CROQUET

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 73, 19 December 1929, Page 7

CROQUET

“Rover.”)

(By

Coming Events. Canterbury Association Tournament — December 26. Test Matches, Palmerston North —December 27. Dominion, Tournament, Palmerston North —January 8. . North Island Tournament, Lower Hutt — January 23. Rotorua Tournament —February 10. Manawatu Association Tournament —February 11. Wellington Tournament, Lower Hirtt — February 18, English Medal Competition, Christchurch —March 26. Successful Gala. The gala day arranged by the Wellington Croquet Association in response to an appeal from the New Zealand Council for'more funds was held on Kelburn Club lawns last Saturday. It was intended to hold it on the previous Friday, but, the weather being unfavourable, it was postponed. The weather was ideal, and croquet players and friends attended in full force, and a delightful afternoon ensued. The various clubs took,charge of the competitions, while Kelburn and Wellington did most in providing and serving the afternoon tea. The Waimarie, Ngaroma and Hautana Clubs combined in organising and stocking a stall, where flowers, cakes, preserves, plum puddings and a multitude of other things could be purchased. Hataitai Club had arranged a cake stall, and their wares found ready sale. Altogether about £4O was raised by the afternoon’s activities. Donations were received from Central. Upper Hutt, and Lower Hutt Clubs, and Kelburn, Haeremai, Eastbourne, Mount Vic.toria, Waimarie, Newtown, Karori, Sentoun, St. Augustine, Wellington, Hautana, Lyall Bay, Khnndallah and Island Bay very generously donated tropies for the competitions. As n result of the gala day and the subscriptions already in hand the Wellington Association’s contribution to the fund for the Australian tour will reach approximately £SO. Test and Gold Medal Matches.

The following players have entered for the gold medal and test matches: A. Ross, W. Windsor Richards, W. J. Robertson, H. A. Penn, G. Hart, A. J. Gibbs, FI. P. Stratton, R. Caughley, E. O. Horner, Creed Meredith, Mesdames L. J. Keys, Pitcaithly, E. A. Smith, F. Tiffen, Jarvie, E. Johnson, C. Watkins, Gambrill, F. Cole, G. Bartlett, Kibblewhite. In numbers the women entrants exceed the men by one, and the North Island is .responsible for sixteen entries, ten women and six men. whilst the South Island will be represented by four men and one woman. It is hoped that T. F. Chambers will bo able to make arrangements to enable him to participate in the matches, which will commence on December 27 at Palmerston North. TheVe will

be ten lawns available, and. play will be on the Manawatu, Takaro and Northern Club greens. With so many lawns for play it is hoped to complete the events in three or four days, although there are 200 matches altogether, play being a Yankee draw. It is anticipated that arrangements will be made to broadcast the results of the matches every night from 2YA. Etiquette. A paragraph added to this year’s croquet etiquette, reads: “A player should on no account interrupt an adversary during his turn, nor should he at any time draw his attention to the fact that he is about to make an error in play.” A few remarks in the “English Croquet Gazette” deal with this matter, and It says: "Some players hold that errors of gross oversight deserve to be punished; yet such is human nature that It is more than most of us can endure to allow a careless opponent, say, to run' a wrong hoop. It is right that the etiquette code should consider only the game, since it is not in a personal sense concerned with either of its players, while those who dislike interruption have a right to be protected. In case such occasion should arise, one must make up one’s mind definitely to which they belong. If you believe, as you are entitled to do, in absolutely strict play, with no caution for either side. It is much better to tell your opponent so, before the game begins, and to let him, or her, un-. derstand that no caution must be given. As a general rule, it is better to concen-trate-on the game, and to speak to or interfere with your opponent as little as possible during its progress. This will almost always hold good in the case of a player who is unknown to you, since you have no right to assume that he or she will not be ‘put off’ by comments on your part. Congratulations or commiserations are best left till after the peg has been hit and the game concluded. Remember that careful play need not mean slow play. If you keep alert with your wits about you you are less likely to play slowly. Learn to think quickly, and cultivate a bright, quick style. This will make you a popular player and help to make you a good one. The ideal is to take the maximum of pains with the minimum of time expended.” Doubles Piny.

