CROQUET

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 7, 7 December 1936, Page 11

CROQUET

MANAWATU TOURNAMENT. SEVERAL FINALS REACHED. Several events in the annual tournament of the Manawatu Croquet Association readied the final stages on Saturday, when excellent progress was made. In the final of the A grade of the handicap singles, Mrs Bryant (Manakau) beat Mrs Wood, 2G—2l, this event being the first to bo completed.

Three interesting games were played in the morning on the Northern greens. Mrs Hicks played a very nice match when she beat Mrs Morgan in the second round of the first life of the open championship, with some commendable long shooting. Mrs Morgan, who made a break of five, was not playing up to her usual form. A very good recovery was made by Mrs McMurray in the semi-final of the A grade of tho handicap singles. Mrs Simpson had established a good lead and was re.yl.y to peg out- when Mrs McMurra.y was on the third hoop with one ball. Playing steadily, however, with some nice breaks, Mrs McAlurray came right up to the last hoop, but baulked. This let in Mrs Simpson, who finished the game. In the C grade of the handicap singles Mrs Permain, who is playing for the first time in a tournament, played beautiful croquet and deserves to lie congratulated on her game. Her play was steady, and she was .shooting wonderfully well. A feature of the tournament is the good play by C grade players, who are finishing their games more quickly than in previous years, and altogether show a marked improvement. Mrs Bryant gave a good display of croquet when she heat Mrs Simpson in the semi-finals of the A grade ot the handicap singles. After in-and-out. olay in tho first half, excellent croquet was played by Mrs Bryant in the closing stages, and she gave her opponent no chances, wiring her on most occasions.

The final of the A grade handicap singles was played at the end of the day, when rain was falling and conditions wore decidedly unfavourable. Mrs Wood hit in and made a break from first to first return. .Mrs Bryant following with a break of seven, the rest of the play being in-and-out. Although Mrs Wood managed to put Mrs Bryant on the stick, the latter finished out to win.

Mrs Petrie failed to get going when she was beaten hv Mrs Wood in the A grade handicap singles. Mrs Wood who was shooting well, hit in and made a break of nine with red and then five with yellow, Mrs Petrie being only able to progress by twos and a three, it being obviously not her day. A further game in the earlier stages of the above event which proved interesting was that between Mcsdamcs Colquhoun and Wood. Mrs Cokmhoun had established a good lead and with both balls on rover hit her hall through the wrong side, of the hoop. File took her last bisque, hut failed to get position and Mrs Wood, making a splendid recovery, finished an exciting game, 26—24.

When Airs Morgan heat Mrs Bryan in the semi-final of the second life of the open-championship, the latter was not playing no to her usual standard. Mrs Brvari failed at the first hoop and with all the halls out gave Airs Morgan her opportunity, which she took to make a break to penultimate. Saturday’s results were:—

OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. First Life. Second round. —Mrs Hicks beat Mrs Morgan. 26 —16. Semi-final.—Mrs MeMurray beat Mrs Kicks, 26—21. Second Life. Semi-final.—Mrs Morgan beat Mrs Bryan, 26—14. B CHAMPIONSHIP. Second round.—Mrs Moxon beat Mrs Higham. 26—14; Mrs Could beat Mrs Newman, 26—12. Semi-final.—Mrs Moxon beat Mrs Could, 26—8. C CHAMPIONSHIP. First round.—Mrs AVills beat Mrs Devonport, 26 —22; Airs King beat Miss AlcFarlane, 26—18. Semi-finals. —Airs King beat Airs Wills, 26—9; Airs McCarty beat Mrs Houghton, 26 —20, HANDICAP SINGLES. A Grade, Second round.—Airs Simpson (1) beat Mrs MeMurray (2), 26—22; Mrs Wood (1) beat Mrs Colquhoun (4i), 26—24. Semi-finals.—Airs Bryant (3) beat Airs Simpson (1), 26—13; Airs AA'-ood (1) beat Airs Petrie (1). 26—11. Final.—Airs Brvant (Alanakau) beat Airs AVood, 26—21. B grade. Semi-final. —ATrs Afoxon (7\) beat Airs Snelling (54), 26—20. C Grade. Second round. —Airs Permain (101) beat Aliss AlcFarlane (81), 26—13.