CROQUET NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 132, 1 December 1938, Page 29

CROQUET NOTES

COMING TOURNAMENTS. Manawaiu championships, Paltnerstoii North, in progress. January si—^Soutb Island champion ships, Ashburton ] ': January s.—North Island championships, Auckland.' . January 19. —New Zealand championships, Palmerston North. January "o.—Southern Hawke's Bay championships. Dannevirke. February i.—Canterbury championiships, Christchurch. February iLr-Soutb Aucliland <. chain pionships, Hamilton. February 7,—Wellington championships, Lower Hutt February 13.—South Taranaki chaix>pionships. Hawera. February 14.—West Coast* champion- : ships, Greymouth. February 16.—South Canterbury championships. February 17.—Hawse's Bay Croquet Association tournament. Hastings.. February 17.~Wanganui Croquet Association tournament, WanganuL February 28.^-Gold and Silver Mallets, Hastings. ' March 2.—Aucldand Croquet Association tournament, Auckland. : '-March 2.—Taranaki annual tournarrient, New Plymouth. j March 10.—Gold and' Silver Medals.! Auckland. INTERCLUB MATCHES. Early on Tuesday morning last the weather was such that it looked as if all matches would have to be postponed for the day, but by 9 o'clock it had cleared a little, and later it be-j came hot and sultry. A few matches in which the players had to, travel J some distance were not played, and will be played later by arrangement, i The lawns generally were good, and those which had been rolled after the rain were excellent, and some substantial breaks were recorded. In the game between Mesdames Caldow and Manton at Ngaroma, the Wellington Club players both made practically all-round breads', and their opponents did not have a chance of any play at all. .Another excellent match was that between Mesdames Galvin and Veitch and Mesdames Bock and "Wood. Bot» the Ngaroma players played well, Mrs. Galvin going all ■round and her partner following- with a break of eleven. Their opponents, had very little chance to score. The following are the results of this week's matches: — A Crradff. W-aimarie 1 v. Hataitai I.—Not played on account of the weather. Kelburn 2v. Waimarie 2.—Not played. Central v. Hataitai 2.—Mesdames Pawson and Warner- lost to Mesdames Brighting and Chambers, 25-26; Mes-I dames Ridley and Cleland defeated^ Mesdames Liddell and Miss McKenzie, 26-12. Kelburn 1 v. Lyall Bay.—Mesdames Gardner and O'Donnell defeated Mesdames Rudkin and Adams, 26-10; Mr. Tye and Mrs. Chetwin defeated Mesdames Morton and Tasker, 26-16. Ngaroma 1 v. Hutt. —Mesdames Veitch and Galvin defeated Mesdames Bock and Woods, 26-5; Mesdames Sargisf son "and Fairley lost to Mesdames Piper and Passmore, 24-26. , Ngaroma 2 v. Wellington I.—Mesi dames Marsden and Russell lost to Mesdames Caldow and Manton, 0-26; Mes'dames Pickard and Miller lost to Mesdames Henderson and Hogan, 13-26. Kelburn 3 v. Wellington 2.—Mesdames Pope and Roffe defeated Mrs. Burd and Miss Bates, 26-21; Mesdames Bush and Spence lost to Mesdames , Boocock and Ross, 21-26. ! Eastbourne v. Woburn. —Mesdames Wise and Hill lost to Mesdames Walker jand Melntosh, 16-26; Mesdames BofainIson and Heenan defeated Mesdames; 1 Monks and Roberts, 26-10. '"'Seatoun v. Island Bay.—Mesdames j Robertson and Small defeated Mesdames Green and Winchcomb, 26-18; Mesdames Allan and Woodley defeated Mesdames Woodham and Francis, 26-5.; Intermediate Grade. Karori v. Hataitai.—Mesdames Sutherland and Gilbert defeated Mesdames Jackson and McKenzie, 26-18; Mesdames Howell and McGowan defeated Mesdames Turner and McLean, 26-13. Woburn v. Kelburn I.—Mesdames Coalman and Wilson lost to Mesdames Graham and Ilsley, 20-26; Mesdames Martin and Nicholas lost to Mesdames Young and Johnson, 7-26. Central v.. Khandallah.—Mesdames Fox and Brocklebank lost to Mesdames Jefleries. and Whiteiaw, 15-26. . Lyall Bay v. Wellington.—Mesdames Maxwell and -Collins defeated Mesdames Shaw and Bell, 26-18; Mesdames J. Smith and Bryden defeated Mesdames, Carter and Pederson, 26-16. Waimarie v. ML Victoria I.—Mesdames Hamilton and Parker lost to Mesdames Krebs and Burbidge, 23-26. Ngaroma v. Ngaio,—Mesdames Roberts and McKay defeated Mesdames Furness and Guy, 26-10; Mesdames McCawe 'and Miller defeated Mes-' dames Williamson and Webb, 26-11. B Grade. Hataitai y. Wellington.