On Friday 31st May the CPCC Level 5+ A team travelled to Dowlish Wake for a match. The day stayed dry and the home team made us very welcome. Before the match the home team captain gave the usual safety/ information talk and then explained that the lawns sloped, some more than others and suggested that we should have some practice before the match.
This was the start of a new experience for most of our team who had not previously had balls turn through 90 degrees or almost stop and then accelerate onward for several yards.
On one of the lawns it was possible to score hoop 1 with the first ball from the starting point. Just aim 3 meters left of the hoop with the correct speed so the ball slows and turns right into and just through the hoop ! Then going from Hoop 2 to hoop 3, aim 2 meters to the right of hoop 3, if the speed is correct the ball turns 90 degrees left and rolls past the hoop stopping in the perfect scoring position in front of the hoop. However, a slight misjudgement of speed or angle and the ball having turned then accelerates as it passes the hoop and continues to the boundary.
Unfortunately, our team found it difficult to master these conditions and lost by 18 points to 2. A score which reflects our opponents’ skill at knocking away and the great difficulty our team had in judging the line needed, on these lawns, to get back to a scoring position. Despite these difficulties our team fought hard with several games having long tactical battles around some hoops.
Christina was our key player winning two games and scoring us our only points. Her last game was extremely close throughout and included a titanic battle on hoop 12 before Christina went on to score the golden hoop.
Our next match is on June 14th at home against Taunton Deane.