CROQUET

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 49, 26 January 1939, Page 10

CROQUET

DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIPS.

SURPRISE DEFEAT OF ROSS.

The matches at the Dominion croquet championships were again in perfect weather this mornmg, wh a number of quick games "ere re corded. , _ The biggest surprise of the day was the defeat of A. G. F. Ross. ,n . game of the open event. This is first and only loss he has sustained m his section, having won the other five matches. The victory on this occasion went to Mrs Pitcaithly. Heatings, who plaved a steady game. The wmnei at the commencement of the tournament had not struck form, but she is now playing steadily. Both were shooting,well and making excellent breaks. Additional results are: ope:; championship. Section I. Mrs Pitcaithly beat A. Ross, 26—23. Section 2. Bryant beat Mrs McMurray, 26—17; McClymont beat Veitch, -6 bisection 3. Mrs McLeod beat Mrs Palmer 26—5. McCreath beat Mrs McClymont, 26—10. Section 4. Tannock beat Mrs Simpson, 26—7 ; Mrs Frost beat Harrison, 26—20: Mis Gam brill beat Mrs Bryan, 26—15: Mrs Watkins beat Mi's Frost, 26—9. Section 5. Penn beat Rev. W. Tye, 26—13; Mrs Petrie beat .Airs Brown, 26—9. LADIES’ CHAMPIONSHIP. First Life. Second Round. Aire Morgan beat Mrs Petrie, 26—0. CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLES. Second R-ound. Gibbs and Airs Clark beat Rev. W. Tye and Airs Henderson, 26—18. HANDICAP DOUBLES. Second Round.

Airs Brown (scr.) and Aliss D'Atli (7J) beat Airs Harrison (-*) and Airs Stevenson (6). Third Round.

Airs Tiffin ( —J ) and Airs Houghton (6j) beat Airs Bryan (scr) and Airs Aloxon (5), 26—3; Mrs Wood (J) and Airs Anderson (51) lieat Airs Meikle (35) and Airs AlcKarrmv (3), 26—18. Airs Simpson (scr.) and Airs Permain (5) lieat J. Tannock ( —1) and Mrs Jarrett (5), 26—20; Airs Henderson (scr.) and Mills (8) beat Mrs Wilson (2) and Mrs Manning (3|), 26—12; Airs Clark (—s) and Airs Reed (6) beat Stratton ( 2J) and Mrs Gould (7), 26—9. BRILLIANT SHOOTING.

A. G. E. Ross v. Airs Pitcaithly.— Airs Pitcaithly won the toss and at the commencement both players made a few points, until Mrs Pitcaithly, collecting the balls to advantage, made a break of seven. Ross hit in at this stage, but baulked at the first hoop, on which Mrs Pitcaithly made a break of six, after which Ross .got the play and with a three-balL break went to 2 back, where he failed with liis opponent’s ball. In the next turn the Hastings player finished the round to rover. The long shooting by these players at this stage was brilliant, and as a consequence in and out play followed until Ross failed at the first return, after which Airs Pitcaithly set a rush for penultimate. Ross failed to hit the shot, when Airs Pitcaithly made rover and peeled her partner ball through rover, parking for the next turn, and on her opponent missing the shot Airs Pitcaithly finished in the next turn, 26—23. E. Veitch v. D. AlcClymont.—This game was noted for the splendid shooting by McClymont. who on three occasions got in long shots with only a small portion of one ball visible. Both players only made a few points in one turn throughout the match, hut Veitch was truly handicapped by his opponent gaining control on practically every occasion when the shot was most useful. McClymont won by a margin of five points. Mrs Morgan v. Airs Petrie.—The one-time local player, Airs Morgan, played an outstandingly good game to defeat Airs Petrie without giving her more than two opportunities to shoot ill. At the commencement of the match Mrs Morgan hit in with the fourth ball and made a break to penultimate. Her opponent secured, the lift shot, but in going to separate went ■ boundary. On this advantage Mrs Morgan set out to again collect the balls for a break and, playing carefully, went to the rover hoop, where she failed. Airs Petrie missed the long shot, whereupon Mrs Alorgan made the remaining points, finishing 26-0.

Mrs Oambrill v. Airs Bryan.—ln the open championship Airs Bryan took the play, but railed at the first hoop after which Airs Gambrill made the point and in the next turn went to the sixth hoop, where she let her opponent in with the halls in the field. On this opportunity Airs Bryan went to 3 back in stages. Airs Gambrill again got control, but failed at 4 back. In order to get the shot, Mrs Bryan had to make the point for her opponent, but the halls were so placed that she was unable to make a point for her own ball. Mrs Gambrill in the next turn made penultimate, after which Airs Bryan again got the balls and went to 3 back, followed by a substantial break by her opponent, who went from the third hoop to rover, after which Airs Bryan did not again get the balls, the local player finishing with a score ol 26—15. Alesdames Clark and Reed v. H. PStratton and Airs Gould.—ln and out play was a feature for some time in this handicap doubles match until Mrs Clark, getting all the halls into play, wont to 4 back. Stratton then shot in and set for his partner wdio, in easy stages, carried her clip to 2 back. AJrs Reed then took the play and gradually worked her clip to 3 back. At this stage Stratton got the.shot and. again playing for his partner, set a rush for the next turn. Airs Clark, however, upset arrangements hv hitting in and she and her partner made a few points when Airs Reed baulked at rover, hut, using the half bisque, separated the opponents and in the next turn, on their failing to secure the shot, Alesdames Clark and Reed finished 26—9. THE OPEN CHAAIPIONSHIP.

The following table gives some idea of the position in regard to the open championship : A. G. R. Ross has the most number of wins to his credit, having five and lost one, which record it will be difficult to beat in this section. First section.—A. G. F. Ross, 5 wins, 1 loss, 1 to play. Second second.—Mrs McMurrav, 4 wins, 3 to play. Third section.—R. W. McCreatli, 5 wins, 2 to play. Fourth section.—J. Tannock, 4 wins, 3 to play. Fifth section.—Mrs Anstis, 3 wins; Mrs Petrie, 3 wins. It should be mentioned that a number of the ladies in the various sections have not yet played more than two games on account of having been kept busy in the ladies’ event, and as some of these are strong players it is anticipated that they should he among the finalists for the In+br draw.