds downwind, 13 seconds upwind (ignoring the bigger gusts).
15:01 15/05/2009
Lots of cheers while I was finishing off my plate game; I assume that means that Ben Rothman won his third, to beat John Gibbons 3-0
I'll sign off now; and leave Dave to cover the rest of Stephen Mulliner v Chris Farthing.
Summary
Stephen Mulliner leads Chris Farthing +17tp +17 -19tp
Completed Quarter Finals
Rob Fletcher beats James Death +26tp +12tpo -23 +13tp
Reg Bamford beats Rutger Beijderwellen +26tp +24tp -26tp +26tp
Ben Rothman beats John Gibbons +17 +17 +16
Reg Bamford v Rob Fletcher Chris Farthing v Ben Rothman
Welcome all.
Samir here to start off the commentary today. I'll probably hand over to others as the day goes on - you can't expect a chap to commentate all day!
All players are practicing at the moment. We have Reg Bamford and Rob Fletcher on lawn 6, and Chris Farthing and Ben Rothman on lawn 7. Both are right in front of the club house. Based on some of Rob's practice shots, the lawns are playing at 12 seconds in both directions; but the wind hasn't really got up yet. Both lawns were cut last night and rolled this morning.
The final will be on a new lawn, rotated through 90 degrees and covering both of these lawns, so no advantage to either semi-final there. The ball stop has created a green stripe which would run east-west on the final lawn, but I think this is just greener grass due to the shade, rather than longer grass.
08:34 16/05/2009
Reg and Rob have started. Reg is starting with blue, so I assume he won the toss. Reg supershot, quite long, perhaps 15 yards.
Rob to middle of east boundary with yellow.
Reg hits from corner III.
Reg has rushed to 2 yards from hoop 1, and has made the hoop.
Reg has stuck in 2 and wants a referee. I think he's claiming a wedge. Rejected by Chris Irwin who is refereeing this match.
Rob has hit Reg's hoop 3 pioneer with Red (turn 4), he rushed the ball from 2 to hoop 1, little backward take off and he's away.
08:54 16/05/2009
Rob is at 1-back
Patchy updates for a while, I've been given a plate game.
08:58 16/05/2009
Rob is making an NSL; Reg's hoop 1 ball at hoop 4. There's some of blue open from A baulk, and Rob has had to join almost level with hoop 4, certainly south of hoop 5.
Reg is taking the short lift with his hoop 1 ball. Misses.
Rob has another backward take off for hoop 1. 18 inches straight.
Rob has sent his hoop 3 pioneer out very hard. Hits hoop 3, and that may be the only reason it stayed on.
09:12 16/05/2009
Rob has started his TP, but parked red on the wire of 4back
09:18 16/05/2009
Rob has not got the peel going to 6, having another go to 1-back
Peel rejected. Might just be a ball to the peg now.
No! He's setting up to be planning to peel 4-back before 3-back.
Black has gone into position for peeling penult before 4-back.
More importantly is rush to 4-back on peelee seems to have gone due south of blue, his escape ball. He may not be able to get a good rush down to 3-
back. Jawses the peel, has a rush pointing at hoop 1. Cuts it to 3 yards N of 3-back. Slightly east which may save him... 1 yard straight position.
Sticks in 3-back hoop.
09:25 16/05/2009
Rob now 3-back and 4-back. Reg has a 3 yarder with his hoop 1 ball, or a 5 yarder with his hoop 2 ball. Or a lift.
Hits yellow, taking it out of 3-back; takes off to red in front of 4-back and is careful to get to the side to avoid peeling it. Seems to hit it quite hard, now has an awkward 7 yard take-off across the rush line to hoop 1.
Good shot, and good rush. Reg has a 6 inch hoop 1 from which he gets his rush to yellow, south of 3-back,
Reg has had a good long think, and then rushes black south of yellow.
09:52 16/05/2009
Whilst I've been away...
Reg has stopped at 1-back, cross wiring Rob at hoop 2, and joining in corner IV.
Rob has shot an missed.
Reg has just played his rush.
As expected (because of the non-standard leave), Reg isn't showing any interest in the SXP. Looks like it may be a TPO though. Interesting choice with Rob on 3-back and 4-back.
10:02:24 AM
DBM taking over commentary of both games...
Reg has done one peel of the TPO, and is about to rush the peel ball to 6
He's in a bit of a mess, having all the balls near 6, and will need to peel getting a rush to 1-b, the other ball isn't deep either
He's hit the peel ball in running the hoop., jawsed it, and is now rushing U away in order to put it to 2-b whilst getting a rush on Y to 1-b from near 6
Reg made 1-b OK, but has just put the 3-b ball about 3-4 yds too deep. A good rush on the peel ball though
The peelee is a couple of feet to the W of rover, and Reg is approaching 2-b from a yard straight in front
Made it with a rush back, and is about to put partner to 4-b going to the peelee
Reg has waltered off the final peel, choosing instead to rush it behind the deep 3-b pioneer. The 4-b pioneer is perfect
The peelee is ready to be rushed across after the hoop.
Reg is having a bit of trouble placing the balls for the croquet stroke approaching the hoop. Referee on to fill in a hole
Reg made 3-b but didn't rush into peeling position, so he's put R a yard straight in fornt of rover aand rushed Y up the lawn
Reg has made 4-b, perfect ball at penult
Rushes partner down to near rover, puts it back to the peg, and rushes the peelee to a foot from the hoop
Reg has found another hole, near penult
Reg has made pen and is putting a ball down to behind rover going to the ball by the peg
Y is deep and E, U is shallow and W
Irish peeled into the jaws, R is only a yard off the boundary
Rushed partner off level with 1
Took off back and got his rush on the peelee back to the peg. pegging out from about 2 yards E of the peg
Pegs out R and goes off in II
Rob wanders about looking at his options
Plays the thick take off from K, putting in nearly 6 yards past 4-b (about 2 yards N)
Rolls U across, but is short with Y, U goes peg high about 2 yards from the boundary
Has the squeeze, so Reg goes to II
Rob runs the hoop to the boundary, getting some lucky wire, to shortnen his next shot by 3 yards
Crowd loving this
Approaches from five 5ds and spanks through. More applause. Gets a rush to penult
Makes pen with foward rush
Slightly angled rover, makes it no trouble
1-0 Fletcher +8otp
Flether UK, playing first
U supershot
R peg high on the EB
K shoots down, missing to the SB 1ft out of the corner
Reg shoots a partner from a baulk. Can't believe he's missed...
For some reason, it needs two referees to make sure tha both Reg's balls are on the yard line.
Rob shoots back up the line with K, missing into the corner.
Reg rushes to just out of III, and gets a rush on K backk to U in the middle
Reg has got K about 3 yds in front of 2, and has made 1 with no forward rush
Puts U 2 yards past 3, and rushes to just beyond hoop 2, needs a ref again for the hole.
Makes 2 and takes off to the ball near III
Makes 3 and ignores K which is hanging around about 3 yards W of 6
Makes 4 and rushes back to past K, partner going to 6
About to make 5 with a perfect 4bb
Making 6 off partner , K a yd in front of 1-b, U peg high between 1 & 2
Reg has made 1-b and has K a ft from the peg, put U to 3yds WNW of 3-b, and rushed to 2ft in front of 2-b
Reg rushes close to the peg, but doesn't like the 3-b ball, so rushes K away before stopping it back.
Makes 3-b with K 4 ft from the peg, but gets a good rush on it
Reg's U is also a bit diagonal, but deeper, K is about 18" from the peg.
Rob also lifts U (the hoop 2 ball in this case),and takes the short shot. Also misses
Reg hits partner, and takes off behind the ball on the boundary
Both of them rush a bit short and have to play backward take-offs
Hopefully they'll differentiate a bit now, since Reg has a standard TP
He's made 1 and got both R & K at 3, approaching 2 from 4ft straigh in front.
All looking very boring from Reg now.
He's made 3, and hit partner. Needs a hole filling again.
Reg has done the first peel
About to make 4
Made 4 with a rush back, R not peeled enough to rush back up the lawn, and in fact the rush across hits the hoop.
Takes off and makes 5
Approaching 6 from 6" partner 2ft behind the hoop
Plays a straight peel from about a yard putting partner into the jaws
Rushes K into the back of the hoop, but looks like he can place the strikers ball so that it can run the hoop.
