CROQUET TOURNEY

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 97, 18 January 1940, Page 4

CROQUET TOURNEY

Several Finalists Decided In Open Championship YESTERDAY’S RESULTS Because of the large number of games still to be played in Hie New Zealand Croquet Championships, the Kelburn Club has offered to the management lawns on which many of the level singles and handicaps will now be played. 'Phis will assist considerably in gelling off the matches, which are still numerous owing to Hie large number of entries in both the handicap singles and doubles. One of the most interesting matcher yesterday was that between F. Blunt mid Mrs. Lowery. The latter player was I'o'r the rover and the peg when' Blunt had one clip on the sth hoop and the other on penultimate. Mrs. Lowery was about to play for a finish but failed at the rover hoop when Blunt shot in anil, making the last two points, pegged out his opponent. With the other ball Blunt had eight points to make and playing carefully ami wiring consistently he got to four back where he failed. Mrs. Lowery's ball was in the third corner, but she did not hit in and again Blunt followed the same tactics, finishing a hard-fought game by the small margin of 2 points. 'Phis win brings Blunt into the final play-off in the Open Championship. In tlie match between Mrs. Bartlett and F. C. Bryan, the Auckland player, who has been playing t 0 form in this tournament, had a strong opponent in Bryan of Waimarie Club. Airs. Bartlett gelling the Play soon collected a break and carried her clip to four back, wiring at the first hoop. Bryan hit in and also went to four back, but at this stage Airs. Bartlett picked up the lift shot and made a perfect round to rover. Bryan again secured the long shot and after making the last three points attempted to peg out his opponent’s ball, but failed, leaving the opponent a shot from corner to corner. The Auckland player, taking careful aim, shot in, and turned the tables on her opponent by succeeding in pegging out his ball, and in the following turns wiring at every opportunity, finished a wellplayed game. One of the strong exponents who invariably plays for the finer points in the game, which can only be attempted by advanced players, is J. Tannock, of Dunedin, who, when opportunity offers, attempts the much admired triple peel. In the match against F. Harrison (men’s championship). Taunock set off with the break to four ’back, but in attempting to wire at No. 1 hoop missed a short roquet, letting in his opponent, who made two I

points. 'Bannock again got control, and in the course of his break attempted the triple peel, but peeled at four back and failed with his own ball, letting in Harrison, who. however, only scored one point. Tannock again got possession and finished in two turns. 'The IVaimarie player. F. C. Bryan, played well in the men’s championship against A. J. Gibbs, I‘atea. Gibbs was the first to get going and made a round Io four back, Bryan then hit in and elected to go to the penultimate, after which he set for the backward ball. On his opponent failing to hit in Bryan then commenced his second break, and executing a perfect double peel finished the game with two rounds, scoring lt> points in the last turn. In the open championship several finalists have been decided, namely, Mrs. Bartlett (Auckland), with 5 wins and 1 loss, in section No. 2. the second place to be taken by the winner of the game between C. F. Bryan and Mrs. Watkins. In No. 1 section, A. E. Ogier (Wanganui) and A. J. Gibbs (Patea), have 7 and 5 wins respectively. In the No. 6 section, Mrs. Henderson (Wellington) has 6 wins, with Mclntyre as runner up with 5 wins. The other sections have been almost completed, and will probably be finished tomorrow. ’Mrs. Mount, of Waimarie club, played exceedingly well to defeat R. IV. MeCreath, of Gore, in the open championship. Making practically two all-round breaks, Mrs. Mount gave her opponent few opportunities to seore.

