CROQUET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22822, 5 March 1936, Page 5

CROQUET

By Clips.

[Club secretaries and captains are invited to send in items of interest for insertion iri, this column. Inquiries relating to rules will be answered as far as possible.' All correspondence must reach this office not later than Tuesday of eavh week. Correspondence must hear writer’s name and address aa well as nom de plume.], ■’ „ INTERCLUB MATCHES FERNS: MONTECILLO THE WINNERS. The final match in this competition was played last Saturday between Opoho and Punga, and on the result of it depended Opoho’s chances of retaining the ferns or handing them on to another club. To win outright Opoho had to win six games, or to tie with Montecillo they had to win five games. They just missed both objectives, winning three and losing two, and the last game was unfinished, as it was not a pleasant day for play, and the result of that match did not affect the ferns. So for the first time the ferns have changed clubs, Montecillo being the winners by two points. The scores were (Opoho names first): — ■ Doubles. —J. Tannock arid Mrs Watson 26, Mesdames Horn and Dixon 16; H. M’Kay and Mrs’MiHin 26, Mcsdames Brickell and M’Donald 16. Singles.—J. Tannock 9, Mrs Horn 26; Mrs Watson 17, Mrs Dixon 26; Mrs Milliu 26, Mrs Brickell 17. Totals: Opoho 3, Punga 2. SHIELD MATCHES After the heavy rain on Monday some of the lawns were not fit for play on the usual match day, Tuesday, and these clubs arranged their matches for later dates. The following are results to hand: — JUNIOR GRADE. LOGAN PARK v. ST. CLAIR. (Logan Park names first.) Doubles. —Mcsdames ' Campbell and M’Kinlay 26, Mesdaraea Jenkins and Webster 13; Mcsdames Gray and Pope 26, Mesdames Sharpe and Harraway 19. Singles.—Mrs Campbell 26, Mrs Jenkins 8; Mrs M’Kinlay 26, Mrs Webster 7; Mrs Gray 26, Mrs Sharpe 20: Mrs Pope 26. Mrs Harraway 20. Totals: Logan Park 6 games, St. Clair nil. WATEA v. TAINUI. (Watea names first.) ’ Doubles.—Mesdames James and Knox 26, Mesdames Hardwick and Peake 16; Mcsdames Reid and Currie 22, Mesdames M’Faull and Leary 26. Singles.—Mrs Janies 26. Mrs Hardwick 20;. Mrs Knox 23, Mrs Peake 26; Mrs ,Reid 21, Mrs M’Faull 26; Mrs Currie 26, Mrs Leary 17. Totals: Watea 3, Tainui 3. LEITH v. OPOHO. (Leith names first.) Doubles. —Misses Pollok and Steven 26, Miss Horcus and Mrs M’Kay 21; Mesdames Walker and Nelson 14, Mesdames Niehol and Hay 20. Singles.—Miss Pollok 12, Miss Hercus 26; Miss Steven 26, Mrs M’Kay 17: Miss Walker 23, Mrs Niehol 26; Miss Nelson 26, Mrs Hay 22. Totals: Leith 3. Opoho 3. SHIELD MATCHES. The following is the draw for next Tuesday;— Intermediate Grade.—Watea v. Caversham, at Gaversham; Punga v. Leith, at Leith; Tainui v. Logan Park, at Tainui. GALA DAY The Leith Club, in conjunction with the bowling section of the club, will hold a Gala Day on its lawns on Saturday. Novel competitions have been arranged, and. if the weather is favourable, these will be continued in the evening. WATEA CLUB The members of the Watea Club hold a special “ Tea Day ’■’ last week, the playing inembers entertaining the honorary ones. - A happ.y hour was spent on the lawns, aud during the afternoon tea adjournment Mrs Gibson, president, took the opportunity, on behalf of the members, of wishing Mrs Blackmore a very pleasant trip to “ the Old Country,” and handed the guest a bouquet of beautiful flowers in the club colours, cream aud gold. Mrs Blackmore thanked the members for tbeir gift and their good wishes. OTAGO TOURNAMENT ECHOES Thought the weather was rather mixed in the early part of the Otago tournament, the two concluding days were perfect for players and onlookers alike. The lawns were better than in previous years, as |