—Mrs. Staf-; ford and Miss. Wallace lost to Mesdames Alexander and King, 20-26; Mesdames McCarthy and Watson de-: feated Mesdames Collins and Wise, 26----19. Kelburn v. Mt. Victoria.—Mesdames Searell and Spiller defeated Mesdames Richardson and Clifford, 26-15; Mesdames Creeke and Fowler defeated Miss Ritchie and Mrs. Flanagin, 26-18. Island Bay y. Khandallah.—Mesdames Cox and Mallet defeated Mesdames Tindall and Hunter, 26-24; Mesdames Croft and Payne lost to Mesdames Hendrick and McDonald, 10-26. Waimarie .v. Central. — Mesdames Stoupe and Devonport lost to Mesdames Morgan and May, 12-26; Mesdames Corlett and Dwyer defeated Mesdames Batlersby and Annear, 26----13. Half-Team Matches. Seatoun 1 v> Island Bay.—lsland Bay defaulted. Eastbourne v. Upper Hutt.—Scores not available. Ngaroma v. HXitt 2.—Mesdames Martin and Kerr lost to Mrs. Stonehouse and Miss D. McKenzie, 18-26. Hutt 1 v. Woburn. —Mesdames Tamblyn and Leighton lost to Mesdames Collins and Jamieson, 6-26. Lyall Bay v. Karori.—Mesdames Beard and Martin lost to Mesdames Toms and Bradnock, 8-26. Hataitai v. Seatoun 2.-—Mesdames Jackson and Russell defeated Mesdames Wisely and Page, 26-18. Johnson ville v. Ngaio.—Mesdames Bramley and Mills lost to Mesdames Me Arthur and Clark, 11-26. '• ' NEXT/ WEEK'S. DRAW. • - The following is the draw for next week's .matches: — A Grade.—Waimarie 1 v. Kelburn 2; Central v. Hataitai 1; Kelburn v. Waimarie 2; Ngaroma 1 v. Hataitai 2; Ngaroma 2 v. Lyall Bay; Kelburn 3 v. Hutt; Eastbourne v. Wellington 1; Seatoun v. Wellington 2; Island Bay v. Woburn. Intermediate Grade.—Kelburn 2 v. Karori; Woburn v. Mt. Victoria 2; Central v. Hataitai; Lyall Bay v. Kel-

burn li Waimarie v. Khandallah; Ngaroma v. Wellington; Ngaio v. Mt. Victoria. . ' .. B Grade—Kelburn v. Hataitai; Island Bay v. Wellington; Waimarie .v. Mt Victoria; Ngaroma v. Khandallah; Central a bye. Half Team Matches.—The following is the draw for tomorrow, the firstmentioned team being at home: —Upper Hutt y. Seatoun' 1, Island Bay v. Ngaroma, Woburn v. Eastbourne, Hutt. 2 v. Lyall Bay, Hutt 1 v-.Hataitai, Seatoun 2 v. Johnsonville, Ngaio v. Mt. Victoria, Karori, a bye. POLLOCK STARS. The Stars have again changed hands, Mesdames Walker and Melntosh (Wobiurn) being defeated by Mesdames /Green and Winchcomb (Island Bay). The game throughout was fairly even, all four players being well matched. At the finish of the match the Woburn pair were ready to peg out when Mrs. Mclntosh, in attempting to separate the opponents, ran into the upright of the Jioop and was unable to ge J the shot. This gave Mrs. Green an opportunity to make penultimate and rover,-which she did, and set for a rush for Mrs. Winchcomb ior the last hoop. Mrs. Walker failed to hit in, and in the next turn the Island Bay players finished the match, winning by the small margin of two points. Mrs. McKenzie (Hutt) was in charge of the match. • The next on the list is the Hataitai Club, and the referee will be Mrs. Bryan (Waimarie). ASSOCIATION FERNS. The Ferns match was played last Monday morning, when the holders, Ngaio Club, represented by Mesdames Guy and Furness, were again successful On tliis occasion the challengers were the Hutt Club, whose representatives, Mrs. McKenzie and Miss/Macaskill, found the lawns somewhat heavy after the keen lawn at the Hutt., Neither visitor really got the strength of the green, and -when they did get control the excellent long shooting by Mrs. Furness invariably gained control for the local pair. Both the holders played steadily and had a substantial lead trough the match, which ended with the score 26-12. The next on the .list is the Waimarie Club. McKENZIE CUPS. The fifth round for the Cups was played last week, when the Seatoun players, Mesdames Morrison and Oldfield, again defeated the , challengers, on this, occasion from the Ngaio Club, Mesdames Clark and Gardner. The game was an excellent B grade match throughout—all four r layers being evenly matched, and the long shooting was particularly good. The game was over in record time and ended in a score of 26-20, v