CROQUET TITLE'S.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 48, 25 January 1939, Page 12

CROQUET TITLE'S.

DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIPS

WIND PROLONGS PLAY

Boisterous weather again proved disconcerting to the croquet players taking part in the Dominion croquet championships yesterday, and many of tiie matches were somewhat prolonged, particularly the handicap doubles. With the lawns becoming more keen, the high wind was seen at times to not only quiver stationary balls but to actually move those at” rest in the field. I Taking a slow shot was impossible un less allowance was made for the wind, and as it was blowing in gusts player's found it almost impossible to gain control when the situation most demanded it. Despite this fact, however, the long shooting by several of the players was excellent, which went to prove that their judgment in this direction was certaintly not at fault. The level singles have now advanced a further stage, and Mrs Hill, having defeated Mrs Mills in the semi-finals, will be playing the final of this event very slrortiy. Many of the matches have been got off in the various sections of the open championship and the ladies’ and men’s championship have reached the third round. Further results are:— OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. Section 1. A. G. F. Boss treat Mrs Clark, 26 —8; Mrs Telfer lx:at C. Kusabs, 26—7; Mrs Burrett beat Mrs Mouat, 26—18. Section 2. F. C. Bryan beat Mrs Ivibblewhite, 26 —12; Mrs McMurray l>cat H. P. Stratton 26—3; E. Veitch beat Stratton, 26—Y8. Section 3. A. J. Gibbs beat Mr. 9 McClymont, 26—8; Mrs McLeod beat Mrs Wood, 26—19; Miss Washer beat Mi's Wood, 26 —18; 11. W. McCreath beat Mrs Palmer, 26 —8. Section 4. •Mrs Gambrill beat Mrs Watkins, 26—18; Mrs Bryan beat Mrs Simpson, 26- —15; Mrs Gambrill beat Baker 26—14; Mrs Watkins beat F. Harrison, 26 —9. Section 5. Mrs Anstis beat Mrs Wi150n,225;6 —5; Mrs Walker beat Bev. W. Tye, 26—19. CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLES. First Round. Rev. W. Tye and Mrs Henderson beat Mesdames Ivibblewhite and AlcIverrow, 26 —16. Second Round. H. Renn and Mrs TifFen heat Mr and Mrs Bryan, 26 —19; Mesdames Frost and Manssen beat Mesdames Pitcaithley and McLennan, 26—14; Mesdames Petrie and Brown beat Mesdames Burrett and Baker, 26 —18; R. W. McCreath and Mrs AYilson heat Mesdames Anstis and Mor- 1 gan, 26—13. LADIES’ CHAMPIONSHIP. (First Life.) First Round. Mrs Palmer beat Mrs H. Clark. 26—10. MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP. (Second Life.) Second Round. H. Penn treat R. W. McCreath, 26JO. LEVEL SINGLES. Third Round. Mrs McCreath beat Mrs Moxon, 20 —l7. HANDICAP SINGLES. (Section II—3) bisques and over.) Fourth Round. Mrs Penn (7) beat Mrs Mcikle (3J), 26—21. HANDICAP DOUBLES. First Round. F. Harrison ( —J) and Mrs Sveneson (6) beat Mesdames Garner (4) and Popplewell (6), 26 —20. Second Round. Mesdames Coles (5) and Ashworth (4j) beat E. Veitch scr. and Mrs Torstonson (4), 26—20; Mesdames Petrie (scr.) and Hill (5) beat Mesdames Duckworth (3)) and Leeson (6), 26 —22; J. Tannock ( —J) and Mrs Jarrett (5) beat Mesdames JC. McDonald ] (3) and Mrs Connor (4), 26—17; 1 Mesdames Gibbs and Lowery lieat i Mesdames Davidson and Owen, 26 1 18. 1 PLAY DESCRIBED. The following is a description of ' some of the matches played yester- s day: ' 1 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. Mrs Gambrill (Palmerston North) v. Mrs Watkins (Hastings).—Mrs Gambrill played croquet of the highest 1 order, completing practically two allround breaks and giving her opponent ‘ few chances to score. Whenever Mrs Watkins did get control, however, she j made the most of her opportunity, hut 1 the local player was not only shooting ' well but her judgment was faultless, ' and she finished to win by a margin of j eight points. : F. C. Bryan v. Mrs Ivibblewhite. — Neither player could get a start for 1 some little time, and in and out play was a feature of the game until Bryan got in with a substantial break and j Mrs Ivibblewhite got round with one ball, but had difficulty in completing the round with the other. Bryan, liow-

ever, made steady progress and finished by t.iio good margin of 11 points. Mrs McMurray (Palmerston North) v. H. P. titration (I Listings).—Mrs .McMurray has been playing consistently well throughout the tournament and kept up her good record against Stratton in the open championship. Her shooting was of the highest order,