Sorry, no, he can't, he's got to play a backward take-off from WTD position
This looks really ugly for Reg
It's probably so close he could play a "bouncer", but i dunno how these hoops will react to one of those.
He's played the take-off well, and only has a slightly angled hoop.
Bullies it through, with hoop & roquet
Has ignored R in the jaws, and gone to make 2-b directly
Makes it with a rush back.
Rush peels pen before 3-b, but can't get the rover peel. R is very close to rover, possibly touchng a wire
He's left it alone after 3-b
Rushes down after 4-b and is going to fiddle with the peelee.
More hole filling.
R is now 18" straight in fron of rover.
Made pen, K on the line between 1 and 4, U level with the hoop. peeling from a foot straight
Another very deep peel, but still managed to keep it on the lawn.
Rushing back to the peg.
2-2.5 yard pegout
Deals with it - Reg +26tp
Reg RY going first
Y SS
U just out of II
R misses
K misses the two balls in contact
Reg puts K a ft W of 2, getting a slight cut rush to 1
Makes 1, no forward rush.
takes off to II, puts U 2ft behind 3, and makes 2 from 6"
Rushes into the back of 3, takes off a bit long and runs it cleanly. hits a 4 yd return
Rolls it down and hits the ball near 5
Makes 4 and puts partner to 6
Makes 5 looking at putting K to 2-b
makes 6, not swapping partner with the ball at 3-b
Makes 1-b puts U a bit deep at 3-b though
Made 2-b without a controlled rush, K now 3 yards E of the peg.
rushed Y to IV and putting it back to the peg getting a rush to 3-b
Makes 4-b and overhits the croquet stroke , so no rush to the wired spot
He's got it a yard away from the peg, I guess wired, but I'm on the wrong line.
Reg has laid up with his rush, so he's happy with the leave.
Rob lifted the ball at the peg and shot at the outside ball. Missed though
12:39 16/05/2009
Samir back now, taking over this game.
From the missed lift, Reg has rushed to the ball by hoop 2, rushed back to corner IV and then to hoop 1. He has just approached hoop 2 well, but off partner.
After 2, Reg has rushed through hoop 5, came through by about 2 yards.
James is cheering on Pidcock to make the final.
Reg, playing yellow, has rolled red to hoop 4, hit and taken off from blue down to yellow at hoop 3.
Up to about 100 spectators for the final. Feels like about a third of those are (or at least were) players.
Reg has got a short, but slightly anged hoop 4.
No problem, firm shot through to the boundary.
Reg has got his escape ball for the 4-back peel too far south. Will probably try to peel straight from about 2 yards.
Great roll after hoop 5 to get blue to within a couple of feet of 1-back, and get a short straight rush on peelee.
Peelee in a hole, so more gardening. Good use of the hole to rush into, and them fill it before peeling. The peel is perhaps 18 inches, maybe 15 degrees. Jawses it, but has a 2 foot rush straight to hoop 6.
Didn't get a useful rush after hoop 6, cuts it to E boundary level with penult. Should have enough space to hold for the rush peel from here.
2-back pioneer is about 6 yards from 2-back, but fairly straight. Rolls peelee over to 1-back for a wylie peel, but clubs it. It's on the line from 1-back to corner I, about 3 yards from the hoop. Rolls peelee over to penult and heads for 2-back.
Runs 2-back hard to the boundary. Looks to have also jawsed 1-back on lawn 5!
Looks like he wants a death roll peel to 3-back. Has rushed peelee straight in front.
Peel catches no wire, and ends up about 2 yards from S boundary. Has 3 yarder at his 3-back pioneer.
Reg has misapproached 3-back, is stalking on a line which suggests 30degrees. Runs it, and gets some hill to have a clear shot at blue.
He's rushed to 4-back, and called out the gardener again. Take off was a bit long - might have stopped without the gardening - but runs it easy enough. Big cut-rush to S boundary, about 3 yards from red.
Spits black back into lawn to get a rush on red. Didn't get a good rush, but tries to rush it in front of rover.
Oops - red has hit and stuch to the back of rover. Thick take-off to penult, knocking red about a yard to the side. Could have found himself wired had yellow rolled another ball or two, but easy enough approach to penult.
Plays for and gets a rush out of penult to black. He's sent it a bit too far. Seemed to be worried about hoop 4, but has got away with it. Doesn't send blue deep, it's perhaps 2 yards SE of rover. Rushes black across to re
Looks to be trying to cannon red closer to peel position. Chris says "he must be completely nuts". Looks to be a simple position to play a small drive to put black W of rover and get a rush to rover.
Got a half-ball promotion, leaving a cut-rush on red, about 30 degrees, but perhaps 18 inches closer. Black looks to have stopped due South of the hoop and may well stop peelee.
Peel goes through, comes out at an angle and misses black. Yellow has bounced off
the hoop and is 45 degrees.
Runs the hoop easily, must have been better than it looker. Easy finish for a 2-1 lead.
Bamford +26tp
13:15 16/05/2009
Lunch
In the draw, Dixon has won the plate draw. The process games are Huneycutt v Ritche and Osbourn v Prater.
In the Premiership, Manchester United have drawn with Arsenal to claim the title.
England v West Indies; England 569-6 dec, Indies 70-3
Finally, good news for everyone present at the NCC. You're missing the Eurovision Song Contest finals.
13:45 16/05/2009
Reg is back and has taken up station in the shelter between lawn 6 and 7.
13:54 16/05/2009
Oops soory, a round of applause has just greeted Rob hitting a shot from corner III.
Game 3; Rob RY, Reg UK
Rob supershot
Reg middle of E boundary
Rob hits from corner III
Approaches to 1 yard in front of hoop 1, runs and has a three ball break in front of him.
13:59 16/05/2009
Rob has rushed red into the back of hoop 4, can only take off to hoop 5 pioneer
Makes 5 with a rush back to red
Only gets blue abour 4 yards NW of the peg, and can only rush to peg high. May even be partly stymied by red. Good roll, runs 6 off the lawn and now needs one good shot to recover the break.
Rob has got to 3-back with little further problems, and seems to be having a defensive spread.
Blue and Red are 4 feet apart, slightly of level with 5. Lags black to 3 yards from W boundary.
14:11 16/05/2009
Reg taking a long lift from corner III. Misses, but looked extremely close.
Rob has rushed to about a foot north of hoop 1. Takes off, hoop and roquet.
Just made 2, and is thinking about taking a rush to corner IV.
The manager has just realised he's missing Eurovision, and now wants to find a TV. James suggests the big screen in the bar.
Rob has decided against the rush to corner IV and will settle for a delayed TP. Rushes partner about 7 yards S of 4-back after hoop 3 and takes off to corner IV.
He's put his hoop 5 pioneer on the wire of the hoop so will need a good take off back to it from 4-back. Has decided to rush peelee further from 4-back and send it back to make the approach to the hoop 5 pioneer earlier.
Deals with hoop 5. Has a hampered stroke after the hoop, but looks easy.
It was. Can't get the rush on peelee for the peel before 6, but is setting up for another go before 1-back.
Can't get his hoop 6 ball to 2-back, leaves it near the peg going to peelee. this looks to be putting the break at huge risk.
Abandons the peel, cut rushes peelee the middle of North boundary (round of applause from Chris Clarke) and sends peelee to 2-back.
Chris suggests leaving yellow (the 3-back pioneer in hoop 4) and red on the wire of 6. We'll see what Rob does. Reg is for 1+1.
Break still under control, now approaching penult. Still has all the balls in front of him.
Looks like we're getting a spread, or possible a cross-pegging. Parter is on the W side of the peg, so perhaps a reverse spread. Rob has just made rover.
Reverse spread it is. Red is a yard E of the line between 3 and 4, looks about peg high. Yellow is 6 inches from the peg and Rob is joining level with 6 on W boundary.
14:40 16/05/2009
Reg is taking the shot from A baulk at yellow by the peg. 17 yards, probably about the same length as the shot at Rob's balls from B baulk.
Hits.
Day 3 close, West Indies 94-3
Reg has a 1 foot rush to hoop 1.
Over rushes by 4 yards, but no problem.
Reg has run hoop 2, and has a 4bb. It's not very tight, but shouldn't cause a problem.
Reg seems to be thinking after running hoop 4. Perhaps he's thinking about an SXP.
