The lawns in our pleasant seat looked a treat in the Spring sunshine – hath Britain all the sun that shines? – as 20 players girded their loins for a great day’s play in this fun-for-all competition which saw a handicap range from 2 peels to 10 bisques(in short croquet terms).
And as the block results below show – neither a low handicap, nor indeed a pocket full of bisques, are everything: skill, good strategic play and luck (which happens when preparedness meets opportunity) all have their role to play. As one or two players learnt, bisques are to be used, not saved! Indeed, delays have dangerous ends.
In the end the winner of each block emerged and will play the semi-finals over the semis weekend – as you can see, some were shorter than others – maybe we should introduce a short game for short players.
So thanks to everyone for making it a great day, and for those of you who would have appreciated a few more wins: better luck tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Brevity is the soul of wit, but can you find the ten quotes from Shakespeare in this report? Beware – in that way madness lies.
The results
| Block A | h/c | JF | RD | LS | SW | RB | Wins | Points | Pos’n |
| Jim Field | 2p | -7 | +5 | +11 | +5 | 3 | -2 | 3 | |
| Richard Delmas | 3.5 | +7 | -13 | +10 | +5t | 3 | -6 | 2 | |
| Linda Shaw | 3.5 | -5 | +13 | +10t | +1t | 3 | +8 | 1 | |
| Sheila Ware | 7 | -11 | -10 | -10t | +1t | 1 | 4 | ||
| Rosemary Burgon | 9 | -5 | -5t | -1t | -1t | 0 | 5 |
| Block B | h/c | TY | PL | KW | TH | VD | Wins | Points | Pos’n |
| Terry Young | 7 | -1t | -7 | +12 | +3 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Pat Long | 0 | +1t | -7 | -10 | +5 | 2 | 2 | ||
| Kathy Wallace | 2.5 | +7 | +7 | +14 | +10 | 4 | 1 | ||
| Tony Hinchliffe | 4 | -12 | +10 | -14 | -11 | 1 | 5 | ||
| Violet Delmas | 8 | -3 | -5 | -10 | +11 | 1 | 4 |
| Block C | h/c | RU | BM | BC | PR | DH | Wins | Points | Pos’n |
| Robert Upton | 3 | -3 | +12 | +13 | +7 | 3 | 1 | ||
| Brian McCausland | 1.5 | +3 | -5t | -4t | +8 | 2 | 4 | ||
| Brigit Clayton | 5 | -12 | +5t | -5 | +9 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Polly Reynolds | 6 | -13 | +4t | +5 | +6 | 3 | 2 | ||
| David Hogg | 10 | -7 | -8 | -9 | -6 | 0 | 5 |
| Block D | h/c | PD | JG | CJ | MT | SM | Wins | Points | Pos’n |
| Peter Dyke | 2 | +7t | +5 | +4 | +1t | 4 | 1 | ||
| Jim Gregory | 2 | -7t | +7 | -3t | +3t | 2 | 3 | ||
| Chris Jackson | 5 | -5 | -7 | -10 | +4 | 1 | 4 | ||
| Mike Tracy | 5 | -4 | +3t | +10 | +12 | 3 | 2 | ||
| Sandra Morgan | 10 | -1t | -3t | -4 | -12 | 0 | 5 |
Here are the block winners who will play in the semi finals in September.
| Winner of Block A
Linda Shaw |
v | Winner of Block C
Robert Upton |
| Winner of Block B
Kathy Wallace |
v | Winner of Block D
Peter Dyke |
