CROQUET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23106, 4 February 1937, Page 5

CROQUET

By Clips

IClub secretaries and captains are invited to send in items of interest for insertion in this column Inquiries relating to rules will be answered as far as possible All correspondence must reach this office not later than Tuesday oi each week. Correspondence must bear the writers name and address as well a? nom de ulume.l COMING TOURNAMENTS Februay B.—Southland Championships. Gore. February 9.—Wellington Championships Hutt and Petone. February 18.—Otago Championships Dunedin. February 22. Wanganui Championships Wanganui. February 22.—Southern H.B Tournament Dannevirke. March 2.—South Canterbury. Timaru. March 4.—Auckland Championships. Auckland. March 4. Taranaki Championships. New Plymouth. March 16.—New Zealand Gold and Silver Mallets. Hamilton. Easter.—Cambridge Croauct Uub s Tournament, Cambridge ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT •' Doubtful," Balclutha, writes:— "Would you kindly tell me whether it is a foul for the mallet to touch a hoop or peg?" Your question is rather vague, as you do not give the position of balls or circumstances under which the mallet touched the peg. but under ordinary circumstances it is not a "foul" for the mallet to touch the hoop. Many players still contend that in taking a stroke through a hoop, if, in finishing, the handle of the mallet hits the top of the hoop that it is a "foul." This is not correct, nor is it a foul if, a ball being close to the peg oi hoop, you graze the peg or hoop with the side of the mallet as you take the shot or finish it—provided you do not crush the three together in making the shot. Next week I will give an example of a foul (which I saw played recently), the face of the mallet hitting the hoop. OTAGO TOURNEY The weather so far this season has been rather uncertain, and players have not had as much play as usual. It is hard to realise, therefore, that the date of the Otago tourney is close at hand. The opening date has been fixed for to-day fortnight. Intending competitors are reminded that entries will close with the secretary, Mrs J. M'Donald, Victoria road, St.. Clair, on Friday, February 12. Local club captains are urged to bestir their members and send in as many entries as possible from each club. It is important that every club should support the local tourney. Right on the heels of the Otago tourney the South Canterbury tournament will be opened on March 2, and as players from South Canterbury always support the Otago championships, it is fitting that as many Dunedin players as possible should enter for play at Timaru. The tourney is divided into three grades:—A, up to 4J bisques; B, 5 to 6J bisques (inclusive); and C, 7 bisques and over. FERN MATCHES A strong wind blowing across the lawns made play difficult last Saturday, when Leith and Tainui met at the association lawns. Tainui proved too strong for Leith, particularly the junior pair, who were able to complete two games—which gave them 52 points —more than half the total. The teams were:—Tainui: Mesdames M'Gregor, Coventry, Hardwick, and Peake. Leith: Mesdames Rhodes, Mitchell, Long, and Miss Steven. The final scores were:—Tainui 88, Leith 40. DRAW FOR SATURDAY , Punga v. Logan Park, Association. SHIELD MATCHES The weather was perfect on Tuesday when the shield matches were resumed. With the recent rains and the hot sun the lawns were very keen, the balls being hard to keep in boundary. The Punga Club had a real day out, winning both Senior and Junior grades to the tune of nine—nil. Results: — ' SENIOR GRADE PUNGA v. CAVERSHAM (Punga names first) Mesdames Buchler and Horn 26, Mesdames Archer and Newson 4; Mesdames Rigby and Allan 26, Mesdames Kempthorne and Graham 15- Mesdames Benzoni and Moodie 26, Mesdames Anderson and Carrington 11. Mrs Buchler 26, Mrs Archer 2; Mrs Horn 26, Mrs Newson 5; Mrs Rigby 26, Mrs Kempthorne 6; Mrs Allan 26, Mrs Graham 14; Mrs Benzoni 26, Mrs Anderson 4; Mrs Moodie 26, Mrs Carrington 16. Totals: Punga nine, Caversham nil. WATEA v. LOGAN PARK (Watea names first)

Mesdames Anderson and Robertson 23, Mesdames Metcalf and Cornish 26; Mesdames Christopher and Halliday 26, Mesdames Beck and French 23; Mesdames O'Donnell and Gibson 26. Mesdames Flynn and Campbell 7, Mrs Anderson 11, Mrs Metcalf 26; Mrs Robertson 26, Mrs Cornish 7; Mrs Christopher 26, Mrs Beck 23; Mrs Halliday 26, Mrs French 2; Mrs O'Donnell 26, Mrs Flynn 10: Mrs Gibson 26. Mrs Campbell 15. Totals: Watea. seven; Logan Park, two. OPOHO v. TAINUI (Tainui names first) Mesdames Coventry and M'Gregor 9, Mrs Cole and Mr Nichol 26; Mesdames North and King 21, Mesdames Millin and Watson 26; Mesdames Peake and Hardwick 11. Mesdames M'Kisock and Thomas 26. Mrs Coventry 26, Mrs Cole 20; Mrs M'Gregor 26, Mr Nichol 19; Mrs North 26 Mrs Millin 14; Mrs King 23, Mrs Watson 26; Mrs Peake 26, Mrs M'Kisock 23; Mrs Hardwick 26, Mrs Thomas 24. Totals: Tainui, five; Opoho, four. JUNIOR GRADE PUNGA v. MONTECILLO (Punga names first) Mrs Glover and Miss Adams 26, Mesdames Moss and Reid 16; Mesdames M'Donald and M'Kay 26, Miss Cowie and Mrs Rhodes 14; Miss Tayler and Mrs Johnson 26, Mrs Twose and Miss Russell 13.