No, just partner going to 2-back.
Reg has just made hoop 6, all under control.
Good time to thank UBS for more champagne.
15:03 16/05/2009
Reg has completed his break without any further fuss. Diagonal spread, blue quite tight to W boundary about level with 6; black (for 4-back) by the peg, about 18 inches away. Reg has joined near maximum length position.
Rob has lifted the 4-back ball from the peg without hestitation. He's 4-back and peg. This shot should win the game, or possibly lose the match.
He's missed; looked to be shooting at the in-lawn ball again.
So, Reg v the lawn for a 3-1 win.
He's got himself a 1 foot straight rush to hoop 1. Rushes into the back of hoop 1. Looks nasty. No, there's some of blue in the jaws. It's easy.
Approaches hoop 2 under tight control, with a good pioneer at hoop 3.
Rushes after 2 to a yard N of corner IV. Gets a rush while punting red in court a few yards.
Reg has run hoop 3 and has called a referee. Chris Irwin is shaking her head. Hits blue anyway (2 foot).
Clubs blue about 3 yards past hoop 5, but has got right up to red near corner IV.
Reg decides blue is good enough for hoop 5, and sends partner up to 4-back. Provided he can deal with his hoop 5 pioneer, he's got a delayed TP waiting to be had.
Rushed poorly after 4, and had to roll across to 4-back. Positions black nicely, but needs to tickle red. Hits it centre ball and ideally needs a thick take off back to blue for hoop5.
Striker's ball is good, but peelee is 4 feet ESE of 4-back.
Rushes up to 4-back after hoop 5, but lands blue W of everything. Has to take off to partner, leaving blue in what might be a good position for peeling 4-back before 1-back, but he'll be expecting to do it before 6.
4-back jawsed. 2 yard, but straight rush to hoop 6. Gasps from the gallery.
Rushes a foot NE of hoop 6. Backward take off without any gardening (!) and runs it, giving himself a rush pointing at corner IV.
Good croquet stroke from E boundary level with 5 to get black nicely in front of 2-back and a tight rush peel.
The rush to 1-back skates past 1-back, approaching from 2 yards NW.
Reg has peelee nicely in front of penult for a death roll attempt to 2-back. Blue is North of rover, and about 3 yards E. He won't be able to peel rover to it, but it's not too bad if he needs another go at a penult peel.
He doesn't, peel goes through nicely, perhaps too far. But
under control at 2-back.
15:33 16/05/2009
30 minutes since Reg's leave.
Leaves red near rover, no attempt at a Wylie peel of rover. I assume he'll send his 3-back pioneer to penult, and position red with a take off to his 4-back pioneer.
Approaching 4-back from 5 feet.
Peelee is about 2 feet NE of rover.
Gone back to rover, and adjusts red straight in front of the hoop. Reg looks disgusted with his take off to blue, but we can't see anything wrong with it.
Peelee is now a foot straight in front of rover
, black 2 yards NE of red, and Reg his taking croquet a yard SE of penult having already made that hoop.
No excuses from here.
Peel goes deep, but striker's ball clear of the hoop, and a simple rush and pegout to come.
3 yards and it's all over.
Reg +5tp
A great performance by Reg, tight break play, and triples looking under control. Not something you could say about the other semi, so that makes Reg a strong favourite for the final, even before accounting for experience and ranking.
Rob's shooting wasn't quite up to yesterday's standard, but it's still a great performance 3-1 in a World Championship Semi final in your first full season. I suspect he'll be a strong favourite to go one better at home in Australia next time around.
Reg Bamford beats Rob Fletcher -8otp +26tp +26tp +5tp
Chris Farthing v Ben Rothman 08:37 16/05/2009
I'll put the second semi here.
Chris and Ben are still warming up, I think Ben may be preparing a thesis on the East boundary.
Chris and Ben are off. A 13 yard supershot with blue from Chris, so I assume he also won the toss.
Ben is shooting to corner II.
Chris misses in corner II.
Ben misses the double.
Chris has a good rush to hoop 1, about 2 yards SW, his break looks under control.
08:54 16/05/2009 Chris is at hoop 5
Patchy updates for a while, I've been given a plate game.
09:01 16/05/2009 Chris has made 1-back. His 2-back pioneer is south of the hoop 1, but it shouldn't be a problem.
09:12 16/05/2009 Chris has had an NSL
Ben hits from corner III
09:18 16/05/2009 Ben has got going, now for hoop 5
09:25 16/05/2009 Ben is for 3-back, making a spread,. Ben has joined up just north of level with 5.
09:30 16/05/2009 Chris is taking the long lift from corner III. Nicks red, and has a TP on offer for game 1. Excuse me for a moment, I appear to have a lift to hit.
09:52 16/05/2009 Whilst I've been away... Chris broke down at hoop 5, giving gen an easy start. He now has a TP for the first game.
Ben is now at hoop 2 Ben is at hoop 5 with one peel complete.
10:02:24 AM DBM taking over commentary of both games... Ben is at 6 with his standad TP but has rushed partner right in front, and has to back-peel it to get it into position Worker OK, but now has a longish peel ~4 ft Peel went through by 5 yards, the 2-b pioneer is ~3yds NE off the hoop
Made 1-b, and whilst rushing partner down to rover, flicked off the peg to put it on the perfect line, but too long for an attempt.
Apparently Duncan Dixon has failed a straight rover peel to win the draw half of the plate, and Grimsley is now in
Ben has done the third peel, but has a short backward takeoff to 3-b Made it easily, and is now approaching 4-b with K at rover and Y at penult
Ben just tickles his 3 yard return, rolls it to the middle getting a rush on partner to penult About to make rover, with partner by the peg
1-0 Rothman, +13tp
Game 2
Rothman RY, going first Y supershot U joins up with it, no double Ben trickles at U, missing Chris has a double at Y & R from in front of 1
Chris hits in He's put Y about 2yds WSW of 2, and rushed partner to 2ft straight in front of 1
Made 1, 4bb ahead of him Got a rush on Y to 2, K about 2-3 yards in front of 3 Y is abouut a yard in front of 4, rushed red to III
Makes 3, and partner goes to 2ft in front of 5, getting a rush on the pivot Made 4 with a rush back, Y goes to a couple of ft in front of 6
Made 5, but R is east, so he's had to rush partner nearly to 3-b befoore putting it back to 2-b It's about 18" NW of 2-b Made 6, and approaches 1-b with Y near the peg Is putting R to 3-b It's a bit long, so he's put Y down there too.
Made 2-b. Rushes both Y & R to 3-b puts R to NSL position and rush Y back to partner near the peg Y to near 2, lays up on the maximum distance spot.
Ben taking the short shot with Y. Hits the in-lawn ball. (crowd not paying any attention to the local boy? No applause) Rushes U to IV, gets it to 3 yds W of 6, gettin his rush. Ben approaches 1 to a couple of feet at a slight angle, and squeezes through
Plays his sweep well, and hit the hampered shot I guess Ben hit the peg with R since it is now in the middle of the lawn, and not at 3, he's made 2 with a rush back though Tries to get a rush to the ball on the boundary, but R falls over a bit, and he will need to cut it. Gets to 4 yrds behind it on the EB, takes off to get his rush. Plays a poor rush, but a good take-off, and runs the hoop from ~18" Knocks K up the lawn a bit, and rolls it to 5 going to the ball at 4 ignoring partner on the boundary
Makes 4, with a rush back into the lawn. Now taking off to partner on the boundary, with K only a ft from 5 R is 3 yards behind 6, and approaching 5 from a foot
Got the games the wrong way round there for a bit, sorry, corrected now Going to K which is 3 yardss in fron of 1-b, r is 5 yards in front of 2-b Makes 1-b, U 3yds WNW of 3-b K 2 ft from the peg (you can see how this is confusing me...)
Makes 2-b and rushes back about 6 yards N Ben, just plays the take-off from the peg ball to the 3-b ball Makes 3-b, but puts U a bit diagonal for my liking The crowd starts applauding despite the fact tha neither player has finished their break...
Chris has lifted U (the peg ball, for hoop 1) and shoots down the boundary. Misses. Both of them rush a bit short and have to play backward take-offs Makes 1 and rolls K to 3 going to Y at 2 Making 3 with K to the side of the hoop. Hmm.. must have know he was only going to run the hoop by 2 inches... "Most difficult shots in croquet" result in an innings turnover. (i.e. the take-off from 3 to the ball in IV, and hitting it...)
