Boy Contributes To Croquet Upset

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31585, 24 January 1968, Page 15

Boy Contributes To Croquet Upset

A 14-year-old Gisborne bov playing in his first national tournament helped to cause a major upset at the New Zealand croquet championships in Christchurch yesterday.

The boy, Richard Clarke, and his experienced partner, Mrs G. Collins (Lower Hutt), beat the renowned G. R. Rowling (Nelson) and Mrs F. A. Barrow (Christchurch) in a first-life game of the championship doubles. Rowling, a former open, men’s and doubles champion, has now lost both lives in the event Another surprise defeat was suffered by the well-known Christchurch pair, F. W. Gumsey and 0. Andersen, who lost both lives in the first round. In the women’s championship, the present Canterbury women’s titleholder, Mrs I. R. Lennon, added to her laurels by beating two former New Zealand champions, Mrs C. T. Wadsworth (Auckland) and Mrs L. Middlemiss (Pukekore), leaving them with one life each. Mrs Wadsworth won the title in 1960 and 1965, and Mrs Middlemiss in 1957 and ' 1962. Extreme heat in the early morning made the lawns fast, and a southerly wind which * sprang up tested players’ control. Championship Doubles First life.—Second round: Mrs

I. R. Lennon and J. (Christchurch) 26. W. P c „maJ (Christchurch) and Mrs c Me ? er J on . 13; Mesdames J. G. Anderson and B. A. Todd iDuned’ni 7 6, Mesdames a. \ otl e r an ?.L, Jones (Westport) 16; L. Middlemiss and Mrs Middlemiss (Pukekohe) 26, Mesdames J. Paddy and J McCracken (Christchurch) io- c T. Wadsworth and Mrs Wads- ?° r H af .l AUC d la r? d) 26, Mes dames G. Harwood (Lower Hutt) and J. Mead (Wellington) 4: Mrs G Collins (Lower Hutt) and R f Clarke (Gisborne) 26, G. Rowling (Nelson) and Mrs F a Barrow (Christchurch) 2; A e’ Saalfeld (Australia) and Mrs F Orwin (Lower Hutt) 26 Mesdames F. J. Fraser (Christchurch) and W. G. Frampton (Invercargill) 19; Mesdames L M. Hight (Morrinsville) and a' G. Rawlinson (Methven) 26, C D. Treadgold and Mrs Treadgold (Auckland) 18. Second life.—Second round: A. G. F. Ross (Hastings) and K. Woollett (Okahune) 26, Mesdames Anderson and Todd 17; H. R. Abbott and L. J. Mitchell (Christchurch) 26, Rowling and Mrs Barrow 24: L. Ford and Mrs Ford (Auckland) 26, Mesdames N. Daly and H. Barbour (Christchurch) 10; M. Porter and Mrs Porter (Oamaru) 26, Treadgold and Mrs Treadgold 20; Wadsworth and Mrs Wadsworth 26. Mesdames H. Alabaster (Dunedin) and R. Ferguson (Inveri cargill) 21: Mesdames Hight ( and Rawlinson 26. Mesdames H. I A. Penn and R. M. Smith i (Christchurch) 14: Mrs B. A. ■Jarden and J. Prince (Lower Hutt) 26, Mrs Lennon and Flanagan 7; M. Reichesen (Lower Hutt) and Mrs K. Woollett (Okahune) 26, H. C. Ford and F. V. Chandler (Wellington) 21: Mesdames F. Barltrop (Nelson) and D. Bary (Blenheim) 26. Mesdames Nottle and Jones 9; Mesdames C. G. Bishop and

A. Boyd (Ashburton) 26. Mesdames H. Purdy and G. Tunnicliffe (Auckland) 11; Middlemiss and Mrs Middlemiss 26, F. W. Gurnsey and O. Andersen 10. Women's Championship First life. —First round: Mrs T. A. Creighton (Timaru) 26, Mrs J. G. Anderson (Dunedin) 23: Mrs J. Martin (Christchurch) 26. Mrs R. Bugden (Hamilton) 11. Second round: Mrs I. R. Lennon (Christchurch) 26, Mrs C. T. Wadsworth (Auckland) 13: Mrs A. Boyd (Ashburton) 26. Mrs L. H. Buchanan (Christchurch) 14: Mrs C. G. Bishop (Ashburton) 26. Mrs K. Woollett (Okahune) 17; Mrs J. R. King (Hastings) 26, Mrs C. G. Peddle (Christchurch) 23. Second life.—First round: Mrs Peddie 26, Mrs W. G. Frampton (Invercargill) 9; Mrs Lennon 26. Mrs L. Middlemiss (Pukekohe) s : Mrs H. A. Penn (Christchurch) 26. Mrs E. Earnshaw (Auckland) 13; Mrs G. Collins (Lower Hutt) 26. Mrs R. A. Clarke (Gisborne) 15. Second round: Mrs Woollett 26, Mrs „ (Dun edin) 8: Mrs ?J rs G - Tunnicliffe (Auckland) 14; Mrs Bishop 26, Mrs J. Jones (Westport) 20.

Hennan Plate Runner-up, Section plav-off A. D. M. Ross (Auckland) 26 Mrs G. Collins (Lower Hutt) 23*’ H. C. Ford (Wellington) or’ Mrs Collins 12; J. McNah (Christchurch) 26, Ford 7- m p . Nab 26, M. Reitchesen (Lower Hutt) 11; McNab 26, A. D. M Ross 24. Level Singles First life.—First round: Mrs J. R. King (Hastings) 26, Mrs J. McNab (Christchurch) 12. Second round: Mrs K. L. Fisher (Christchurch) 26, Mrs L. Ford (Auckland) 16. Second life.—First round: Mrs F. A. Barrow (Christchurch) 26, Mrs D. Bary (Blenheim) 14.