The handicap doubles got under way today with the four pairs in Group B playing each other. The sun came out and the lawns, much improved recently, behaved themselves.
As we know, anything can happen in handicap play, and the supposedly better players are not guaranteed to win.
Jill and Trish were victorious, winning all their games. Next came Nigel and Andy. Then the long-standing pairing of Mo and Tony. Peter and Brian secured 4th place.
Full results can be found in the Members’ section of this website and on the board in the clubhouse.
Today’s most interesting photo shows Andy and Nigel adjudicating a “touching ball” scenario.
It was a rather dreary morning when the team from Taunton Deane arrived to play the first of our League matches this year. Their Handicaps were a bit on the daunting side, Stephen Custance Baker was playing. He’s a 3 Pealer, which means that he has to peal a partner ball through three of his hoops in order to win the game and also that he is an extremely good player. Two of the team were playing off a handicap of 10, meaning that they had 10 bisques (extra shots) each. The other player was on H2. They were all experienced players and they beat us in our previous match, last year.We, on the other hand, were H 4, 6, 6 and 7. However, in the first Round we won 3 out of 4 games and in the next two Rounds we won 2 out of 4. The score is now 7-5 to us. The last Round meant that we had to win 2 games to win. TD had to win all games to win and 3 games to draw – anything could happen! TD won the first game to finish, but the other 3 games were going to time so watching the play became very interesting. One incident, in particular, was probably a unique happening. Ann and Simon Munton were playing on separate, adjacent, lawns with the same colour balls – blue and black and were preparing to peg-out at the same angle to their separate posts. Having placed the two balls together, in sequence, they went to check the accuracy of the placement, then adjusted the balls, then repeated this again two or three times in perfect sequence with one another until playing the shot. Ann’s balls were much nearer the post than Simon’s, so she pegged out successfully and won the game. They were blissfully unaware of this happening.Simon was not so lucky; he had more work to do. The game continued, but he managed to peg out one of his balls before time was up and win his game.So CPCC won the match 9-7. Well done Team: David Milford, Ann and Simon Munton and John Rowley.
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.
It all started so well, beautiful sunshine, bunting up in preparation for our Open Day and a convivial pre-match chat on the veranda with our opponents.
The morning rounds went well, and we led 7-3 at lunchtime. We were cruising! Getting bored with the croquet Andy got out the paint brush. All was right with the world.
After lunch the wheels came off, and we lost 8 of our 10 afternoon games, eventually losing 9-11.
David had a notable success defeating Stephen Custance-Baker and grabbing 17 points in the process. At the other end of the scale, Colin lost all his singles games and Andy didn’t fare much better. Here’s Jonathan from Taunton slotting home the final golden hoop to clinch victory.
The first match of the Level Play 5 + League was played on Wednesday 15th May between the club’s A-Team and the club’s B Team. The weather was ideal allowing both teams to enjoy a very close fought match. The A-Team started well and was ahead by 5 games to 3 after the first 2 rounds. But by lunchtime, the B team had pulled back to make it 6 all. After lunch, the teams took it in turns to win alternate games resulting in a 10 all draw. The Top players in the A team were Robin Oldland and Phil Hendy, both losing only one of their games. In the B Team Charles was top man winning all of his singles games.
Here’s a tense moment in the game where Trish can’t bear to watch
“Ref”!
BEFORE : Jill takes careful aim to clear red.
AFTER : Oh dear! Red is still there – we all know that feeling.
Steve Pearson from Sidmouth won the B-Level tournament held in early May. Here he is receiving his winner’s medal from Croquet England’s very own Brian Wilson while Tournament Manager, Colin Britt looks on.
Home grown talent Des Back won the plate. … and Nigel Wulcko would like to mention that he was the only person to beat the eventual winner!
On Saturday several dedicated members met at the club to undertake many much needed maintenance jobs. Here we see Simon gracefully wielding a strimmer, Robin studiously ball-cleaning and Ann cleaning windows.
The One Ball competition on 18th April raised a fantastic £175 for the British Heart Foundation. The eventual winner was Simon Dunk with Ann Munton the runner-up.