Chris puts R to 2, and gets a rush on Y to 1, he will have a standard TP if he plays these first couple of big shots well. Rushes it to a yard or so behind, and takes off a little short.
Makes it though, and gets a rush up the lawn, takes off to get his rush to 2 Apparently Duncan Dixon has won the final of the draw in the plate. Makes 2, and rushes sideways to put a ball to 4 and get his rush to 3 Approaches 3 badly off partner, not getting it into peeling position.
Leaves partner there after the hoop, getting a rush down the lawn on Y Makes 4 and gets R up to just past level with 4-b Makes 5 with a forward rush Peeling from about 18" straight, R a couple of yards to the side Got it in the jaws, and has approached 6 Underhit the shot from near III, and hasn't got much of a 3-b pioneer and needs a ref to watch him hit the ball in the jaws (it's not long, though)
Hit it, and rolled it over to behind 1-b Makes 1-b and has a rush on partner to peeling position. Y too short to peel to getting a rush though, and R not good enough to roll to He's going for it though. Doesn't get the peel (or even the jaws) and doesn't get a rush.
Makes 2-b but with no backward rush Doesn't play a great croquet stroke. R is a good "box" ball, but K doesn't have a rush on Y to 3-b. He's approaching the hoop from 3 yards to the side. Got a bit of an angled hoop. ...and fails it. Bounces off 3 yards w The hoop 4 ball has a 2 yarder at the peelee, with both other balls in the vicinity of 4
Got all the balls perfectly for his delayed TP Not much of a rush back, didn't get past the peg Rolled down, Y has gone past the hoop by a foot Has got a straigh backward take-off to 5 Makes 5 no forward rush Short on his roll, can't rush to peeling position Hits Y and stops it W of 6!
Actually, K is a rubbish 1-b pioneer, so I guess Y was supposed to be better (it is but not by much) U is a couple of yards NNE of 2-b, and making 1-b off Y Makes 1-b and McCulloughs Y to 3-b Makes 2-b and 3-b giving him a 3 yard return - centre ball, K 2 yards in front of 4-b Poor croquet stroke Y 4 yards past pen, no rush on U. Rolls it down OK though Makes 4-b and uses Y to get a rush on U to pen. K 3yds wsw of rover Gets his rush to rover, Y & U near the peg Makes it with some depth annd has a 4 yard return, tickles it
Ben setting up his spread, needs to croquet U a yard or so, though (it's on the line of the peg though.) Decided it was too far, and is having an OSL instead. OSL, Y 2 yards out of IV, R 3 yds N of it Chris making a treble out of U with R & Y in the background Misses U, hits R Rushes Y back to U but doesn't get a good rush to penult Makes it though.
Still needs to get a rush to rover off something Oops. He just rushed R into hoop 4. He now has a 7 yard approach, I'm surprised he didn't just punt R across the lawn there, but he played it as a roll. Has a 4-5 ft straight hoop. Stuck in it. R is the peg ball though. Rushed K back through rover and put it to 5 yards behind 4-b. Left U a couple of yards SE of 3-b and laying up about peg high on the WB There's a lot of space between R & Y.
I guess to get one of them wired. Chris is shooting K at U. Centre ball Took off a little short and is going to rush R to Y Didn't rush very well, and has to take off behind Y from in the lawn. Fortunately (for him) Y is a yard off the yard line Gets a good rush to rover. Rushes to about 2 ft to the side and played a take off. It looked a lot like it hilled an extra foot or so away from the hoop. Made sure of this one though Rushes Y back to the vicinity of 6. Thickens it about 5 yards closer to the NB, getting a rush on R that he chops towards the middle
He's got about a 4 yard peg out attempt Misses it, and goes back to partner. Ben limbers up for his 12 yarder with the 4-b ball ...and misses.
Chris has a 3 or so yarder which he doesn't want to hit to hard. R & Y are joined up a couple of yards out of III Plays it well, has about a 1 yard straight approach to 3-b Makes 3-b but no forward rush. Is rolling partner to penult going to the two balls behind 4-b K goes about 4 yds in fron of penult, U has a 2 yarder at Y. Clips it. Y goes out to about 2 yards in front of 2-b, and rushes R to a foot from it.
Makes 4-b with a rush E, stopping it to rover Goes about 2 yards in front of the hoop, and rushes Y behind K Rushes K to Penult. Should finish from here. Makes it, K goes to the peg, but U goes a little far for a good rush on Y. Cuts it down Ok though Y goes behind rover, and U rushes R to a foot in front. Makes it
Game over. Farthing +5 12:59:25 PM
Looks like lunch
01:31:22 PM Back from lunch Farthing RY going first. R to IV U duffer tive Y gentle at the duffer misses, and pioneers 1 (about 4 ft behind) K hits U Takes off to the ball in IV R is good at 2, K has a 4 yarder at Y pointing at I Rushes it to about 3 yds directly W of the hoop
Takes off to position. There's a bit more cloud now, and the sun is occasionally going in. Ran the hoop by 5 yards, and hit U Taking off to behind Y Rushed Y to WB, put it to a couple of yards W of 3. Made 2. Put R to 4 (about a foot past) Rushed to 3. U is hovering about behind 5 Made 3 with a forward rush. Easy 4bb ahead. Y is now the pivot, making 4 off R
Made it, R is now 5ft in front of 6. Y 5ft to the W of 5, making 5 off partner Hits U after making the hoop, putting it to 2-b 4ft NNE of 2-b, rushed Y to level with the peg Y to 4ft ENE of 1-b, just made 6, rush pointng N Rolled R to 3 yds WNW of the peg, going to Y 1-b made, chops Y up the lawn a couple of yards Y goes to the peg, K rushes R near to U
Approaching 2-b from a yard straight. Makes it without a rush back to Y Rolling up, rushes Y quite hard (needed to move it a yard, moved it nearly 3), but U is out of the way of the take-off Rushes R to 4 ft in front of 3-b Only just squeezes through 3-b, needs a referee for the hampered shot Looks pretty easy. And he hits it with no trouble
Puts R about 4 yds SW of 2 and rushes Y pretty close to the spot Pretty good spread Chris lifts Y and is shooting down the boundary Looking at it, leaning a bit... missed Ben rushes K to R pretty well, but gets a slightly longish rush, putting K to 18" to the E of 2 Rushes R 3 yds W of 1 and takes off well. Runs it pretty cleanly and has about a 4-5 yarder back Hits it but is now only a couple of yards from I Rolling it to 3 going to the ball at 2 A pretty good shot. R 3 yds W of 3 and a 1 yd roquet on K in the right direction.
Makes 2, but has a rush pointing S Hits it a couple of yards, and is putting it to 4 going to R K goes 5 ft in front of 4, U with a rush Approaches from a foot or so, makes the hoop, but no forward rush. Lets see if he can play "the most difficult shots in the game" aa bit better this time He's about 4 yards short on the take-off, but hits it this game... Y goes about 2ft NW of 5, approaching 4 from a ft Got his rush back, but not into peeling position
Rolls it over a couple of yards, doesn't get a rush S so tickles R and takes off The take-off is good, and approaching 5 from 4 feet or so Runs the hoop very cleanly and has a couple of yarder back at the pioneer. Has the peg slightly in the way of puttin out his 1-b pioneer Not a great roll - Y is about 5 yards in front of 1-b and U has a 3 yarder at K Hits it too hard, so can't peel it now.
I think he's trying to put it in the jaws though. Didn't manage to jaws it, rushed a little behind 6 Has made the hoop, and rushed back a couple of yards. Now taking off to the peelee from the middle of the lawn Rushed it to the NB behind 4-b, but has a difficult split to play now to get his rush to 1-b K is OK at 2-b, but there's no rush to 1-b, he's now got to approach from the boundary in front Does well, though.
Almost George Collins's it into the jaws. D'oh. Only runs it by 6" and has to try and hit the pivot Yep got it Takes off and rushes to the boundary level with 2-b Underhits (and over rolls) it, Y is 4 yds short of 3-b, but rushes back to 2-b OK Makes it with a rush back.
