CROQUET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21828, 15 December 1932, Page 5

CROQUET

By Clips.

Secretaries of clubs are invited to semi in reports of club activities 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 Tuesday of each week, and bear the writer’s name and address as well as nom de plume. COMING TOURNAMENTS December 26. —Canterbury (Senior),' at Christchurch. January 3. —North Island Championship, at Palmerston North. January 3. —South Island Championship, at Invercargill. January 13. —New Zealand Championship, at Wellington. Handicap Events.

January. 17. —New Zealand Championship, at Wellington. Championship Events* January 24. —Wellington Association, at Wellington.

SOUTH ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIP The South Island Championship tournament is this year to be played at Invercargill, this being the first time the big tourney has been allotted to the southern city. Mrs S. F. Curie, Crinau street, is tournament manager, to whom all entries and fees must be sent. The events comprise Championship Open Singles, Ladies’ Singles and Doubles, Handicap Singles and Doubles. Mr A. Aitken, president of the Southland Association, advises that they are already making preparations for the tournament and are looking forward to a record entry. Otago players have always supported the Southland Association’s annual tourney, and Mr Aitken hopes to see present at the South Island tourney all those who have so loyally supported them in the past, together with a host of new tournament players.

LAST WEEK’S MATCHES Senior Grade. —St. Clair v. Leith (St. Clair names first): Mesdames Christopher and Anderson 24, Mesdames Watson and Munro 20 Mesdames O’Donnell and Hallidny 26, Mesdames Coventry and Long 9; Mesdames Speight and Dalgleish 23, Mesdames Forrester and Simpson 26. Singles.—Mrs Christopher 26, Mrs Watson 18; Mrs Anderson 20, Mrs Munro 3; Mrs O’Donnell 23, Mrs Coventry 26; Mrs Halliday 26, Mrs • Forrester 20; Mrs Speight 13, Mrs Long 26; Mrs Dalgleish 26, Mrs Simpson 11. Totals: St. Clair 0. Leith 4.

Junior Grade.—Punga v. Caversham (Punga names first): Mesdames Bridgman and Nisbet 26, Mesdames Graham and Newson 21; Miss Taylor and Mrs Pearse 26, Mesdames Will and Dempster 24; Mesdames Lawn and Johnson 26. Mesdames Archer and Kempthorne 12. Singles.—Mrs Bridgman 20, Mrs Graham 26; Mrs Nisbet 16, Mrs Newson 26; Mrs Lawn 20, Mrs Will 23; Mrs Pearse 26, Mrs Archer 7; Mrs Johnson 26, Mrs Dempster 24; Miss Tayler 26. Mrs Kempthorne 5. Totals: Punga 7, Caversham 2.

Opoho v. Montecillo (Opoho names first).—Mesdames Cahill and Hendra 26. Mesdames Young and Wilson 17; Mesdames Hendra and Hay 21, Mesdames Barry and Haig 26; Mesdames M‘Kay and Neill 26, Mrs Moss and Miss Black 9. Singles.—Mrs Cahill 15, Mrs Young 20; Mrs Hendra 26, Mrs Wilson 20; Mrs Hendra 6, Mrs Haig 26; Mrs Neil] 26. Mrs Barry 12; Mrs Hay 26, Mrs Moss 14; Mrs M'Kay 26, Miss Black 16. Totals; Opoho 6. Montecillo 3. St. Clair v. Leith (St Clair names first): Mrs Robertson and Miss Sparrow 26, Mrs Rhodes and Mrs Mitchell 7; Mesdames Moloney and Gillanders 26, Mrs Warren and Miss Pollok 18; Mi’s Gibson and Miss Glanville 26, Mesdames Service and Hogg 11,

Singles.—Mrs Robertson 24, Mrs Rhodes 26; Miss Sparrow 6, Mrs Mitchell 26; Mrs Moloney 26, Mrs Warren 21; Mrs Gibson 26, Miss Pollok 20; Mies Glanville 26, Mrs Service 18; Mrs Gillanders 26; Mrs Hogg 14. Totals: St. Clair 7. Leith 2.