In the match between Miss Claughton (Hastings) and Mrs. E. A. .Smith, of Christchurch, the former player made two perfect all-round breaks, allowing her opponent very few opportunities to score. Miss Claughton.. who is playing up to her usual form, has a very graceful style, and is a clever exponent of many useful strokes, and in the defeat of Mrs. Smith, Miss Clauigluton has added yet another to the several meritorious victories during the tournament. Following are the results of yesterday’s matches:— Open Championship. Section 1: A. .T. Gibbs beat. Mrs. Pltcaitlily. 26-8; Mrs. 'Tlffen beat Mrs. Gambrill. 26-20; Mrs. Niciholson beat Miss Washer, 26-20; Mrs. Bock beat Mrs. IMteaithly, 26-4. Section 2: Mrs. Watkins ’beat Mrs. Simpson. 20-1; Mrs. Bartlett beat Sir. Bryan, 26-23; Mrs. Bartlett beat Mrs. Hawken, 26-23; Mrs. McLennan beat Mrs. Allan, 2(1-22; Mrs. Hawken beat Mrs. Watkins, 26-22; Mrs. Allan beat Mrs. Hawken, 26-6. Section 3: Airs. Keys beat Mrs. Itockell, 26-3; Miss Claughton beat Mrs. E. A. Smith, 26-3; Airs. Mouat beat Mr. McCreatii, 26-11. Section 4: Airs. AlcMurray 'beat Airs. Alanagh, 26-24; Mrs. AlcAlurray beat Miss Claughton, 26-24. Section 6: D. MeClymont ’beat F. Harrison, 26-19; Airs. Lowery beat Mrs. AleCreath, 26-17. Section 6: Mrs. Clark beat Mrs. Bryant, 26-18; Airs. Clark heat Miss Perrin, 26-1;

Mrs. Walker beat Aliss Perrin, 20-18; Mrs. Clark beat Airs. I’almer, 20-17. Women's Ciuimpionship. First life: Airs. Cadwallader beat Mrs. Wood, 211-15; Airs. Keys beat Airs. Bryan, 26-22; Mrs. Smith beat .Mrs. Gambrill, 26-9. Second life: Airs. Watkins beat Airs. Bock, 20-8; Airs. Tiffen beat Mrs. Kockeil, 20-13. Aten’s Championship. First life: A. B. Ogier beat ,H. A. Penn, 26-22; ,T. Tannoek beat F. Harrison, 26-3; A. J. Gibbs beat F. Blunt, 26-9; Alanagh boat 'Mclntyre, 26-15. Second life; C. Bryan Eeat Jarvie, 26-16. Level Singles. 33 to 5: Airs. Lee beat Airs. Gilmer, 26-12; Mrs. Rhodes beat Airs. Vagg. 26-20; Airs. Cox beat Airs. AlcDonald, 26-19. 5J to 7: Airs. Slieargold beat Miss Ritchie, 26-12; Mrs. Knowles beat Airs. Blunt, 20-24; Airs. Knowles beat -Miss Ritchie, 20-18; Airs. Aliddleton beat ’Mrs. Coe, 20-10; Airs. Cotbeat Airs. Frame, 26-23. Today’s Alatches. The following is the draw for 9 a.m. today : — Kelburn lawn: F. Harrison and Mrs. Healey v. Mesdames Lowery and Toms; Alesdames Sargisson and Frame v. Air. and Mrs. Ogier. (Handicap doubles.) Winners to play Alesdames Griffon and Denz. Mesdanies Allan and Knowles v. Mrs. Rockell and Aliss Byers to follow Aliss Byers v. Mrs. Coles. (Handicap singles.) Waimarie 1: I). MeClymont and Airs. Owles v. Alesdames Simpson and Lee. Waimarie 2: R. AleCreath and Alartin v. Mesdames Gambrill and BJttersby. Waimarie 3: Alesdames Bryant and Bagrie v. Mesdames Keys and Thomas. Waimarie 4: -Mrs. Sheargold v. Mrs. Davies. (Handicap singles.) Hutt 1: Mesdames Ki'bblewliite and Bartlett v. Alesdames Clark and Todd. Hutt 2: Air. and Airs. Blunt v. Alesdames McClymont and Beattie. Ngaroma 1: ’Mrs. Hawken v. Airs. Tiffen. (Ladies.) Ngaroma 2: Mesdames Walker and Collins v. Jarvie and Airs. Neilson. Ngaroma 3: Air. Managh v. C. Bryan. (Men’s.) Central: Mesdames Bryan and Butcher v. Mesdames Wood and Atoxam. Woburn 1: Airs. McLennan v. Airs. Alouat. (Ladies.) Woburn 2: Miss Ritchie v. Airs. McKay.