No McCulloughing this time, let's see if he's going to try any straight peels. I think he's having a go at a peel now, from about 5 yards, he's certainly lining it up carefully Missed the hoop completely He's not rushed R past Y either. Just taking off to get the rush to his hoop Approaching 3-b from a couple of feet Makes it, rushes Y a yard or so E, then puts it to rover.
No peels now, I suspect R is a good penult ball, and Ben has made 4-b with no trouble Puts K to the peg going to the penult ball. Makes it and gets R & K near the peg for his spread Makes rover with a rush back Puts Y about 6 yds S of 2 Gets R on the wired spot about 3" from the peg, and rushes back to the EB. Chris lifts R from by the peg to the end of b-baulk Shooting at Y... ...only just misses (Ruter says it hilled off) Ben rushes K to the boundary behind Y Puts out a pretty good penult ball, and rushes to a couple of yards at a slight angle frrom 4-b Approaches to about a yard straight ... and fails it.
Chris has an umpire on to watch his 4 yarder at the ball in the hoop Hits it. Puts K to 2, getting a rush on U to R which went off the WB level with 1. Rushes to about 4 ft from it Gets the rush and makes 1 from about a foot at a slight angle Gets R into the lawn a bit and rushes U behind 2 U goes a yard W of 3, Y has an easy rush on K Makes 2, but ignores R, just splitting K to 4 and going to 3 from where he is K 2yds in front of 4, approaching 3 from a couple of feet Hmm.. only just ran 3, maybe distracted by the applause for Reg hitting his lift And misses the hampered shot.
U is the peg ball. U rushes Y to 3 yards out of I on the WB Y goes to about 5 yds SSW of 2, U rushes R to the end of a-baulk He stops R almost into III (probably only a yard or so out), and
Christs off the black Rolls K & U down towards IV, laying up with a rush pointing at 4-b. It looks like this must be a target for R Actually, it's not even a bad target for Y, either. And this is what Chris is taking. But he's missed it, actually probably not a target at all from the line he took. Ben has roqueted Y
Stops it out a couple of yards past 4 and rushes into III Stops t out a couple of yards and rushes R to 18" in front annd slightly E of 4-b approaching with a take-off runs the hoop gently! But still taking on his 6 yarder at U Hits it in the middle Stops U to a couple of yards in front of rover Rushes R to 2 yds WNW of penult
Approaches to 2ft straight. Runs it by 6 yards, and has a 2 yarder back at R Taking off to Y Doesn't get past it, so now playing a roll putting Y behind rover going to K Y goes a couple of yards past the line, but U gets a good rush. Approaches the hoop, but puts U on the opposite side to Y.
And it might punish him, he's now a little hampered by U from shooting at Y No, needs a ref, but still hits Y in the middle Takes off back, and rushes U to 2 yards from the peg Rothman wins the 3rd +23 Rothman RY going in R to midlle of EB U longish duffer R shooting at Y from 4yds outside III Hits it, cutting it straight off the boundary Rolls Y into the lawn, and has a 2yd cut rush on U to 1 Rushes it off the boundary level with the hoop
Approaches with a roll and goes screaming past R runs away to peg high on the EB K takes on his double of U with Y in the background Misses U but hits Y
Approaching 1 from 2-3 yards SE Plays it well, and makes the hoop with a forward rush U goes about 5 yards deep towards III, but K has a good rush on Y Makes 2, but doesn't try to cut his eastward pointing rush to R, choosing to play a split instead Plays it pretty well, and gets Y only a couple of feet from 4 and gets a rush to 3
Makes 3 with a rush, and gets partner near the peg, taking off to R Puts R to 5, and makes an easy 4. Y is a poor pioneer, and goes 3 yards past 6 Rushes U south, and stops it back, about 3 yards short of 6 Makes 5 with a sideways rush, then rolls R to 1ft in front of 1-b going behind Y Rushes Y to U, and gets a rush to 6 Makes 6, and puts U to 2 ft E of 2-b. rushes Y to NB
Approaches 1-b from only a few inches away, makes it and rushes R back a couple of yards R goes a yard or so past 3-b and K doesn't have a rush southwards on Y Chooses to roll it to 3-b going to U (possibly having another NSL) Rushes U past the back of the hoop to a foot to the side Makes the hoop and rushes U to 6 yards behind 3-b
Takes off and is making 3-b wih both oppo balls there Makes it, rushes Y away, and puts it over to near 2 getting a rush on U to the EB. R is already in NSL psition Ben lifts Y from near 2 and marches down to a-baulk Ben misses Chris has chosen the crap option, of hitting partner first and then rushing Y down to IV, as if oppo had shot down the boundary
Doesn't look great. Y is 2 yards behind the hoop, and R has a 4 ft cut rush to 1 Rushes well though, maybe too well - R only looks to be a foot from the hoop at most Makes the hoop gently, and can probably cut R to IV Gets it to the SB behind 4 Puts it a foot from 3 getting behind K, rushes K to 3 yards behind 3 Leaves it there and plays a thin take off to get a rush on Y behind 2
A little long but cuts it the right way Makes 2 with a northward pointing rush Moves it a couple of yards, and plays a split going to partner Y goes about a foot past 4, but U is down the wrong line and doesn't get a rush on partner He's rolling it to peeling position from 3-4 yards away It looks pretty good, but my angle isn't ideal I don't think he tried to fiddle peelee with R so I guess it's OK. Ran the hoop and missed ball but kept it in peeling position after hitting it Peeled it with a split and rushed R to the boundary level with Y R goes about 4ft E of 5 Makes 4, and waits for the applause as Reg wins.
Rushes Y to near III Stops Y to 5ft WSW of 6, rushes K to 4 yds E of 6and takes off to R at 5 Rushes R to a foot in front of 5 Makes 5 with a forward rush, but rushes R to a bit of a bleh position between 6 & 1-b He's swapping the balls over. Rolled R as an escape ball, and rushed Y S of K Y goes to 1ft in front of 1-b approaches the hoop from a foot Peeling from about 2ft Peels by about a foot getting a rush N on R R about 3 yds N of 2-b, approaching 1-b from a foot Makes it with an eastward pointing rush Cuts it N a bit, cannoning into K - cunning Y goes 4ft W of 3-b, U rushes K near R Makes 2-b with a rush back.
Puts R about 4ft behind 4-b, getting close to the peelee Peeling from about a foot Done it. Rushing to 3-b now Approaching from 18" or so from the SE Makes it with a slight cut rush towards rover. Rolls Y over to rover, but is slightly short getting his rush back up the lawn on K Rushed past the W of rover (don't know if that was deliberate) and now taking off from between 1-b and penult
Makes 4-b with a rush back to K R goes past the peg getting a rush on K to penult Makes it but no forward rush A little roll to put it by the peg getting a rush on R Put R past the hoop, rushes Y a foot or so, approaches the hoop Runs it easily, hits Y, and takes off to K to level the match
Farthing RY going in Y long SS U joins up with it, maybe cross pegged R shooting from I at something It's a dribble at Y K has a double at R & Y from b-baulk, I think Hits Y Y goes to 2, K rushes R behind U Rushes to 4 yds in front of 1 Approaches pretty well, to about a foot. Makes sure of it, running by 6 yards U goes to 3, and Ben has his 4bb in front of him Makes 2 and puts Y to a yard in front of 4 Makes 3 and puts U to 4ft in front of 5 Making 4 from a foot in front Christs off Y making the hoop, and rolls it at least 2 yards past 6
Rushes R only just past U so it's not going to 6. Leaves it there as a "pivot" Makes 5 without a backwards rush, so has to put out his 2-b pioneer from a couple of yards further away. Rushes R to the NB Puts it a couple of yards ENE of 1-b Rushes Y to a yard in front of 6 Makes 6 and Christs off Y again Rolls it over behind 1-b, makes the hoop, then rushes Y to near the peg and takes off back to R
Has to cut R to get it S R goes a couple of yards W of 3-b Makes 2-b with a cut rush back towards the peg Moves Y a bit now its a yard S of the peg, doesn't get a good rush on R
Approaches 3-b from a couple of yards, and can rush R close to Y Stops R to 4-5yds SW of 2, and rushes Y to the spot near the peg A little take off and an easy rush to the EB.
