ON THE CROQUET LAWNS

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1934, Page 14

ON THE CROQUET LAWNS

TIE IN PELLEW SHIELD NORTH V. SOUTH TARANAKI. COMING TOURNAMENTS. (By “Hoop.”) Wairarapa championships (Featherston), now in progress. North Island championships (Wanganui), January 3. South Island championships (Dunedin), January 3. Gold Mallets (Wellington), January 17. Southland championships (Invercargill), January 30. Wellington championships (Hutt), February 5. Manawatu ' championships (Palmerston North), February 12. West Coast championships (Greymouth), February 12. Otago championships (Dunedin), February 13. Wanganui championships, February 21. Hawkes Bay championships (Hastings), February 26. Taranaki championships (New Plymouth),' February 21. Gold and Silver Mallets (Gore), early March. New Zealand championships (Auckland), early March. Bennett Cup. The third round of the Bennett Cup was played on Tuesday in beautiful weather. Results were: — West End v. Central: Mesdames Tingey and Ward 26 v. Mesdames Ford and Carter 9; Mesdames Honeyfield and Turnbull 24 v. Mesdames Tait and West 26; Mrs. Tingey 26 v. Mrs. Ford 3; Mrs. Ward 26 v. Mrs. Carter 7; Mrs. Honey field 26 v. Mrs. Tait 18; Mrs. Turnbull 22 v. Mrs. West 26. West End 4 points, Central 2 points. Pukekura v. Kawaroa: Mesdames Broad and Burke 22 v. Miss Irvine and Mrs. Hooker 26; Mesdames Bigwood, and McGahey 26 v. Mesdames Cox and Hodder 18; Mrs. Broad 26 v. Miss Irvine 17; Mrs. Burke 26 v. Mrs. Hooker 15; Mrs. Bigwood 22 v. Mrs. Cox 26; Mrs. McGahey 26 v. Mrs. Hodder 23. Pukekura 4 points, Kawaroa 2 points. New Plymouth A v. New Plymouth B: Mesdames Clark' and Harvey 26 v. Miss Pavitt and Mrs. Johnson 24; Mesdames Brown and King 26 v. Mesdames Grovef and Griffin 16; Mrs. Clark 26 v. Miss Pavitt 11; Mrs. Harvey 26 v. Mrs. Johnson 1; Mrs. Brown 26 v. Mrs. Grover 24; Mrs. King won from Mrs. Griffin by default. New Plymouth A 6 points, New Plymouth B 0. Pellew Shield. Final Pellew Shield results were:— New Plymouth v. Pukekura: Mesdames Crawford and Hoskin 26 v. Mesdames Saunders and N. Bellringer 21; Mesdames Dunn and Sutton 14 v. Mesdames Robertson and Finnis 26; Mrs. Crawford 26 v. Mrs. Saunders 10, Mrs. Hoskin 16 v. Mrs. Bellringer 26, Mrs. Dunn 17 v. Mrs. Robertson 26, Mrs. Sutton 26 v. Mrs. Innis 8. New Plymouth 3 points, Pukekura Park 3 points. West End v. Kawaroa: Mesdames Hodge and Putt 26 v. Mesdames Whitehead and Adamson 10, Mesdames Roberts and Bowman 24 v. Mesdames Brier and Meuli 26, Ms. Hodge 26 v. Mrs. Whitehead 20; Mrs. Putt 19 v. Mrs. Brier 26, Mrs. Roberts 26 v. Mrs. Adamson 15, Mrs. Bowman 26 v. Meuli 11. West End 4 points, Kawaroa 2 points. Following are the points in the Pellew Shield competition: Pukekura 11, West End 11, New Plymouth 8, Kawaroa 6. Pukekura and West End will play off for the shield. Home Rose Bowl. The Home Rose Bowl is to be played on December 6 and 7. The following is the draw: Bye above, West End; Central v. Kawaroa, at Central; New Plymouth v. Pukekura, bye below. The winner of the Central v. Kawaroa match is to play West End at Central and the final will be played at New Plymouth on Friday. Bennett Cup Draw. The fourth round of the Bennett Cup is to be played on Tuesday. The draw is: Pukekura v. New Plymouth B, at New Plymouth; Central v. New Plymouth A, at Central; West End v. Kawaroa, at Kaw iroa. South Taranaki will send a team to New Plymouth on December 12. This inter-association match is always keenly looked forward to by players. New Plymouth Club. Club matches are the order of play at the New Plymouth club now. The following is the result of the handicap doubles:— First round: Mesdames Clark and Crawford lost to Mesdames Grover and Hoskin, Mesdames Johnson and Dunn lost to Mesdames Harvey and Dinniss, Mesdames Martin and Sutton lost to Mesdames Brown and Tribe by default. Miss Pavitt and Mrs. Hollows lost to Miss Young and Mrs. King. Second round: Mesdames Brown and Tribe lost to Mesdames Harvey and Dinniss. Yankee handicap results are: Mrs. Brown beat Miss Pavitt, Miss Pavitt beat Mrs. Sutton, Mrs. King beat Miss Pavitt and Miss Young, Mrs. Hollows beat Miss Pavitt, Mrs. Clark beat Mesdames Brown, Grover, King, Hollows and Miss Pavitt. Golf croquet will be played on Saturday. Mrs. Harvey and Miss Young will be hostesses. Useful Hints. Now that players have settled down to serious croquet, a few hints in regard

to common errors may not be amiss. In the first place it is always necessary to turn round for the opponent’s ball, which is on the boundary, say two or three mallet lengths away. Failure to do this often causes a lack of confidence and

fcnay be detrimental to the player all through the game. As a rule when an opponent shoots for balls laid for a rush a yard or so from the boundary and misses, this ball is most useful in building the break. Without it very often the break is lost, with the result that probably only one hoop is run. It is also a “croquet tonic” to the opponent to see a player turning away from such a useful ball, as it immediately gives one the impression that that player is nervous of a medium distance shot. Therefore, turn round for this ball every time even if it does mean letting in the opponent if you miss. While on this particular shot it may be of interest to players to know that in nine cases out of 10 failure to hit a three to five-yard shot is due to lifting the eyes and head. The striker becomes over-anxious. Consequently immediately the ball has been struck the head is lifted to see what has happened, thus causing the mallet to lose direction. It is necessary to keep the head down aria the eye on the ball until after it has been struck. Several of England’s wellknown players have given practical demonstrations on how roquets and hoop running can, when the aim is taken, be effectively accomplished with the eyes shut. When the cone of the mallet head has once been adjusted it is not difficult with a slow, quiet and short swing back to strike centrally every time. The contention is that this experiment has two advantages—firstly that the result of the stroke will test the natural healthiness of your quiet swing back and forward and secondly that there will be no inducement whatever to life the eyes and head with the stroke. Any practice which will cure this pernicious habit of head lifting is much to be commended.