NOTES ON, THE PLAY There was only one Senior Grade match played last week—St. Clair played Leith on Leith’s lawns. Two of these are in first class order, but the new one is still a bit rough, and called forth adverse comment from those who. drew this lawn for play. However, it was the same for all players, and as one visitor remarked, “it. is easier for a champion to play on a. poor lawn than for the mediocre player." ; The Leith players put up a very good showing against their more experienced opponents, and to win four games out of nine was quite good. Even those games that were, lost were not by a great margin, except in the Single between Mrs Anderson (St. Clair) and Mrs Munro (Leith). The former.was playing like a book and was right on her game, but the latter,, was ijot quite settled down, and had few chances. The top double between Mesdames Christopher and Anderson was real croquet, and with both clips on the, peg and a lead of nine points,, who would have thought St. Clair could have lost? Mrs Anderson got round to the stick in two breaks, Mrs Watson.made six hoops, Mrs Christopher followed with a nice break of seven, and Mrs Munro got in and reached penultimate. Play was then in and out, till Mrs Christopher made her Inst,hoop, and lay up for a rush to the peg. Mrs Watson made another hoop, bringing her to two back, missed her apponents and lay up beside her partner, St. Clair decided to play safe and separate, rather than try to peg out from a distance. In taking off Mrs Anderson was wired, and Mrs Watson worked round t 6 rover hoop. Mrs Christopher picked'up a long shot, separated and again lay up for the stick. Mrs Munro made rover hoop, and lay up for her .partner. In taking off to separate, Mrs Anderson again lay in the jaws of a hoop, without a shot, Mrs Watson made the last hoop, and pegged out 26—24 —a good game to play and win. Another exciting game was the finish between Mrs O’Donnell (St. Clair) and Mrs Coventry (Leith). Each player made breaks of four and five until Mrs O’Donnell had both clips on the last loop. Mrs Coventry was one on the last hoop and one on four back. Mrs O’Donnell, playing blue and black, separated the red and yellow and lay both balls on a baulk. Mrs Coventry made four back and four penultimate with red, and in placing the balls to avoid any advantage from “ the lift,” gave Mrs O’Donnell a baulk bail, which she took to “B” baulk, but the shot missed. Mrs Coventry got to G l6 stick with red, separated blue and black, and lay for a rush for yellow. Mrs O’Donnell picked up a long shot, made the last hoop with blue, separated red and yellow, and lay up for black, but gave Mrs Coventry a baulk ball; the latter made the last hoop with yellow, picked up the blue, and in taking off was wired. Mrs O’Donnell just missed ami lay too near yellow. Mrs Coventry picked up, and pegged out the winner 26—23. There were many gasps from the spectators when all dips were on the last hoop and first one player then the other gave “ baulk" balls, got wired at a critical mbment, and so on.

JUNIOR GRADE Leith suffered their first loss so far, at the hands of St. Clair Juniors, to the tune of 7—2. Mrs J. Rhodes and Mrs D. Mitchell won their singles, these being the only games won. Most of the other games were fairly evenly contested, but St. Clair was the superior team on the day. Punga also had a good win against Cnvershatn, this score also being 7—2. For .Caversham Mrs Graham and Mrs Newson.recorded wins in their singles, all the other wins going to Punga. The Logan Park-Taieri match had been arranged for Thursday, but had to be postponed on account of rain. This should be played later in the season, and it is hoped that a suitable day can be arranged, as strangely enough these two clubs had to postpone their meeting twice last season, and eventually did not get the match played. Better luck this season. GALA DAY The weather eonl-1 not have been more unkind for an outdoor function than it was on Saturday. The committee waited until 'Saturday morning before definitely making a postponement, hoping that the weather might change overnight. However, it did not. and the “ day ” had to be postponed, and will be held after the holidays. INTERPRETATION OF RULES Some few weeks ago “ Roquet ” asked about making a hoop, roqueting red and coming to rest in-the hoop. The reply was that the hoop had not been made.

and the turn ceased. That was correct, as “Roquet” in that turn playing blue had already taken croquet from the other three balls. This latter part of the question was omitted, being deemed unnecessary to print, as one would expect even a first-year player to know that if blue had not already “ had ” red, and in turn roqueted it through a hoop, or off a hoop or peg or any other way, that is a legitimate roquet, and croquet would be taken off red. However, some ot the country players have misread the interpretation, but it is hoped that this will make it perfectly clear.