CROQUET.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19251, 5 March 1928, Page 7

CROQUET.

SECOND DAY OF TEST. ENGLISH TEAM WINS. The South Island croquet t«s! maUhes with the visiting English team were concluded at the I'nited Club's lawns on Saturday, the weather bein* ideal, and large numbers of spectators were ['resent throughout the day. | The result of the two days' play was a win , for England by four matches to two. Saturday's games were the the Suutli Island team annexing two out ot the five games played. The plav was as follows: — Visitors' First Match. Miss D. D. Steel and Colonel Du Pj\ e (England) v. A. U. F. Koss and (i. I'. Chambers (South Island), lio-1, The tirst match was soon over, the English players making two beautiful breaks winning easily. Chambers opened, pushing blue to near the centre corner. Miss k tee laid a tie. Koss followed with black to abo.it six feet up the west boundary. Ilie Colonel hit the tine and went across to ins opponent's and laid up with black at the second hooi), with blue at the tirst, and laid a rush for' himself at the first hoop Koss shot into the fourth comer. The Colonel rushed yellow over to the first hoop, but could not make it, so left himself in position to run it the next turn. Koss shot at yellow and just missed. Tile Colonel made the first hoop and rushed his partner s ball to tne first hoop, picked up blue and black off the line, left one at the second hoop, anu laid a rush for Miss Steel. Chambers shot at yellow, but missed, and Miss Steel picked up the break, carried it to the last ljooy, an< * wired her opponent. The long shot was missed, and the Colonel got in, picked up the break, and after peeling his partner through the next hoop, made the fifth himselt, and finished. , , In the second game the visitors liaa a runaway win. At the opening the Co onel made one hoop and went back to his partner. The other side gut in and shot, but missea, and Colonel L>u Tre went oil to make two more hoops. After getting through the second he missed a short roquet, but his opponents again missed the long shot, and he went on to the sixth hoop, where, however, he broke down, with his partner near. Jno South Island team once again missed the long shot, Miss Steel got in and went rcmmi to one-back, which she failed to take. Chambers missed, and Colonel Du Pre took charge and went on to the last hoop. Another long shot having been missed. Miss Steel picked up the break and finished. South Island Picks Up. Sir Francis Colchester-Wemyss and Miss J. Retallack (England) v. H. J Williams and S. McCullough (South Island)—home team resigned—2s-26, 9-26. Miss Retallack opened near the .second comer, and McCullough laid a tice on the boundary between the third and first hoops. Sir Francis shot at the tice and missed, and Williams in his turn also failed. Sir irancis shot back along the line at the two-ball, and miss ', and Williams brought them down to near the first hoop. Williams subsequently made the first round to the last hoop, and wired his opponents' at the second. Miss Retallack got in and went steadily _ r °« n dHer opponents were not able to get m tneir long shots. Finally, Miss Retallack got i ill the balls on the lawn, and made an excellent break, completing the round and leaving her partner close to the peg. She then P e SE®d out red. McCullough shot at yellow but missed, going into the fourth corner near lus partner. Sir Francis shot hard at the peg, and missed, and Williams out or partner at the first hoop. Sir J™'!? 1 " l„u down the lawn, missing the peg, the*' going off the lawn near black. McCullough hit yellow and sent it towards the second hoop, and made the first hoop off He failed to get into position for the second hoop, and Sir Francis hit in and the other Sid por e « i fong time in the second game neither side could establish a break, but then McCullough got round to two back, and Sir Francis to three back, Williams having made only one hootf. Miss Retallack did not do much better. Then Williams got in, and after some vicissitudes got round to nuinbe one back, but broke down there. Sir Francis wired his opponent at Mi s s Retall ack s, hoop, and taking advantage of this, Miss went round to the penultimate, m i she Stuck Sir Francis got round to number four back, as did McCullough, Williams being the only one who had made a had shifted his clip to the last lioop. Mis Retallack went right through to the and laid out the rush to the penultimate for bir Francis. The latter, having made that hoop, ran to the eastern boundary, a " black lay, but went off. McCullough got in, and carried his clip to the last hoop, but was unable to make it, layinghimselfand his partner by the fifth hoop, with Miss Retal lack's ball in the middle of the lawn near the peg. Misß Retallack shot for her P«tner ffC £ oSlwo-^irhad leaving only one ball open for Sir iranus. Tho latter narrowly misseß the ■ liams and McCuUoiigh. McCullough'got as far as two back and ™ fe v ,-liere in „n ( . w-°rked to the Kot he laid out for laving out for in, and went round to the neg, paying third round. g . j (England) Pre (England) will play off on account of lack of time.