Mrs Glover 26, Mrs Moss 13; Miss Adams 26, Mrs Reid 16; Mrs M'Donald 26, Miss Cowie 17; Mrs M'Kay 26, Mrs Rhodes 15; Miss Tayler 26, Mrs Twose 20; Mrs Johnson 26. Miss Russell 16. Totals: Punga, nine; Montecillo, nil. OPOHO v. LOGAN PARK (Opoho names first) Mesdames H. Hendra and Neill 26, Mesdames M'Kinlay and Gray 22; Miss Hercus and Mrs N. Hendra 26, Mesdames Rankin and Paul 23; Mesdames Hay and Davys 26, Mesdames Pope and White 14. Mrs H. Hendra 26. Mrs M'Kinlay 14; Mrs Neill 26, Mrs Gray 24; Miss Hercus 16, Mrs Rankin 26; Mrs N. Hendra 15, Mrs Paul 26; Mrs Hay 26. Mrs Pope 23: Mrs Davys 25. Mrs White 26. Opoho six. Logan Park three. DRAW FOR NEXT TUESDAY Senior Grade.—Watea v. Opoho. at Walea; Cavcrsham v. Tainui, at Caversham;' Punga v. Logan Park, at Punga. ENGLISH GOLD AND SILVER MEDALS The Gold Medal competition was continued on Saturday in fine weather, with a strong north-west wind (states the Timaru Herald). The winner proved to be J. Tannock, Dunedin, who only lost one game throughout the tournament, and that owing to his absence The runner-up was W H. Kirk. The president of the South Canterbury Croquet Association, in the absence of the New Zealand Council representative, congratulated Mr Tannock warmly on his wonderful performance and his excellent play throughout. The manager (Mrs D. M'Lennan) endorsed his remarks, and the players joined in giving Mr Tannock a heartv send-off. The other competitors were W. 11 Kirk G. Hart, H. Penn, Mesdames Patchett, Frost. M'Lennan. Kirk, Misses Morgan and Taylor.

NOTES The following Dunedin players intend competing in-the Southland tourney, which will be commenced at Gore next Monday:—Mesdames Christopher, Halliday and Miss Mee (Watea). Mesdames Halsted, Horn and Haig (Punga). Mr R. W. M'Creath (Dominion president), Mrs M'Creath, Mrs J. Wilson and Miss Perrin passed through Dunedin on Saturday, on their return from the New Zealand championships at Christchurch. During a brief stay in Dunedin, Mr M'Creath said the Dunedin players would be most welcome at the Southland tourney next week—the Southlanders entertained no foolish notions about paralysis. The Opoho Club has reason to be proud of its two members, Mrs Cole and J. Tannock, who took part in the northern competitions. Mrs Cole was runner-up in the Dominion Women's Championship, beating Mrs Palmer (Christchurch) in the play-off 26—3, and Mr J. Tannock annexed the English gold medal. Mrs W. Corbet, an ex-Otago player now in Southland, played (as the Christchurch Press described it) like a book, to win the Women's Championship without the loss of a game, and, with R. W. M'Creath (Gore), won the Championship Doubles. The members of the Montecillo Croquet Club gathered in full force on the lawns on Saturday last to bid " bon voyage" to their ex-secretary (Miss C. Stenhouse), who will leave this month on a trip abroad. The pavilion was gaily decorated, and during the afternoon tea adjournment Mrs J. Rhodes, president, asked Miss Stenhouse to accept a travelling cushion from members, together with their best wishes for a happy holiday. Mrs Rhodes also took the opportunity of welcoming Miss Black and Mrs J. Davis, who had recently returned from a trip Home. NEW RULE AT DOMINION TOURNEY The new "lift" rule was tried out in the Men's Championship (this was tried in several tourneys in England for scratch and minus players, the idea being to make the game harder), but most of the men appeared to have overcome any difficulties the new rule presented, and wired the opponent at the fifth hoop instead of the first. There did not appear to be any further difficulties presented with this variation than with the old rule. Incidentally. " Clips " would explain that in the new variation the usual A and B baulks are dispensed with, baulks being on side boundaries. A player may take a " lift" in any turn, provided that his opponent in the preceding turn has made either a roquet and croquet or a point.