A smattering of applause as Ben finishes his turn Interestingly Chris is taking the short lift, despite the fact that Ben has not come near either of his two delayed Tp efforts He lifted Y from near the peg, and missed. To be fair, he didn't hit either of his long lifts either, so maybe that boundary isn't very flat Y is a couple of yards in the lawn near 4, K is 2 ft in front of 2, and Ben has rushed R to 5 yds NNw of 1
The backward take-off is Ok though, and he runs the hoop by 8 yards Hits his 4 yarder at R in the middle Puts R about 2yds SW of 3 going to K Approaches the hoop from a yard, but doesn't quite run it far enough
Cuts it a bit, and has to put into peeling posn from about 5 yards Both balls are a bit long, but K is definitiely peelable R is rushed to 18" in front of the hoop Ben is attemptin the peel from about 2 yds SSE of 4-b Looks like he's trying it with split too
A round of applause as he does the first peel Hasn't managed to cut the escape ball to the side boundary, so is putting it behind 4 going to Y Approaching 4 from the side putting Y to 5 Gets a straight hoop, but Y is 2-3 yds E of 5 Has a rush back on R and hits it to level with 4-b on the EB R goes to 2yds E of 6, and U rushes K to 3yds W of 6. the peg is right in the way of the take-off Leaves U a bit on the mat with the take-off, but cuts Y in front of 5 anyway K is a yard from 6 WNW Makes 5 with a forward rush, takes it to between 3 & 4 Puts it across the face of 6 to get it 1ft in front of 1-b He's one of "those" players... i.e. has his escape ball for the penult peel on the East side of the lawn...
It may be an American thing, as they don't learn to rush balls off the lawn in a 3bb playing US rules Peels K by a foot and has a rush pointing at III Rushes to 3 yds W of hoop 3 R is a good 2-b pioneer, approaching 1-b from 2 feet Got a rush pointing ESE, took it to between 3 & 6, 2 yards off the boundary.
Christs off K putting Y to 3 yards WSW of 3-b Rolls K to the 3 yards SE of the peg going to 2-b Makes it with a rush back East Puts R to 4ft in front of 4b (I must say, his control has improved as this game has progressed)
Rushes K well and gets it into longish angled peeling position. Peels it, but goes a little long with U, so no rush to 3-b. Approaching with a take-off from ~2yds WNW of the hoop Needs the referee to do a bit of hole repair Takes off to a foot in front Makes sure of it, and has a 6 yard return Centre ball.
Looks like he's lining up to put Y to penult Yep, does it well too, 1 ft behind the hoop rushes K to near R and has poked this back into the middle Makes 4-b and tickles R in order to put it to rover
About a yard from the hoop, should really be all over now. K goes to the peg, rather than leaving it behind penult. Makes the hoop, and hits Y
Takes off to K Leaves it by the peg and takes off to R Approaching rover from 18" - expect rapturous applause when the local boy becomes the first American in the final Makes it, hits the red and takes off to K Goes way past and gave himself a good chance of getting a grievous.
Missed it though, and is now pegging out from a yard Rothman +26tp
To be honest Ben looked significantly more ragged than Chris, but did hit in a bit. I don't think he'll trouble Reg much tomorrow, especially with the hoops in virgin ground. Reg looked significantly more controlled today, and is clearly peaking at the right time. Ben Rothman beats Chris Farthing +13tp -5 +23 -26tp +26tp
Reg Bamford v Ben Rothman
Good morning, afternoon or evening!
Finals day at the National Croquet Centre.
We have a new lawn for the final. Spread across lawns 6 and 7, and at ninety degrees to the normal orientation. South boundary is on the left as you look from the verandam which is where I've based myself.
The new lawn avoids the old hoop holes and the sand used to fill the damage which was the cause of all the gardening breaks over the last few days. The damaged patches most likely to cause issue are about a yard long, starting just off the yard line, affecting long straight approaches to hoops 1, 3, 1-back and 3-back.
You could also land in one after running 2, 4, 2-back or 4-back. The ball stop between lawn 6 and 7 has created a darker green stripe of lawn across the middle (E-W, through the peg), but on inspection I think this is just a darker colour and I don't think it will affect strokes played across it. (although it would be interesting to see about shots played directly down it).
Dave will be joining the commentary later, so you'll get parallel streams of commentary on the match. Both players have arrived, and have had a look at the lawn. Ben has been stretching under the shelter between lawns 5 and 6. No balls hit yet. And Reg seems to have disappeared.
The veranda has been set up with tables court side, so I assume a big crowd is expected, and there are around 35 people here already. There is some cloud in the sky, but it doesn't look to threaten rain. We fortunately missed a small band of rain which passed through to the south and west of the club overnight.
Johnny Mitchell is now introducing the players. Reg warming up with black and red; Ben with yellow and blue. Ben is playing a 2-ball break; Reg is testing the boundaries, clockwise from corner I. Reg's shot down E boundary was perfect for a lawn speed test - 12 seconds.
A coin has been tossed, so we'll be underway soon. 2009 World Championship Final Reg Bamford (SA) v Ben Rothman (USA)
Game 1 - Reg RY, Ben UK Ben has played first with black, so we assume he's won the toss. Supershot ball, approx peg high. Reg peg high on E boundary with Y, posssibly even wired from black. Ben shoots from corner III, misses on his right and goes off about 8 yards past yellow. Reg shooting from corner III, presumably at the double. Misses everything on the right and into corner IV.
Ben is taking the 7 yarder at Red in corner IV. Giving himself a pressure shot early on. The 8 yarder at yellow is favourite with the crowd. Missed!
Easy start for Reg. Reg didn't get a good rush on black to hoop 1; rushes to middle of South boundary. Approaches to 1 yard straight, and runs the hoop. Blue is waiting at hoop 2, so he's away. There's thicker string marking the boundaries for the final. It's also yellow.
Much easier to see than the thinner white string we've had all week. Reg has got 6 inches straight in front of hoop 2. Still going, at hoop 4 under nice control.
Blue has gone a little too far past 1-back, but shouldn't be a problem on a simple break. Yes, dealt with that, under complete control at 2-back. Looks like we're having a spread with blue as the peg ball. He's sent partner (yellow) very close to the peg, will need a little care to avoid embarrassing himself at the peg. He has sent black over to near the boundary by 2, but is about 3 yards from blue.
Needs a gentle roquet, but clubs it about a yard past the peg. Plays a little pass roll to place the peg ball, and get a rush back to E boundary. Doesn't look happy with it. Blue and black are not wired, but he'll have to be careful not to rush yellow into blue, or for red to cannon into it anyway. No angle for a promotion.
Reg has joined with a rush about 9 yards north of corner IV. Challenging Ben to hit the non-wired spread.
09:21 17/05/2009 Ben has a 12 yarder with the peg ball at the ball near hoop 2. Hits it Takes off to with 2 yards of the boundary string, and has a 3 yarder at red, or 4 yarder at yellow on the yard line. Hits yellow. A stop shot spitting yellow out getting his rush to 1.
He'll have some work still to do if he gets this; black looks to still be on the yard line. Rushes well to 2 yards in front of hoop 1. Approaches and runs firmley, has a rush back north. Plays a big cut rush to hoop 4 to get to yellow. Good rush to corner II. Gets a cut rush to hoop 2, but rushes about 4 yards past towards the peg.
Needs a good approach, and gets a 1 yard hoop. Catches a lot of wire, but comes out the other side. If he wants to be bold, he has Reg's 4-back ball at hoop 3. Sends black to hoop 4, rushes yellow to north boundary and then stops. must be thinking about the TPO.
Rolls yellow as an escape ball - TPO it is! Rushes red to hoop 3, and then stops again, second thoughts? Runs hoop 3 into the peelee, and sends it to hoop 6. So, just a break to 4-back. He's been having spreads all week, so I don't expect anything different. He just needs to decide on the parity.
Ben has got to 3-back without incident. Red (Reg's 4-back ball) is going out towards hoop 2. Looks to have control of the leave. [There's been a question about what else is going on.
Plate final is Duncan Dixon (NZ) v Danny Huneycutt (USA).
Z final is Brian Cumming (Can) v Ian Lines (Eng).]
Ben Rothman is playing with a Solomon grip. I'm not sure what the mallet is called, but it looks like it's made from meccano. Ben is joining about level with rover.