they, had a little grip, "and not that glassy surface which keeps, the player guessing all the time. In the last, {Wo days'some excellent play was witnessed; There' Were several games which were very close in scores, where pegging out the opponent’s ball was the only chance of crippling her chances. This, of course, did not always succeed, as was shown in the championship final between . Mrs Cornet, and ; J. Tannock, Tannock had pegged out ,one of Mrs Corbet’s balls, and it was only her wonderful long shot connecting that let her in again . . , THE CUP WINNER. The Championship Cup. has been competed for seven times, and, Mrs .Corbet has w;on it on six occasions; in fact, she has never been beaten for it, ,b,ut last year, while the Otago tourney was in progress, Mrs Corbet was representing. New Zetland in Australia and the cup was won, by Mr, W. M’Creath, Gore, with J. Tannock runner-up.. "Chips” heartily congratulates Mrs Corbet on again annexing the title of champion of Otago. The following is the complete list o'f winners:— A Grade. —Champion Singles: Mrs Corbet (Punga) O.C.A. Cup; Mr J. Tannock (Opoho), runner-up. Handicap Singles: Mrs Cowper (Christchurch): Mrs MTiennau (Timaru), runner-up. Champion Doubles: Mesdames M’Leod and Pettigrew (Gore); Mesdames Horn and Rigby (Punga), runners-up. Handicap Doubles: Mesdames M’Creath and Robertson (Gore) ; Mcsdames Cornish and Metcalf (L.P.), runners-up. B Grade. —Champion Singles: Mrs Jelley (Cromwell), Briggs Cup; Miss Adams (Punga), runner-up. Handicap Singles: Mrs Campbell (Logan Park); Mrs Myles (Punga), runner-up. Champion Doubles: Mesdames Campbell and M’Kinlay (Logan Park); Mesdames Stockdale and M. Johnson (Punga), runners-up. Handicap Doubles: Mesdames Twose and Rankin (Logan Park); Miss Hercus and Mrs Hay (Opoho). runners-up. From the above it will be seen that the prizes were well distributed, at least one going to each outside district that was represented. Logan Park was the most successful of local clubs. The B Grade entries were disappointing. and the play was in most cases rather tedious, many games runnin~ into four hours, but amongst the newer players were some very promising ones. _ Mrs Stockdale, from Christchurch,, is in her third season only arid was very steady in all her games, and came through several rounds in all the events. Mrs Rankin, Logan Park, was another player who should go well in the game with a little judicious coaching and practice. She played a very good type, of game all through. Mrs Henry and Mrs Newell, St. Clair, Mrs Kettle, Tainui, and Mrs Janies and Mrs' Knox, Watea, were .all playing in their first tournament and acquitted themselves very well, and so should be encouraged to enter for all events next year, Mrs Landolls, Balolnthn, was another player who played sery well, and, though she did not come into the final, was hard to beat. The experience will do good to her own game and holo her club mates., THE MANAGEMENT. There were two departments which earned sincere thanks from all, and those were the “ matches ” and the ’'cafeteria.” Mrs Dalgleish (manager) and her assistant Mrs_ Nisbet, must be congratulated on getting through the matches so successfully in the face of much adverse weather. The weather was also the cause of worry to Mrs Cornish and Mrs White in the cafeteria, and here again there was nothing but praise for these managers. No matter how small or large the crowd, or whether it was wet or line, the teas and lunches nrovidod were always excellent. PEGGING OUT OPPONENTS’ BALLS. As stated above, this was often the, deciding factor in a game, and on the sideline there was much comment and discussion whether it was fair or sporting. There can be only one answer to this —it is perfectly fair, and there is nothing unsportsmanlike about it. It is provided for in the rules of the game, ,1s ir. any more unfair or unsporting than putting an opponent out of loop when she is in position to run it, or wiring an opponent’s ball at the stick arid leaving her one shot the length of the lawn? One has usually to play very cleverly aud correctly to put the opponent ou the peg and not hit it with one’s own ball, so that it is clever as well as perfectly , fair and quite sportsmanlike, THE TRIPLE PEEL. The one disappointment was i the fact. that no triple oeels werg . witnessed. “Chips” does not remember'haying seen a triple peel executed at any Otago tourney, so the senior players, Still have something to practise for. Those who heard Colonel Dll Pre’s lecture last year will remember that in commenting on play in New Zealand he said it was good—some of it very good'