It has frequently occurred in doubles, that couples have won their matches against opponents who would have had to concede odds to them in handicap events. This is due to the team spirit, and there ’ is no doubt that appropriate partnerships contribute far more to the success of a side,than the arranging of the players according to their rank in the handicap list.

Association Events. The Pollock Stars were competed for this week by Kelburn and Hataitai Clubs. The former were successful in retaining them, the score being 26—19. The Ngaroma Club played their challenge for the McKenzie Cups against'lsland Bay, but were unsuccessful in their efforts to wrest them from the holders, the score being 26—17.

Inter-Club Competition. The A Grade inter-club competition has now concluded,, and the honour of winning it falls to the Hataitai Club, with a score of 330. Tlie winning teams are Mesdames Brighting, Moeller, A. Scott, Thomas, and Wellings. The Haeremai Club filled second place, lining only seven points behind with a score of 323. The linal scores are as follow:— A Grade—Hataitai, 330; Haeremai, 323; Waimarie, 301; Kelburn I, 299; Wellington,

293; Kelburn 11, 292; St. Augustine, 289; Karori, 248. The results of the seventh round of interclub games are as follow:— A Grade—Wellington, 52; Haeremai, 48; Waimarie, 46; Hataitai, 39; St. Augustine, 37; Kelburn I, 34; Kelburn 11, 33; Karori, 32. Intermediate Grade.—Kelburn I, 52; Kelburn 11, 47; Wellington, 47; Waimarie, 46; Ngaroma, 45; Hataitai I, 43; Hutt, 43; Hataitai 11, 31. Postponed game: Waimarie, 26; Kelburn, 23. B Grade—Upper Hutt, 52; Seatoun, 52, by default from St. Augustine; Johnsonville, 52; Wellington, 52; Waimarie,' 50; Lyall Bay, 49; Eastbourne, 46; Karori, 40; Hataitai, 42; Island Bay, 41; Ngaroma, 41; Kelburn, 39; Mt. Victoria, 32. The following is the draw for to-day s play:—' Intermediate Grade (home and away).— Waimarie v. Ngaroma; Kelburn II v. Hutt; Eastbourne v. Hataitai II; Wellington win' by default from Woburn; Kelburn I win by default from Lyall Bay; Hataitai I a bye- „ . B Grade (home and away).—Seatoun v. Ngaroma; Wellington v. Karori; Waimarie v. Johnsonville; Kelburn v. Island Bay; Upper Hutt v. Hataitai; Eastbourne v. Mt. Victoria; Lyall Bay win by default from St. Augustine. ■ All games in inter-club play will be suspended until January 9, and those players who are engaged in the Dominion tournament, will have leave of absence, and their games will be played at a later date, arranged by mutual agreement. Answers to Correspondents. Two of a kind—The turn is not finishl ed when black goes out. (It is a ball disI placed.) It is replaced on the line, and blue can roquet it if desired. If both balls go boundary they are replaced on the line, and plav continues. It is not a foul to send.both balls through the hoop on the third stroke. Regarding rule 32, the last paragraph refers to a ball when it has come to rest, and provides that a croquet must be taken from the ball which was roqueted previously. Instances have occurred where the ball travelled along and ran the next hoop, after it had roqueted a ball, and came to rest on the nqnplaying side -of that hoop. That point could not be scored, the ball must be played, as in accordance with rule 19. and croquet taken. In a game previously mentioned in these columns which was played in South Australia, a ball ran the first hoop and roqueted a ball on the nonplaying side and by some extraordinary freak, rebounded and laid in the hoop. After a lengthy discussion by certain authorities the matter was referred to the English Council for ruling, and they gave the decision that the hoop was not scored, and a roquet had not been made, basing their decision on theifact of the position of the ball when it had come to rest. Personal. 4 G Hart (Timaru) and Windsor-Richards (England) will arrive in Palmerston North on Saturday to get in a few days! practice, preparatory to playing in tlie test matches for the Macßobertson Shield.