Chris Clarke says that "it's a bit like a really high quality B-class weekend"
09:47 17/05/2009 Reg is shooting from corner III with his hoop 1 ball (which was by the peg). [Z: Ian Lines has got to 4-back, Brian has missed the lift] Rushes to the ball by hoop 2, and then plays a good rush to hoop 1.
About 2 feet straight. Approaches, and then clubs through the hoop, so gets no rush. The crowd haven't noticed that that puts the American a point up on Reg. No whooping.
Gets penalised for the lack of a rush. The roll to hoop 3 sends striker's ball about 4 yards past his hoop 2 pioneer. He doesn't want to hit it too far. Tries a dribble and misses. Gasps from the crowd.
Reg shoots from hoop 3 at the hoop 2 pioneer. Misses by almost a foot. That 1 hoop lead might be important! Ben shoots at the boundary ball. Hits. Applause.
Maybe that hoop is not so important. Now has his three ball break back. 3 errors so far; 2 from Ben, one from Reg.
[Z: Lines has stuck in hoop 3. Just found the plate final on lawn 8. I've not idea what's going on, but Duncan might be one some sort of peeling turn] {I'm informed that West Indies are now 221-7}
Ben has rushed South after hoop 4, split to hoop 5 and has a 4 yarder at corner IV. Ben has sent partner down to 4-back, and has approached 4 to a slight angle, but should be OK; he's close. Runs the hoop, but no rush. Huge cut, gets 75% of the way to hoop 4-back. Setting up for a delayed TP.
Just checked the records. Ben's only ever done one TPO, and that was in the British Open Z.
Perhaps he decided earlier that the Worlds final isn't the time to attempt your second! He's not got that close to his hoop 5 pioneer, and has rushed it 3 yards south of the hoop. At least he should be able to get a forward rush. Half roll? Red has gone 3 yards N of hoop 5. Has an angled, maybe 30 degrees, 2 foot. Complete rejection, the ball is now 2 yards SSW of hoop 5.
10:07 17/05/2009 Reg has a 4 foot roquet with his hoop 1 ball, with one ball 3 yards N of hoop 5, and another 2 yards SSW. Someone's asked about the two commentaries. I'm on the veranda, so closest to E boundary, about 3 yards N of the line between hoops 3 and 4.
Dave has been moving around to get a better signal, but I think is now on the same side of the court, about level with hoops 1 and 4. Reg has picked up his break, and has just made hoop 1. Oppo ball at hoop 2. He's sent out a pivot to about 4 yards SE of hoop 6, partner 1 foot NW of 4-back, and has approached hoop 2 to 6 inches straight. A good few strokes.
He's jawsed the 4-back peel and has a cut-rush up the lawn towards corner IV. Rushes back to 4-back after hoop 4. His hoop 5 pioneer is a yard S of 5. Takes off from peelee back to it, travelling at pace, but saved by hitting hoop 5. Good approach to 1 foot, with reception ball SE of the peg. Consensus is that Reg's take-off was going 8-9 past the hoop 5 pioneer. Has rushed after hoop 5 straight into 4-back. Stopped a foot S of 4-back.
Can still send it to 1-back, but at the expense of a rush on peelee. He's rolled it about 3 yards N of penult and has a 2 foot approach to hoop 6. Approached, sending the escape ball level with the peelee. Runs the hoop, but completely wired from peelee by the escape ball. Sends the escape ball (blue) down to 2-back, returning to peelee. Might suffer now with the 1-back pioneer so far north. Looks to be thinking about the peel, but wants to get close to the 1-back ball so may have to turn it down.
Puts red a foot in front of penult getting his rush to 1-back. Sends his 3-back pioneer about three yards past the hoop. A tray of champagne glasses seems to have arrived. Empty though. {West Indies 286-8} Death roll goes through penult, striker's ball has a 1 yard rush to 1-back.
All under control, now approaching penult himself, with peelee a foot in front of rover and all the balls in front of him. Peel goes through cleanly, but only by 4 yards, rather than the 9 he was peeling by yesterday.
Reg Bamford +13tp
Game 2; Reg UK, Ben RY 10:46 17/05/2009
Reg supershot with blue, about 15 yards. Ben is lining up to shoot at the supershot ball. Dribble. Misses (just). Reg has a 12 yards shot from B baulk at it. Takes the single ball, rather than the longer double. Another dribble. Lots of "Oooohs" from the cloud, but an immediate finger to claim the roquet from Reg.
[Duncan has taken the first game in the plate final] Gets his rush to 1.
There's another WCF committee meeting going on under the shelter between laws 9 and 10.
Reg has got to hoop 4. Still a tidy three ball break from Reg. Now at 1-back. It's clouded over, so much cooler than it has been. He's sent a bal l to 3-back, so he is going to 4-back.
(Statto reports Dulwich have beaten Medway 5-2 in the Mary Rose)
Reg has made 3-back, and is creating a defensive leave. Blue is about level with rover and has a one-yard rush on yellow, and is lagging black to near maximum length position, but about 2 yards from the boundary.
11:03 17/05/2009 Ben is warming up on the side lines. Takes the long shot from corner III. Hits. Rushes it S of hoop 4. Great take off to get a rush on yellow to black. Get a good position from the roll with red, but has sent black almost to the N boundary, about 3 yards from the corner. Rushes after 2 to S boundary.
Good croquet stroke to get a rush on U up to black, while loading hoop 4. Should get his break under control from here. Had an 18 inch hoop 3, which grabbed a lot of wire, but ran by a yard. Sticks in hoop 5 from about a foot straight.
11:17 17/05/2009 Reg has a choice of 1 yard roquets with his hoop 1 ball, another ball near hoop 5 and a ball near hoop 6. He hits the ball in the hoop, and opts to rush the other ball to partner by hoop 6, but rushes into partner. Will need to be careful to not get the hoop in play after his take off for a rush.
Good shot, but over rushes, has a 4 yard approach to hoop 1. Very loud and low helicopter has just flown right overhead. Stirring up the air somewhat. Reg seems oblivious to it, and has approached to 2 feet, about 20 degrees. Good shot, runs the hoop and has a forward rush on partner. He'll send this to 4-back, and has a choice of routes to hoop 2 with two balls about 10 yards from the hoop (and each other).
Good rush to 2, and has it all in front of him. Should be a standard TP. Just over 100 spectators. Peels 4-back after 3. Slightly hampered roquet on the escape ball, but easy enough. Hits it gently and rolls to his hoop 4 pioneer. The hoop 5 ball has gone about 4 foot south of the hoop.
Grabs a lot of wire at hoop 4, and has no rush. Big cut to peg high on east boundary. The wind is picking up and judging by the flags possibly beginning to swirl around a bit as well. Downwind has generally been worth an extra plummer on the lawn speed for most of the week.
Reg has rolled the ball to six, going to partner, but has got a 6 yardet at it. Rushes peelee into hoop 3. Only has space to take off back to hoo p5. This one is travelling as well, and doesn't have the good fortune of hitting hoop 5. Has a 4 yarder at yellow. Hits his shot, but seems to have mis-approached 5. Seems to be claiming hill. He's off on a walk around the lawn, so we have to assume that the hoop is unrunnable. It seems about 50 degrees, so it might be worth a thrash.
Red and black are open (4-back is in play), so there's nothing really defensive on offer. Reg plays to middle of north boundary, guarding yellow (between 5 and peg) and red (at hoop 6), but Ben's likely to want to play red anyway, particularly with yellow as a plausible hoop 5 pioneer.
11:40 17/05/2009 Ben's taking a 10 yarder at blue on N boundary. Gives Reg everything back if he misses it. This seems nuts. Should be red at yellow, or red at black. Reg misses blue. Gives Reg his break back.
{ West Indies 310 all out; 20-0 following on. England first innings 569-6 dec }
Reg has made 5, but has peelee several yards N of penult. Gets a rush down to it though, so shouldn't be a problem. Penult peel rejected after 6, but he played a good death roll in the last game. 1-back is under control. Death roll to 2-back rejects, but gets to a good position for his 2-back ball.
Another death roll before 3-back. This isn't normally recommended. The peel goes through by 10 yards, but he's landed wired from his 3-back ball. He may have a small sliver of yellow to shoot at. Misses. It may have been through the hoop. The penult clip has been left on penult and is now misplaced.
