CROQUET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21542, 14 January 1932, Page 4

CROQUET

By Clips.

TOURNAMENT DATES January 19.—New Zealand championships, at Wanganui. ■■ February 2.—Wellington Annual, at Wellington. ALEXANDRA CLUB In a letter from the secretary of the Alexandra Club the following items are mentioned which will interest town players:—“The Alexandra Club, like Clyde and Cromwell, is connected with the Bowling Clubs. This means that the lawns receive very good care and attention, Unfortunately all the Central Clubs’ lawns are undersized, Alexandra being the smallest of the lot. This puts their players at rather a disadvantage whenmeeting other clubs, particularly in town, such as on the Punga lawns. However, the lawns are in excellent condition, and the members have a thoroughly good time on them. The lawns are provided with •electric light, and as the weathep. is usually so hot in the early afternoon, ouite a lot of games are played in the evenings, finishing up by electric or moonlight. Last year Mrs Bridgman (Dun: edin) presented a vase for competition between the Central clubs. The matches for “The Bridgman Vase” will commence on the first Wednesday in February. The membership of the club has fallen to 16 this year, and to make the club pay 22 are necessary. So to help fill the coffers of the club, the committee intends to hold a tournament at Easter. The bowlers have offered their green to the ladies for the tourney, and the Alexandra Club is hoping to get a large number of entries from Dunedin players, to help on their country sisters in the croquet world.” Play on local lawns is very quiet—all eyes being turned to Timaru, where a number of Dunedin players are taking part in the South Island tournament.

SOUTH ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS The first South Island tourney was held last February in Dunedin on the Punga lawns. This year Timaru is the venue of the tournament, and the events have been carried through very successfully, under the management of Mrs Pennefather, three lawns being utilised —Highfield, Aorangi, and Ashbury. Unfortunately, these greens are rather far apart, which detracts from the interest in the game, as one cannot get back and forward as quickly and easily as one would wish. However, several of the players and supporters had motors, which they placed at the disposal of players who had to go from lawn to lawn. In all, there were 108 entries for the various events, but after the first' day's play there were many defaults. As well as Timaru and Geraldine players, there were several from Dunedin , and Invercargill, but one, ionly, A, Ross, from Christchurch. This solitary,.entry from the nearest centre, and such a stronghold of croquet as Christchurch, is, naturally caused considerable comment. The weather generally was good, but the play was brilliant only in patches. Of course, it is a great achievement for a player to go round and* make hoop after hoop, peeling partner or opponent, and pegging out before the opposition has made more than a point or two, but this play really becomes a bit monotonous for the spectator. Probably the two most thrilling games of the tournament were when Mrs Kirk (Geraldine, 6£) beat Ross (Christchurch, 2J) after a real struggle, 26 —22, and the second was between Mrs Quin (Invercargill) and Mrs Halliday (Dunedin). Mrs Halliday (4J) had both clips on Rover hoop. Mrs Quin (3) had made only one hoop with blue, and was on 4 back with black. This looked like a win for Mrs Halliday, but Mrs Quin came in to play brilliantly; and, making 16 points, pegged out, taking the game 26 —23. Local players will be most interested in Dunedin players’ progress, and the following notes and comments give an idea of some of the outstanding games in which Otago players are concerned. Mrs Corbet is described as the most outstanding lady player in the tournament —a well-deserved compliment, as Mrs Corbet has won, or is still in (at the time of writing) every event for which she entered, except the Open ChamEionship, in which she was runner-up, eing beaten only in the final by A. Ross ( —2J bisque player), of Christchurch, who might be described as a wizard with croquet mallet and balls. Congratulations to Mrs Corbet on her very meritorious performance against the cream of the South Island players. So far Mrs Corbet has won (with Ross) the Championship Doubles, (with Mrs M'Donald. Invercargill) • Handicap Doubles, is in the final of the Handicap and the . Ladies’ Championship. In the Open Singles the play was best of three games, Mrs Corbet (2J) playing against Hart (1J) Timaru, had to play three games, all of which were pretty strenuous, a bit drawn put and cautiously played, the' results being 26 — 16, 23—26, 26—21. _ This brought Mrs Corbet into the semi-final, when she met M'Creath (1J) Gore, and won the first two games, the score in each being 26 21. The semi-final of the Open Champion-, ship between Mrs Corbet and M'Creath, did not provide brilliant croquet in the opening stages, but towards the close of the first game both players improved their tactics, and a sterling finish was the result. Mrs Corbet had seven hoops to her credit before her opponent opened his account. Play became exciting when Mrs Corbet got in and made a good break >of eight hoops—but missed an easy roquet—letting M'Creath in again to make a break of nine hoops—the score then being 24—21 in the lady’s favour. M'Creath’s next shot went wide. Mrs Corbett pegged out. In the second game play was more interesting. Mrs Corbet made an attractive break of nine hoops with one ball, and another break of seven. M'Creath’s play improved considerably, and _ hoops fell to him much quicker than in the first game. Mr a Corbet, however, with consistent driving, ran out winner by 26—21. In the final of this event Mrs Corbet was beaten by A. Ross by 26 —0 and 26 —20. • In the Handicap Singles Mrs Munro (Leith, 7J) got to the fourth round, and was beaten by Mrs Quinn, one of Southland’s foremost players. By making 21 points against Mrs Quinn, the Leith player must have been playing good Cr< Mrs Benzoni and Mrs Munro also put up a creditable performance in the Handicap Doubles. PERSONAL Dunedin visitors noticed on the lawns were: Miss Pilkington, M r and Mrs J. Halliday, Mr and Mrs E. J. Simpson, Mr and Mrs J. M'Donald, Mr and Mrs Anderson, Mr and Mrs .Jenkins, Mesdames Buckland, Ellis, Lawn, and Ver-non-Smith. , . ' ?