CROQUET

Evening Star, Issue 20996, 9 January 1932, Page 8

CROQUET

SOUTH ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS [Per United Press Association.] TIMARU, January 8.Two championship events at the South Island Croquet Tournament were concluded to-day. The open title was won by Ross (Christchurch), who defeated Mrs Corbet (Dunedin), 26-0, 26-20. In the doubles Ross and Mrs Corbot won from M'Creath (Gore) and Mrs Quinn (Invercargill), 26-21, Results:— LADIES’ CHAMPIONSHIP. Mrs Corbet (Dunedin) beat Miss Morgan (Timaru), 26-18. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. Ross (Christchurch) beat Mrs Corbet (Dunedin), 26-0, 26-20. HANDICAP SINGLES. M'Creath (Gore) beat Mrs MTvenzie (Timaru), 26-5. Mrs Quinn (Invercargill) bent Mrs Munro (Timaru), 26-21. HANDICAP DOUBLES. Mrs Corbet and Mrs MacDonald (Invercargill) beat Mrs Blaikie (Timaru) and Mrs Teller (Gore), 26-16. CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLES. A.- G. F. Ross (Christchurch) and Mrs Corbet (Dunedin) beat R. W. M'Creath. (Gore) and Mrs Quinn (Invercargill), 26-21.

NOTES ON THE GAMES,

In the open championship Ross won the toss and elected Mrs Corbet to play first. Ross laid out a typical championship break and came into play to accomplish nine hoops. He completed the piece, wiring his opponent and laying for a drive with the blue at 4 back. Mrs Corbet missed her roquet, and with the blue Ross completed the round, during which he triple peeled his black and prevented Mrs Corbet from g’aining a point. The game occupied 35 minutes. Mrs Corbet commenced the second session by playing the yellow to the corner. Ross failed to get in, hut in her next shot Mrs Corbet gave him a chance. When negotiating an easy shot at the first hoop Ross broke down. Mrs Corbet missed her roquet, and Ross endeavoured to make the first hoop with the ball in a difficult position. The ball came through, but the umpire ruled a foul. Mrs Corbet peeled Ross’s first ball and gained her first hoop.; She failed, however, to improve her position. Ross was unsuccessful in a long roquet, but again Mrs Corbet broke down from a difficult angle. Things were made easy for Ross when Mrs Corbet left her ball near the mouth of the second hoop. Ross made only two more in the break, faulting at tho fourth hoop. With a nice roquet Mrs Corbet made a splendid break of nine. Ross secured a good roquet and made a break of five. Ross went to the lino, and Mrs Corbet came in brilliantly to capture two more hoops. Ross repeatedly retreated to the corner, but Mrs Corbet picked up a long roquet and made the last three hoops with the yellow. Missing her roquet, she allowed Ross to come in with the blue to No. 1 hoop. He proceeded right round, culminating an excellent exhibition by pegging the yellow. Ross made the fourth hoop with the black, but missed his roquet. Mrs _ Corbet came into play and lay into position on the eighth hoop. Ross came over to his opponent’s ball, resting near the hoop. Commencing a break with tho black, he negotiated nine hoops and pegged out. In the doubles all four players were in excellent form. Playing a waiting game, Ross and his partner allowed their opponents to do the early leading. When M'Creath and Mrs Quinn had a comfortable lead, Ross exploited a triple peel and pegged Mrs Quinn’s hall out. M'Creath, left without his partner, made a groat fight against odds, hut Ross and Mrs Corbet with good combination won 26-21.

PLAY IN THE DOUBLES,

[Special to the ■ Star.’] TIMARU, January 8. In the championship doubles Mrs Quinn opened and sent the yellow to the fourth hoop boundary. M’Creath made four hoops, but in negotiating the fourth was blocked from hitting his partner’s ball. Mrs Corbett missed. M’Creath got the balls and made a fifth hoop, but failed through missing a short roquet. With excellent placements Mrs Corbett made four hoops. Ross hit the peg and was wired from his partner. Mrs Quinn made two back and three back and missed the shortest, the roquet going to the boundary. M’Creath made a sixth hoop, but from a difficult position, and was compelled to go tq the boundary apart from his partner. Ross got in on a boundary and laid out for a four-ball. With his usual excellent play he peeled Mrs Quinn (yellow ball) and pegged it out, leaving only M’Creath against theip. He scored 12 points for himself. M’Creath made one back and broke down at two back., Later he made two back and gained an excellent position for three back. Mrs Corbett made the fifth hoop and then went to the boundary. She made six and one back and lay up for a rush for black (Ross) to pick up her opponent at three back. M’Creath failed with a long shot, landing in the first corner. Mrs Corbett negotiated two and three backs and later four back in endeavouring to obtain position for three back. M’Creath left it open for blue, which obtained a short roquet. Ross hit his partner’s ball and wired it from his opponent, who missed. Mrs Corbett made rover hoop with a rush on her partner’s ball, and out after obtaining an excellent position.