CROQUET

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12643, 31 December 1926, Page 6

CROQUET

INTERESTING JOTTINGS LOCAL AND PROVINCIAL (For the “Time*,” by “Roquet.") COMING, EVENTS. Dominion Championship Tournament at Palmerston North, January 21st, 1927. Whangarei Tournament, January 29th, Wellington Association Tournament, February 3rd. Wanganui Tournament, at Wanganui, February 7th to 12th. Taranaki Association Tournament, at New Plymouth, February 22nd. North Island Championships, at Auckland, March Ist. POLLOCK STARS: CHALLENGERS SUCCEED WON BY HATAITAI CLUB. These trophies have once again changed ownership, the successful challengers being (Jie Hataitai Club, who were represented by Mesrtames Brighting and Moeller. These flayers defeated Mesdamea Smith and Tregear (Ngaroma Club), the holders, by the narrow margin of three points. Since winning them from the ICelburn Club, the Ngaroma Club holders have defeated challenges from the Lower Huft and Khandallah clubs. The game throughout was one of great brilliance, and all the contestants were up to form, the long shooting being a marked feature. Ngaroma won the toss, and Mrs Tregear, playing the black ball, opened the scoring by making the first two hoops, and was followed by Mrs Brighting with the red ball scoring 4 hoops in quick success. Mrs Moeller,, playing yellow, soon followed her partner’s example by making three points, which brought the score to Hataitai 7, Ngaroma 2, before the game had been in progress many minutes, and would possibly have been Increased had the yellow not laid too near a wire and spoilt the player’s shot. Blue (Mrs Smith) got in a long shot and scored the first three hoops, making the total Hataitai 7, Ngaroma 5, but baulked at the next. Yellow cut black across to the loop and made it (Hataitai 8, Ngaroma 5), then went to her partner. Black to blue. Yellow hit red, went across to the opponents, scored off black, but laid wired from it (Hataitai 9, Ngaroma 5), so returned to red. Blue scored two points off black (Hataitai 9, Ngaroma 75 before missing a short shot. , Red played a pretty shot on to black, made two hoops (Hataitai H, Xgatoma 7), but failed position for the next turn, so went to yellow. HATAITAI FIVE POINTS AHEAD. Black missed yellow. Hed took the turn off yellow, scored (Hataitai 12, Ngaroma 7), But went boundary near the home team’s balls. Blue played, and made a point (Hataitai 12, Ngaroma 8), laid a good break, and made the sixth hoop (Hataitai 12, Ngaroma 9), but fouled the wire, so laid in position for the next .turn. Bed played a beautiful shot on to yellow, tried to displace blue, but failed. Blue scored (Hataitai 12 Ngaroma 10), made the next point with black, laid a fine break, ana made two more points, then laid a drive for blue, after wiring the oppqnents (Ngaroma 14, Hataitai 12). Yellow missed the, opponents.' Black made two points w(th the partner’s hall (Ngaroma 16," Hataitai 12), parted the challengers, and returned to blue. NGAROMA LEADS. Yellow hit on a long short, made a point (Ngaroma 16, Hataitai 13) separated the black and blue, then went to red. Black returned to blue in the corner. Red got in a spleVdid shot, made a hoop with yellow. (Ngaroma 16, Hataitai 14). Moved bine from the corner and scored with it (Ngaroma 16, Hataitai 15), but missed a close shot. Black took turn made two .points (Ngaroma 18, Hataitai 15), bat did not get far enough through to strike the ball with any certainty. Yellow to red. Black made two more points (Ngaroma 20, Hataitai 15), but baulked and laid near the wire. Red played on yellow, blit laid in the hoop. Black hit in a long shot, but failed to move the blue ball in the croquet, and ran towards the opponents. This misfortune enabled red and yellow to score two points each before the opponents hit in again (Ngaroma 20, Hataitai 19). Blue to black. Yellow played made a point (20 all) took black off the line and went to red. TWENTY ALL. Black got yellow, then blue, and scored (Ngaroma 21, Hataitai 20), drove red towards the centre and made the penultimate with it (Ngaroma 22, Hataitai 20), then went to blue. Yellow had no ball, so played from B baulk line, but the red made the penultimate also (Ngaroma 22, Hataitai 21) the rover. 22 all, then set a rush for red. TWENTY-TWO ALL. Blue missed black. Red hit in made the hoop (Hataitai 23, Ngaroma 22), got a perfect rush on black to the last hoop, but baulked at it. Black scored off red. TWENTY THREE ALL. Hit blue and sent it to the rover hoop, and wired it from red and yellow, then laid near. Red to yellow. Blue played but laid in the hoop, leaving reel and ■ yellow together. Red took off yelldw to the adversaries, displaced bine from the lioop, and made it. (Hataitai 24, Ngaroma 23). Rushed black to the rear of yellow in the corner and took both to the far side of the green and laid to peg out. Blue to black. Yellow pegged out, and thus the Pollock Stars changed hands after one of the best games ever played for these trophies. FEATHERSTON CHALLENGES. Hataitai were not long in possession of them when the Featlierston Club made an attempt to wrest them from them. The game, according to the rules of the contest, was played on tho lawns of tho holders, and being a new lawn, was not all that could Jbe desired for the match, the weather, however, was perfect. Mrs Vincent and Mr L. Saunders played for the Featlierston Club, and were defeated by 15 points, the scores being Mesdames Brighting and Moeller played for Hataitai, and the playing surface made the work of attaining position for the hoops a matter of great difficulty. The Hataitai Club has now to meet the Carterton Club, who have challenged for these trophies. The Wanganui Club has issued its programme for their first tournament, anil the conditions specify from February 7th to February 12th. This is a new departure in Dominion tournaments, as they generally last from ten to fourteen days. The events 3,4, 5 and 6 are also to be time limit if necessary, to enable the tournament to conclude within tho specified time. These restrictions will obviously affect the entries as starting tho tournament on a Monday necessitates competitors arriving on the previous Saturday, and as it is intended to conclude it on the following Saturday it means that two week-ends would have to be spent in Wanganui, rid there is also that much hated problem of timelimit games to contend with, as well as the extra expense incurred at the weekends. . . PERSONAL. The many friends of Mrs Pink (Carterton) will regret to hear that she has been taken ill and has had to enter hospital for treatment. Mrs Hope, Ngaroma Club, has returned from a visit to Wangunui and Palmerston North. Mi's Wilkinson (Ngaroma Club) is

vipitino: Wanganui for the Christmas holidays. IZARD MEMORIAL In fho somi-finols for the Irard Memorial, played at Christchurch, the holders, Caughley and Mrs Leech, of the ICelburn Club, were beaten by S. McCullough and Mrs Tyres, of Christ--26—10. The winners plnv T. F. c'ifoniters and Mrs Maddren in the ftnal. In the open championship at Christchurch. Mr* Leech was beaten hy T. F. Chambers, and R. Caughley by A. G. F. Koss.