N.Z. TWO DOWN

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31906, 6 February 1969, Page 12

N.Z. TWO DOWN

Croquet In Adelaide

fN.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright) i ADELAIDE.

The all-male English croquet team, defending the! Macrobertson Shield in the [ninth international series,' found New Zealand a tough opponent in the opening! doubles.

After a 10-hour struggle on tricky greens and with play continuing into fading light. England was lucky to win two out of the three doubles. The third match stands at one game all and it will be completed at the end of the test series next week if necessary.

The star of the English team was the 22-year-old N. Aspinall, runner-up for the English open in 1968, who was partnered by Professor B. Neal. Aspinall’s polished strokemaking and his dashing style of play was the highlight of a keen contest between the English pair and the New Zealanders, Mrs J. Jarden and G. Rowling. Aspinall made a glorious break of nine in the first game. The English champion and team captain, J. Solomon, who paired with R. Bray, had a tense match against the New Zealand champion and team captain, J. Prince, and the Canterbury champion, J. McNab.

The scores were: Aspinall and Neal beat Mrs Jarden land Rowling, 26-15, 15-26, 2622; Solomon and Bray beat 'Prince and McNab, 22-26, 2614, 26-25: W. Ormerod and D. Strachan (England) and K. Woollett and Mrs Woollett, 26-9, 17-26 (one game to be completed).