; it being remarked by the onlookers that practically every long shot was secured. > This gaining of control assisted consid--1 orably in the ultimate result of the ! match, ias whenever Stratton got in ' setting a rush his opjKinent got the ■ shot, Stratton being only able to score two points before the local player finished the match. Mrs Palmer v. R. W. McCreath.— Immediately after playing for the ladies’ title, Mrs Palmer set out to play the Gore entrant, who has been playing good croquet. In this match, however, Mrs Palmer was not at her | best and failed on several occasions, giving McCreath good opportunities to make use of the balls, of which he took full advantage, finishing with a score of 26—8. CHAMPIONSHTP DOUBLES. Mrs Palmer and IT. P. Stratton v. A. G. F. Rons and Mrs Watkins. — Ross won the toss and chose second play. Early in the game Mrs Watluns took control, making a break of nine. ■Stratton then advanced his clip to 2 back in a scries of turns. In and out play followed, during which Airs Palmer went to 1 back and R-oss to 3 back. Ross then made the last four hoops, and in attempting to peel the forward ball, remained ,in the uprights of the hoop. His partner then took the play in the next turn and made rover, and on the Christchurch players missing the I shot Ross pegged out in the next turn, 26—15. Mesdames Baker and Burrett (Auckland) v. Mesdames Petrie and Brown (Palmerston North).—Owing to the high wind all four players were unable to get going for some time, and in and out play constituted the game throughout. At the commencement of the match Mrs Burrett was shooting well, but the play was slow, and it was only towards the end that the local players, drew ahead to win by a margin of eight points, 26 —18. LI. A. Penn and Mrs Tiffen v. Mr and Mi's Bryan.—Penn won the toss and by easy stages both he and liis partner reached the rover hoop. At this stage Mrs Bryan was on the sixth hoop, when Bryan took the play but baulked at tbe first hoop. The opponents then took control, but without scoring. Mrs Brvan hit in and after making two more points failed, after which Bryan then made five points, but, overrunning the hoop, went into position, and in the next turn completed the round to rover. Penn failed to liit in with the lift shot, linking up with his partner. Mrs Bryan then attempted to run 2 hack but failed, thus enabling the opponents to finish in two turns, the score lending 26—19. Mrs Clark and R. .T. Gibbs v. Mcsdauics Mouat and Bock.—Gibbs bit in lie fore all the balls were in play, and placed the balls in an advantageous position for the next turn. On tbe opponents missing tbe shot Gibbs took the play and played a good break to 1 back, where he failed. In and out play followed, all four players scoring a few points. On a failure by Mrs Bock at tbe third hoop Mrs Clark hit in and finished with her hall to the rover hoop, setting a rush for her partner. Mrs Bock hero hit the long shot and carried her clip to the second return. After securing the play the Wellington pair did' not get in play again, and Gibbs and Mrs Clark finished, the score ending 26—9. I,A DIES’ CH AM PIO NSHIP. Mrs Clark (New Plymouth) v. Mrs Palmer (Christchurch). —Mrs Palmer played steadily in this game, her long shooting being exceptionally good and her opponent, who made ten points before the match was finished, had few chances to score, for when getting control and setting a rush Mrs Palmer invariably hit in, upsetting the well-planned arrangements. ’ LEVEL SINGLES. . Semi-final. —Mrs Mills v. Mrs Hill: j Through having defeated Airs Alills in , this match Airs Hill has now entered „ tlie final for the event and will be ' playing the final within the next few days. Both players did well in tbe J match and the clips were fairly even throughout, and it was only towards _ the conclusion of the match, when Mrs Mills failed at 3 back, that, Airs Hill , did not give her another chance to score, finishing the remaining hoops m two turns ami winning by six points. HANDICAP DOUBLES.

A long game was played lietween E. Veitch and Airs Torstonson and Alesdames Coles and Ashworth, the latter pair having a handicap of three bisques. A substantial break was made by Veitch who in the later stages of the game pegged out Airs Ashworth s ball when Airs Coles had onlv the peg to hit. In the second turn Airs Coles hit the shot from the third corner to the fourth hoop and finished the game, 26—20.

Alesdnmes Petrie and Hill v. Alosdnmes Duckworth and Leeson.—Both Airs Petrie and ATrs Duckworth had their clips on the penultimate in a short time, Airs Duckworth making a break of six and Airs Petrie a substantial number of points in one turn. In and out play continued for some

time, Airs Petrie engineering the game with a succession of wiring tactics. With the clips all on rover, Airs Duckworth missed a short shot, letting in Airs Hill, who made the Inst hoop and pegged out to win by four points.