—but there were few who had reached the stage of the English and Australian players of, playing the ’ first; nail fo four back, Wiring an opponent' at' the peg or first hoop, and in .the next round going to the peg, executing the triple peel in that round, and pegging out in the . second, or at most; the. third strike. The “ speaker, said that,. until, our'players could; do that, not ..only as a. “,fiuke,h bpt, at all'. '; times, when in play, they'would,not be in the first flight of croqueb players. Evidently we have still some considerable, distance to go. . .. ■ ... , The best English players have acquired the triple peel and other superior tactics, and have become so proficient in executing them in ordinary, games that a move-, ment is now on foot in England to disallow wiring at the peg in some of their first-class* tournaments. " ' The idqa is to , make a* game less one-sided' and to ' give . the other player.a chance of.'at least one. round. Colonel du Pre made’" a proposal, embodying this -idea, at; the Eng--lish Council’s -annual meeting. - Next week “ Clips ” will give the proposal, with explanation, from," the English Gazette. ~ SOUTH CANTERBURY TOURN^-.' ■ ■ ' ■ ■ MENT ■’ ■■■' "i-y Local players will follow with, interest those players in the' South Canterbury ■tourney who competed in the . Otacp; tourney, as well as'some ", of; thejvell-’ known . South. Canterbury'players., _ The following shows; their progress. ’ HANDICAP DOUBLES.; , ■ First Round. —Mrs M‘Lennan and Miss' Morgan beat Meedamos Revell and Thompson 26—17. • . Second Romid. —Mesdamcs Taylor and Richards beat Mrs Carolin .and Nettleton227;6 —7; Mrs'Metcalf (Logan Park) ■ • and Miss M'Dowell beat Mrs Patchott and Mrs Wright 26 —19; Mrs M'Lennan and... Miss Morgan beat Mesdames Johnston and Adkins 26—16; W. H,. Kirk-and .Mrs Kirk -boat Mesdamefc-Quinb -and{(AufitilS' i •26 — 5-; Mesdarites i;’Gpeen:rb6'M :• G. -Hart: i' Tliipd Rdundi-^Mrs,.Metcalf■;^'pd:-par,t«- ) : nor heat : MrS','TUchards Semifinal.—Mrs Morgan /beat Mrs ’ M‘DoWell-2fi—2l; Mr and-;M.LBrKtek Mrs • Cleary' andtMiss 6reeb^2fe2ffi«'.;d'fj r ;. Final:—Mrs ! gan, beat "Kirk and i . C 4RADE;;HANT»J 3 Mrs"Stockdale an’dT'Mrs' ; this event.' •.'.■> There were;®tb&;. f winners’ scores'''being ' 9, and 26-9; A GJRADE v 1 First 0 •■RoUnfi'i— \ OrfprcT 26—9;. Mrs Mrs', Revell224;6 —4; - Mrs H. .Th'diiM&irmeat Mrs: , W. H. 'Kirk 26—20; Mrk'Qifil'nii.'W 3 * Sw' 1 W. Taylor 26i-6; Mrs Hart 26 —11; Mrs CowpcrVb'eat Miss*. Greep 26—12. | Second Rotihd.—Mrs H. Thompson beat i Miss M'Dowell * Mrs" Metcalf-beat v Mrs Cowlin 26 —18; Mrs Quinn beat Mrs Chapman 26 —16; Mrs M'Lennan beat Mrs Tomlinson22B;6 —8; Mrs Cowper bent Mrs Nettlelon 26 —20; J. Thompson beat ~ Mrs *Kirk 26—19. Third Round. —Mrs Cleary beat Mrs;, Metcalf 26—9; Mrs Quinn beat Mrs M'Lennan 20—20; J. Thompson beat Mts r Cowper 26—18. Semi-final.—Mrs H. Thompson beat... Mrs Cleary 26 —15; Mrs Quinn, heat 'd. . Thompson 26—19. T. ~

Final.—Mrs Quinn beat Mrs , ThomjK eon 26—■ 20. , ■ • ’ ,-:i