CROQUET

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21414, 5 March 1935, Page 8

CROQUET

ENGLISH PLAYERS ARRIVE PROGRESS OF GAME AT HOME I THE PRESS Special Service] AUCKLAND, March 4. "Croquet is gaining in popularity in England," said Lieutenant-Colonel du Pre, chairman of the council of the Croquet Association of England, and captain of the English team that competed at the Melbourne Centenary celebrations. He arrived by the Niagara, accompanied by two members of the team, Messrs H. R. Poulter and E. L. Ward Petley. The fourth member, Sir Francis Colchester Wemyss, is in Wellington. "It is no longer a game of curates and crinolines, but a highly scientific game," continued Colonel du Pre. "In England many men play, and of the first 100 players in the country, 80 are men. One great feature of croquet is that there are no professionals at all. It is exclusively an amateurs' game, and being unspectacular to watch doeu not attract crowds of spectators.

Croquet is essentially the players' game." Colonel du Pre is the open champion of England. He and his team defeated New Zealand at Melbourne, out were just beaten by the Australian team. They will play in the New Zealand championship tournament, which will begin in Auckland on Thursday. The New Zealand team which competed in matches at Melbourne also returned to-day. UNITED V. LINWOOD A pennant match played at United b»* twcou United and Linwood resulted as follows (United names first): — Doubles—.Mrs H.-idfield and Miss Bell 20, Mrs Burgess and Mrs Wilson 16; Mrs Ba e» and Mrs Barnes 20, Mrs Gillespie ond Tustin 10; Mrs Wilson and Mrs Smitbson 26, Mrs liars ev itnd Mrs Boddington ~ •Sin-1.-s—Mr.-, Hadßeld 26, Mrs Bur„e----20; Miss Roll 20, Mrs-Wilson 2; Mrs Ba£ 26, Mrs Gillespie 6; Mrs Barnes -b, - - Tustin 7: Mrs Wilson 26. Mrs Harvey I'Mrs SmitliMin 26, Mrs Boddington '■ LINWOOD V. ELMWOOD An intermediate flag match between Linwood and Elrowood was played on the inwood lawns, Linwood bains the winne Results (Linwood names first): — -tvilsou Doubles—Mrs Burgess and Mrs « y rs 26, Mrs Lennie uad Mrs Johnston « >. a Tustin and Mrs Harvey 26. Mrs Barker Mrs Booth 15; Mrs Boddington ana Hampton 26, Mrs Fry and Miss TonW « ■ Singles-Mrs Burgess 26, Mrs L«n« • Mrs Tustin 26, Mrs Barber■lß; Mrs H« 19, Mrs Booth 7; Mrs Boddmgtor -* Fry IP: Mrs Hampton 26, Miss lonfc-