Croquet Notes

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 75, 30 March 1939, Page 23

Croquet Notes

By "Concentrate"

INTER CLUB MATCHES. The inter-club matches have now been concluded, but up to the present the total number of points scored by every club in the three grades are not available. As far as can be ascertained the following number of points in the A grade are correct: —Wellington No. 1, 844 points; Waimarie No. 1, 813 points; and Kelburn No. 1, 804 points. As the maximum number possible is 884, and the Wellington Club No. 1 team have lost only 40 points, it looks as if this club will be the winner of this grade. The number of points scored in the remaining grades are not yet available. Throughout the season these matches have been thoroughly enjoyed, and although the whole season has been taken up with inter-club games on Tuesday of each week, the majority of players have much preferred playing on the Yankee principle, rather than t the section play which was carried out for the last two previous seasons. The following matches were played on Tuesday:— Wellington 1 v. Wellington 2.—Mesdames Henderson and Hogan defeated Mesdames Ross and Billing, 26-10; Mesdames Caldow and Manton defeated Mrs. Burd and Miss Bates, 26-12. Kelburn 1 v. Waimarie I.—Mesdames Mouat and Bryan defeated the Rev. Tye and Mrs. Chetwin, 26-21. Mesdames Johnson and Moeller defeated Mesdames Gardner and O'Donnell, 26-21. NGAROMA CLUB. On Thursday last the Ngaroma Club entertained the Central Club members to an afternoon, when most of the members from the visiting club took advantage of the perfect weather and hospitality of their sister club to spend a happy time on the lawns. A competition taking the form of half-hour games was played, the prizes going to Mesdames Ridley, Pawson, Brockelbank, Pointon, and Bettersby. The Ngaroma pavilion was decorated by Mesdames Veitch and Galvin, and the wonderful prize dahlias in pink and fa;vn. made a charming setting for the well-laden afternoon tea tables. The president, Mrs. Franks, welcomed the visitors and took .the opportunity of wishing "bon voyage" to Mrs. Holland, one of the members, who is leaving shortly for a holiday in Sydney. Mrs. L. Pointon replied for the Central Club, and heartily thanked the Ngaroma Club for its hospitality. The Ngaroma Club has finished the club championships in the A and irAermediate grade, the winner of the former being Mrs. Sargisson, the winner of the latter being Mrs. McKay, with Mrs. Capstick as runner-up. KELBURN CLUB. The club matches are well under way and several have been completed. The McVilly Cup has been won by Mrs. Young who is a 4£ bisquer and has well merited her win in this event in which all members play on handicap. The runner-up to Mrs. Young is Mrs. Pritchard. The Hiley Cup for the A grade has been won by Mrs. Watson, with Mrs. Roffe as runner-up. The championship doubles have been annexed by Mesdames Gardner and j O'Donnell,. but the event is not yeti concluded to decide the runner-up. WRONG BALL LAW. Of all the problems which arise in the game of croquet none has produced such divisions of opinion as that associated with the playing of the wrong ball. In and before 1920 this was a foul, and from 1921 until 1925 the turn ceased and the balls and clips were replaced. In 1926 there was the addition of one saving stroke after replacement from which no score could be made. In 1927 the rule was again revised and it was made that there was no penalty for playing with the wrong ball and the law-giving the two options was introduced. This law survived with certain alterations and modifications until now, when after practically a unanimous demand the Laws Committee of England have now reconstructed the ruling. The new law imposes a penalty and reads as follows:

(a) If the striker make a stroke with the wrong ball, or, if the striker take croquet off the wrong ball, or if, in doubles, a player make a stroke with his partner's ball and the error be announced before the first stroke of the opponent's turn, all such strokes shall be null and void. All balls affected shall be replaced in the positions they occupied immediately before the first stroke in error was made and the

striker, or in doubles the correct striker of the ball played, shall complete the remainder of the turn, but in this remainder no point shall be scored for any ball. (b) If the error be announced after the first stroke of the succeeding turn has been made, all strokes made during the period of error shall be valid and any points in order shall be scored, except points made for the opponent's ball, otherwise than by peeling or pegging out. (c) Notwithstanding the above general provisions if the striker make a stroke with the wrong ball at the commencement of the game, before all the balls are in play, such ball shall be interchanged for the correct ball, and the turn unless it has already ceased shall continue provided that any further change of ball during such turn shall be deemed playing with a wrong ball and subject to the provisions above-mentioned. Where players cannot agree as to where the error did occur an umpire shall be entitled at his discretion to settle the position of the clips and to direct that all balls shall be lifted and played from the balk, the opponent having the choice of lead. There is no doubt that this rule, being much shorter, is more easily understood than its immediate _ predecessors, as it lays down categorically that every stroke played with a wrong ball, if discovered before the first stroke of the next turn, is null and void. When it is found that the striker has played with the wrong ball the balls and clips are replaced and the balance remaining of the turn is played with the right ball under the penalty that no point may be made. It will here be observed that the severity of the penalty depends on when the first stroke in error was made. If after running a hoop a wrong-ball stroke is made with the first of the three balls, the position may be better than if the stroke is made with the last and third ball. In the first case a well set-out break may be laid out, subject to a long and perhaps risky shot by the opponent, whereas in the second case the most that can be achieved is some measure of safety and that may not be always possible. As will be seen by the above a new law has been introduced in the latter portion of the rule; hitherto no provision has been made either for the not uncommon case where neither player has any idea of where the first stroke in error occurred, or for the position when one side, or both sides, believe that they know, but cannot agree on the point. These non-agree-ments, or lack of knowledge, are now dealt with by laying down that an umpire shall under the circumstances place the clips where he considers they should be and order all the balls to be lifted and played from baulk, the adversary of the player having the choice of lead. This latter portion of this rule is no doubt somewhat drastic, but will no doubt make it incumbent upon the striker to remember where the error occurred. However, in practice it remains to be seen how this novel position will work out, but it seems that to a certain extent penalty would be imposed on the opponent as well as the striker, as the opponent may be placed at a considerable disadvantage by having to take his balls to baulk. There is another alteration, just as drastic in its way, to the rules, and this will be published next week. It is advisable to have the new rule placed in an advantageous position for all club members to read, and if possible they should follow these new rulings immediately in order that they may be memorised before next season. ASSOCIATION AFTERNOON. The usual official closing of the season will be held in the Mayfair Cabaret on Thursday afternoon, May 4, at 2.30 p.m. Tickets should be obtained from club secretaries at the earliest possible date. PERSONAL. Mrs. Piper (Hutt) is spending the Easter holidays in Auckland. Mrs. King (Hutt) has gone for a trip to Hamilton. Mr. and Mrs. Leeson, who have been members of the Manawatu Club at Palmerston North, have come to reside in Wellington and will be joining one of the local clubs. Mrs. Stace (Kelburn) is now residing at Lower Hutt and will probably join a club in the Hutt district.