The next on the list is the Karori Club. Mrs. Monks will act as referee. REFEREE MEETING. The next referee meeting will be held at the conclusion of the delegates' meeting, advice of which will "be sent to clubs in due course. WELLINGTON CLUB. The A grade matches in the handicap event have now been, completed, ■ Mrs. Caldow and Mrs. Boocock playing off in the finals. .The former player had to concede four bisques to her opponent, who had been playing well throughout the event. Mrs. Boocock was the first to secure the balls. She failed at the first hoop, and her opponent hit in and went to four back, where she failed with a difficult shoti near the upright. Mrs. Boocock then took control and in-and-out play followed, Mrs. Caldow making a break of six with the second ball, after which she: missed several short shots and made very little progress with the backward-ball, Mrs. Boocock was on three back and Tover when her opponent, in attempting to peg i out, missed with the first ball, going on with the second. Mrs. Boocock hit the long shot and it was some tame before Mrs; Caldow could get in to finish the game, which ended 26-19. In the intermediate grade there have been several good games played, that between Mesdames Maxwell and Bryden being particularly outstanding. Both played championship croquet and although the breaks were not of a substantial nature the game was well worth watching. The clips were practically even throughout and the winner could not be ' forecast at any stage; it was only when Mrs. Bryden failed at rover that Mrs. Maxwell, taking advantage of the -opportunity, finished the game by the small margin of three points. The finals of this grade are to be played tomorrow. In the B grade Mrs. Wise is playing particularly well, but there are several matches yet to be played before the winner is decided. SHORT SHOTS. It is often asked: "Why.do we miss the short shots?" This is a question that' is not easily answered. The writer has endeavoured to analyse this knotty problem for some time and has come to the conclusion that it is more often than not because the hands and arms.go forward with the mallet in the anxiety to get the shot. The-mallet' alone must do the work, and that is why the player who uses the stop shots for this short distance rarely misses. Many of our players use the upright stance, but these players are strong in the wrist and never use the arms. If one looks round at a large tournament and notices the good medium shots hit by the men* players it will also be noticed that the majority use a, short mallet—and consequently have more control. Nervousness often causes the missing of these shots—when the mallet is either swung back badly or the forward swing is inaccurate. It is often a good policy to press the mallet on the ground before actually taking the stroke. This steadies the swing. Quite a number of players adopt this style, while others tilt the back of the mallet in order to actually commence the swing before the stroke is taken. The writer has found that if this method is adopted in hoop running, especially at angles, the ball is hit on the top and is given a certain amount of spin. On one occasion recently a player who has hitherto liad the bad habit of sticking in hoops adopted this style and after trying out the tilting of the back of the mallet, says that she rarely now breaks at a hoop. It is a bad habit to "poke" at a hoop—i.e^ use the arms as well as the mallet. The arms carry through badly at times, especially when the head is lifted in order to see what has happened, hence the necessity of keeping the head well down, the eye on the spot on which the ball is to be hit, and the body rigid. These points are all. worth remembering and will help considerably in hoop-running, as well as short: roquets. PERSONAL. Mrs. Gunderson (Hataitai) has unfortunately had to return to hospital, but her many friends will be glad to know that she is progressing satisfactorily. Mesdames Caldow and Cadwallader are at present in Palmerston North, taking part in the Manawatu chmpionships. Mrs. McGirr" (Seatoun). is on a short holiday at Greytown.

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