11:56 17/05/2009 Ben has a 4 yarder at blue with his hoop 1 ball. Misses! Reg rolls te balls down to 4-back; and now notices the misplaced clip. Brief conversation with Ben, and then moves the clip. Tries a speculative wylie peel after 2-back, but only gets it onto the wire. Bad approach to his 4-back pioneer. He's about 2 yards from where he wanted to me.
Will have to approach from 3 yards. Will run this hard. The ball stop will probably save him from the alligator. He's run it into the bunker. Rather than getting the sand wedge, he opts to get Tony Hall to do some gardening. First need for the referee to act.
[Z: Ian Lines wins the Z final +3] [Z: Woo Hoo!]
He's made penult, sent out a deep ball.
12:07 17/05/2009 He seems now to have rushed yellow into black, and it's between black and the jaws. Much looking at the balls, and the hat's now come off.
12:10 17/05/2009 It looks like he has space to get yellow between black and the hoop, while getting his rush, but now is deciding against that. He may have to just get a rush on black and rush it into yellow and hold for position. Correction - there's no space, this is trying to peel yellow to get it out of the way and maintain the rush.
12:17 17/05/2009 It's beginning to look like a hoop and a leave might be the right play here.
12:19 17/05/2009 Has played a stroke! Has peeled yellow, going on the other side of the hoop to black. Might be wired. Has an edge; hits it. Looks to have a position to jaws and then play a jump, but may not want that line with these hoops.
12:21 17/05/2009 He's put black in front of rover, and now runs the hoop. Perhaps a bombard, or rush-peel attempt? Ben is still engrossed in High Deryni, by Katherine Kurtz. (Based on a long lens, binoculars and some guesswork...) Reg has roqueted yellow, and used it to promote red north. Tries a rush peel, misses the hoop.
12:27 17/05/2009 Plays a good croquet stroke to send black to the yard line (a foot inside) near corner four. Rushing red to near hoop 2 Stops it to the yard line, about a yard south of level with 6. Shoots into corner II. One person thought that turn worthy of applause.
12:30 17/05/2009 Ben is limbering up to shoot yellow (his hoop 1 ball) from where it lies at Reg's rover ball (black). Crowd view is red (hoop 5 ball) at blue in corner II, leaving yellow as the hoop 5 pioneer. Hits black, but now has his 40 yard take off. Lands short, leaving an 8 yarder. Which he misses.
12:34 17/05/2009 Reg takes off from yellow (he's playing his peg ball, so there's a leave coming) and has a rush on red towards the middle of south boundary. Cut rushes it into corner I.
{ West Indies 75-1 } Chris Clarke has returned from the buffet with a slice of chocolate cake. Actually, "slice of" was entirely superfluous in that sentence.
Reg has taken off to partner in corner IV and is rolling to level with 3-back to lay his rush.
Stephen Mulliner has returned from the buffet with what he describes as "a bowl of chocolate". I think that's a +17 win for Chris in the pudding competition.
Ben shoots red at the partially wired target of black and blue. Doesn't like it and misses by about a foot or so. Reg ignores red, and takes his rush to rover. Approaches the hoop, runs by a few yards, hits his 3 yard return roquet/rush and it's all over. Reg +22
12:44 17/05/2009 Reg clears the lawn and the referee heads off. I assume that means it's lunch time.
13:02 17/05/2009 [Duncan Dixon wins the Plate 2-0] Chris has failed to finish his chocolate cake, which must be the pudding competition equivalent of sticking in penult. James Death is now attempting a +3qp(*) finish. (*) qp = quadruple pudding: chocolate cake, chocolate gateaux, cheesecake and some pastry.
13:14 17/05/2009 The players are back Game 3 - Reg RY, Ben UK Ben plays black to peg high on E boundary Reg plays red into corner II (not just out of it) Ben is lining up from B baulk to shoot at red in corner II. Shoots and misses into the corner. Replaced on N boundary. Reg shoots from corner III down the E boundary. Misses yellow on the right and ends up just out of corner IV.
Ben is playing a big roll from corner II. Puts red south of hoop 1 (by about 4 yards) and give himself a 7 yarder at black which he hits. Thick take off to yellow in corner IV. Puts black in court by 2 yards. Hits yellow and sends it to hoop and rejoins. Yellow has only gone about 6 yards NW f the peg. Joins witha rush for blue into lawn.
13:23 17/05/2009 Looks like Reg may have a target with yellow. He did, but went through the middle. Ben hits yellow, and stops it up to hoop 2 and gets a rush south on partner. Sends black to reception position, but hits red in the approach rather than geting a rush. Takes off (why not stop shot approach?) to hoop 1. Runs the hoop, rushes back to South boundary, and has a three ball break. Rushes back to S boundary after hoop 2 - good rush - and how has a four ball break for hoop 3.
Chris Clarke has just won a croquet strategy board in the raffle.
Ben has made hoop 5 and still has his break under nice control.
James Death has been defeated by the chocolate cake in the pudding competition. Ian Lines is attempting to complete the break. Looks like a +1 on time win to Ian.
Ben has got to 2-back. Looks like another spread with red as the peg ball, but misses his return rush (about 4 yards) after the hoop...
13:43 17/05/2009 Reg has his lift at black by hoop 1. Blue is a yard NW of hoop 6 and red about 3 yards N of hoop 5. Hits. Reg has dealt with that, he's now approaching hoop 2 from 1 foot with a ball at 3. The break continues under good control. Blue is close to the peg (SW by a few inches), but he should deal with it without any real problem. He's still going, just made hoop 6. Black for 2-back is the most wayward of any pioneer in this break. It's 2 yards NNW of the hoop. He's now made 3-back; we're having a spread.
Blue is out by W boundary, black by the peg, and Reg is joining by E boundary. It looks quite horizontal, with blue quite close to maximum length position, a couple of yards in. Reg has joined about level with hoop 5.
14:06 17/05/2009 Ben has lifted his hoop 1 ball and is taking the long lift from corner III. Misses badly on the left, goes out about 4 yards from the corner. Rushes to the ball near hoop 2, back to the ball near corner 4, takes off for a rush to hoop 1 and is approaching from 3 yards straight. Gets a forward rush out of hoop 1, so it will be a delayed TP.
Rushes after hoop 2 into IV. Had a speculative standard TP option to stop partner down to 4-back and then either take off from blue to black, or rush blue to N boundary and stop it back to hoop 4 while approaching black. Instead, he puts yellow to hoop 4, rushes blue to black, and black to hoop 3. Gets the break under control instead and has a delayed TP to win the championship. If this rush is good, he can have a go at peeling immediately after hoop 3. The rush just goes a few inches past the hoop, but now has control over placement for the delayed 4-back peel.
Takes off to the ball at five, and this time gets the pace right (the last two attempts - in games 1 and 2 - were hit far too hard). But, the hoop 5 pioneer is very tight to the hoop, so he'll have to do well to get a forward rush. As predicted, no rush. Has to roll to 1-back and peelee. Over hits it. Blue has gone 3 yards N of 1-back, and he has a rush pointing west on peelee.
{WI: 115 - 3}
Hits is gently and has a 4 foot angled peel attempt. Goes through nicely and rushes to 2 feet SSE of hoop 6.
14:24 17/05/2009 Reg will set up for another death roll attempt to 2-back. The 1-back pioneer is too far north for anything else. He has a 2 yard penult peel attempt available, but he's got a good 3-back pioneer if he needs another go. Declines the peel attempt and just takes off to 2-back. Puts black out for a delayed double penult peel, but will have a go at the death roll to 3-back first. Peels by 5 yards. Runs 3-back with a lot of wire, but has a clear enough swing for the roquet.
14:40 17/05/2009 He's at 4-back now, with peelee 5 feet NNE of rover. About 140 people here now to watch the finale. Reg is running penult with peelee a foot in front of rover and pivot about 5 feet south of the peg. Run penult by 6 yards.
Might be hampered on blue at penult, or maybe just prefers the 3 yard forward rush on black. Rushes it to next to rover, and then chooses to take off back to blue and ends up almost on the wire of penul and has a hampered shot to hit. Hits it and now was to roll to peelee. Has a 2 yarder at the ball a foot in front of rover. Tickles it; has a 6 inch rover peel; slight angle.
All the balls there. Irish peel, is through and striker's ball in the jaws.
Reg +18tp
14:52 17/05/2009 Reg Bamford wins the World Championship for the third time, beating Ben Rothman +13tp +22 +18tp