CROQUET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21578, 25 February 1932, Page 4

CROQUET

By Cups. Secretaries of clubs are asked to send in items of interest to croquet ■players for insertion in this column. Inquiries as to rules, etc., will be answered as far as possible. Correspondence must reach this office not later than Monday of each week, and bear the writer’s name and address as well as the nom-de-plume. TOURNAMENT DATES March 1. —Otago annual tournament, at Logan Park. March ,25.—Central Otago annual tournament at Alexandra. THE OTAGO TOURNAMENT It has finally been decided to hold the Otago tournament at Logan Park. The club’s lawns will be used,! and, the entries warrant it, further greens will be marked out On the main cricket ground. The closing date for entries was yesterday, but( anyone who . has forgotten to make entry riiight do so now, and take the chance of _ late entries being in before the draw is made. The tournament will commence at 10 a.m. on Tuesday next. ALTERATION OF BISQUES The New Zealand Association has this week issued another list of revised bisques. It contains the Otago players mentioned in this column a fortnight ago in addition to Mrs'Corbet (Opoho), who is reduced from 2J to 1J; and Mrs Munro (Leith), who is reduced from 7 to 6. INTERCLUB MATCHES The last round of interclub matches was set down for Wednesday, but only the Leith 11-St. Clair match was played. Owing to rain falling up till 9 o’clock Logan Park did not go out to play Taieri. St. Clair decided to go to Leith, and on arrival there the- grounds were found to be fairly dry and overhead ditions fine. A start was therefore made at 10 o’clock. The Doubles were got off before the rain started, but by the time the first three of the Singles had 1 been completed rain had ’set in, and it was decided not to play any more, as the necessary two-thirds of the games had been played, and the remaining ones could not alter the result of the match. The fact that the whole six games were won by Leith caused a ('surprise to most followers of the game, and {probably most of all to \the members of the /two teams. This, in all likelihood, will give the shield to Leith 11, as the team has been unbeaten in its matches, and /was awarded the Opoho match by default. It is‘possible that this -match may yet -have to i be played, but, on paper at least, there is little doubt but that in this event Leith would win, as St. Clair, the previous week beat Opoho by six games to three, and Leith beat St. Clair by six games to nil.

The St. Clair players found thef Leith lawns a bit heavier than their own, (and rather bigger. Mesdames Watson, and Withers had a fairly long game with Mies Sparrow and Mrs Briggs, finishing up with the score 26—12.' Mrs Coventry and Miss Pollok, who had, only once before played as partners, did not settle down to each other’s play for some time, and. Mesdames Saxton and Hayes made a good start, but the Leith pair gained confidence, and after a good game ran out the winners by 26—13. The third double between Mesdames Simpson and Forrester (Leith), and Mesdames Robertson and Wilson i (St. Clair) provided a very long game, with a thrilling finish. Mrs Simpson and Mrs Robertson each made a couple of good breaks, and were on the return before their partners made a.start. After in and opt play Mrs Forrester and Mrs Robertson ■ were on the stick, Mis Simpson on Rover hoop and Mrs, Wilson on penultimate.' Mrs Robertson pegged Mrs Forrester put, shot Mrs Simpson to the corner, and retired to the other end of the lawn to lie a foot away ready for a drive for Mrs Wilson. This was the best play in the circumstance, as it did inot appear likely that Mrs Simpson would get the “peg” in a shot from the corner. ■ This stroke Mrs Simpson decided to try, and with a beautiful shot she succeeded, being heartily congratulated by her opponents as well as her team mates., ihe score was 26—23. In the singles Mrs Coventry and Mies Pollok each hap ,a fairly ; comfortable win over Mrs Hayes and Mrs Saxton, the scores being 26 to a. and 26 to 12 respectively. It was unfortunate that rain set in before Mrs Watson and Miss Sparrow—the .two top players—had finished their game. Each player in turn got in with good breaks to make six and seven, hoops, and both were playing good croquet/ and 'taking some sporting shots and risks also. ■‘lt was a keen game, and a very even one, though Mrs Watson at the end got her opponent wired, with only a long shot available. This Miss Sparrow. missed, Mrs Watson pegging out the winner by 26 to 20.. Mrs Simpson had a good lead from Mrs Briggs when the captains decided to cease play. - AN EXPLANATION The difficulty regarding the Leith II v. Opoho match lies in the fact that, it Leith is compelled to play on Saturday it will be obliged to play some emergencies, whereas it can field its full team on W’ednesday, which is the day set down by the association for matches. On the other hand, Opoho entered its team under the impression that it would be . able to play its matches on Saturdays, as it would have to play emergencies on Wednesday. Neither club anpareiitly feels disposed to play with a weakened team, and this has created an unfortunate position. On the matter being referred to the association before Christmas, after a lengthy,; discussion, it was decided to allow the teams concerned a fortnight in which to get the match off, failing which the match must go to Leith by default. Aji the next meeting of the association, as the match had not been played, it was awarded to Leith, this being the only course open to the governing body. It is rather surprising 'to see that the matter is again to be opened (by a notice of motion tabled at last meeting), as the rules of the association governing club matches distinctly state that “the decision of the association in such matters shall he final.”

NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL MEETING The annual meeting of the New Zealand Council was held in Wanganui during the progress of the Dominion tournament, and it was a very lengthy one, occupying three evenings. As at all annual meetings, there was a considerable amount of discussion on matters which had bearing on the game generally, but went no further than discussion. The seven notices of motion—five of which were promoted by the council, one by South Canterbury, and one by Wellington—were all carried. One important clause, which is an addition to rule 16, was dealt with at length and a motion was carried that “no delegate shall be entitled to represent more than one district at any meeting.” Hitherto some delegates have represented up to three districts, and when one district may have three votes it will be realised what weight a delegate representing two or three such districts would have. Another motion which occupied some time, and is quite important, wad that moved by the Wellington Association, which states (briefly) “that the business of, the council shall be managed by an execu-' tive, which must include at least three women associates.” There was considerable argument over this point—as the executive has hitherto consisted mostly of men. However, the motion, including this clause, was eventually carried. During a discussion on the boundaries of districts, the Otago delegate discovered that Clutha was under the Southland Association. This will be rectified at the next annual meeting. The question of a trophy for the winner of the South Island Ladies’ Championship was discussed. The event has been held at the two tournaments, and so far no trophy has been awarded. It was decided to purchase a cup to be held from year to year by the winner. (Mrs W. Corbet, Opoho, has won this event in 1931 and 18324,

The election of office-bearers resulted v as follows: —Patron, Lord Bledisloe; President, Mrs Rhodes-Williams (Christchurch) ; vice-president, Captain Hartnell (New Plymouth); official referee, Mrs Caldow (Palmerston North); official haadicapper, Mrs Watkin (Hastings); seed? M tary, Mr A. G. Ross / (Christchurch); treasurer, Mr Spooner (Palmerston North).' . , The 1933 tournaments were allotted as follow:—Dominion, at Wellington; North Island, at Palmerston North; Soulh Island, at Invercargill; English Gold and Silver Medal Competition, al 'Bunadia,