CROQUET

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 32, 1 November 1928, Page 7

CROQUET

“Rover.”)

(By

COMING EVENTS. Gold Medal Competition (Christchurch). —Tuesday, January 1, 1929. Dominion Championship (Wnngnnui).— ■Wednesday, January 19, 1929. North Island Championship (New Plymouth). —Wednesday, February 13, 1929. Broadcast by Lieut.-Colonel Du Pre. Subsequent to his return to England from New Zealand, Lieut.-Colonel W. B. Du Pre broadcast from 2LO a few of his experiences during his tour of the antipodes. Speaking of his arrival in the Dominion, he said that on leaving Australia for New Zealand, he found there an equally warm welcome, and just as much enthusiasm for the game. At Auckland we played an exhibition match before an audience of a thousand spectators. “We played Test matches against the North Island, the South Island, and the Dominion, all of which we won. and we also competed for the local championships,” he said. “Miss Steel and I won both the North Island and the Dominion doubles championship. Miss Steel won the North Island singles championship, and I won the Dominion singles championship, each beating the other in the respective finals. At Wellington, a city about the size of Hastings, we found no fewer than 23 flourishing croquet clubs. As they all wanted us to play on their particular courts, you may imagine that we had not many leisure moments. Still, we managed to visit a few, carrying with us the pleasantest memories of overseas kindness, and hospitality, and a most substantial token of the same in the shape of an enormous iced cake, which lasted us nearly to Panama. “We had many interesting experiences. We played on very good courts, and verybad ones. The Test courts at Melbourne) and one at Christchurch. I count as amongst some of the best in the world. They are three times as fast ns ours, perfectly true, and kept very closely cut. To play on them is a real test of croquet, and it was our unanimous opinion that if courts in this country were like, them, the problem of the runaway game in firstclass croquet would be solved once and for all. At Melbourne we played one match by electric light. It Sounds much more difficult than it is. Four or six arc lights are suspended on wires about 16 feet above flic hoops, and the result is n sort 1 of transparent shadow. Wo all succeeded in making all-round breaks. It is quite usual to have two courts overlapping, having Jthe side hoops in common. Very frequently there are no boundaries between courts, and until one is used to it it is somewhat disconcerting to have your ball knocked away, or be hit on the ankle just as you are making a stroke. In most clubs the class B players, over 7 bisques, play on half-sized courts. There is, I think, much to be said in favour of this. The games go quicker, and there Is great keenness to improve in order to be promoted to a full-sized court; but I fear the practice would not be popular here. The standard of play and tactics are, on the whole, lower in Australia and New Zealand than they are here. A few players, Messrs. Miller, Windsor, and McCleary, in Australia, and A. Hoss, in New Zealand, are equal to our best, but outside them there age not many whose handicap would be less than two or three bisques. In tactics there is a noticeable difference, we here mlielng at great pains to establish a four-ball break as soon as possible, and setting great store on a perfect “leave,” while they will often deliberately play a three-ball break and leave the balls anyhow nt its close. It is only fair to add that they are extremely clever at picking up a break by means of a difficult cut rush or long roll approach, Lieut.-Colonel Du Pre assured his listeners that modern croquet is an exacting and scientific game. It had been well described ns billiards on the grass, with n dash of chess thrown in. It wns not difficult to play, but, like other games, it was difficult to play well. It was a game which a woman could play as well as a man, which in these days should be a strong recommendation. It was played with the head as well as with the hands, and in firstelass play an error in taetics could be as disastrous as a fault in execution. Good play consisted 1n the accurate positioning of the balls, so that, a break could be made, as at billiards. in which each stroke taken by itself was perfectly easy. A first-class player should hit a thirty-yard shot once in four times, and should be certain of hitting a ball at. any distance up to eight yards. He should run:any possible hoop if within four feet of'lt. Good tactics consist of making things, ns easy as possible for oneself, and leaving as little ns possible for one’s opponent, and in that, there is much scope for head work, both for the in and out player. Modern croquet was ns fine a tost of nerve, skill, and judgment ns could bo found, and to play it well one had to keep oneself fit In mind and body, as must those who competed in anj- of our national games.

Tiochampton Tournament. During the progress of the tournament at Rochampton recently, the opportunity was taken to have the vote recorded of those players who wore in favour of No. 1 setting (two peg). The result was that 2G voted for No. 1 setting and li'i against it. so next year Roehampton will revert to No. 2 setting—peg in centre. In this tournament Dr. Edgar Whitaker, the holder of the Challenge Cup, was defeated in the third round by Mrs. C. AV. Strickland. The ex-New Zealander won the first game by 18 points and had a good lead in the second in a one-ball finish, but Mrs. Strickland, playing with her usual accuracy, eventually won the second. game by 4 points, and the final by 15. Ambiguous Rule. It will be noticed in Rule 44 in the issue of the “New Zealand Croquet Annual,' 'that a comma has been inserted after the words "of that turn.’’ This fault in the punctuation alters the whole reading of the rule, and renders it liable to be read two ways, and is at variance with the rule' as issued by the English Centre, which ' contains no comma in the position mentioned, aud can be read only in one way. In this rule, the optional lift can be evaded l»y peeling either 'or both of the balls at four back; as the option does not apply to a peeled ball.ionly to the striker's ball. Association Competition. . The competition for the Pollock Stars. Association Ferns and McKenzie Cups will commence on Friday, November It, ami conclude on the last Friday in Match. The holders of the Pollock Stars are the Ngaroma Club, who will play St. Augustine's Club in the first challenge game. Next in order is Khandallah, Kelburn, llacreniai, Hutt, Woburn, Ilataitai and Waimarie. The Association Ferns are held by the llacreniai Club, who will meet tirst Waimarie Club. Next in order are Kurori, St. Augustlnes, Wellington, Kelburn, Woburn, Hutt, Island Bay, Hataitai. Kliandallah and Ngaroma. For the 11 grade players Mrs. E. Me'Kenzie has presented two silver cups tor competition to replace the wristlets which were presented to the Wairagapa district when they wore severed from the Wellington district by the New Zealand Croquet Council. Tile Seatoim Club is tho first Io hold the cups and will meet Island Ray in the initial game of the 1928 season. They will be followed by the Wnimarie, Hutt. Ngaroma. Wellington. Woburn, St. Augustlnes, Ilataitai, Kliandallah, Kelburn Clubs. Inter-Club Matches. The following clubs have entered teams for inter-dub mutches: -A grade: Hutt. Ngaroma. Woburn. Wellington. Ilataitai, Khniidallah, Hneremai, Waimarie, Kelburn grade: Hutt, Ngaroma. 'Woburn. St. Augustinus. Wellington, Ilataitai (21. Hneremai, Wnimarie. Kelburn (21. I> grade: Island Hny. Ngaroma. Mt. Victoria. Seatoun. Ilataitai. Wellington. Khandallah, Lyall Bay, Waimarie, Kelburn.