BIG CROQUET EVENT

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1935, Page 10

BIG CROQUET EVENT

DOMINION TOURNAMENT. FORM OF ENGLISH PLAYERS. Auckland, March 11. The New Zealand croquet championship tournament, in which several Taranaki players ■■ are participating, is in progress at Auckland. So far only handicap matches have .been played* Commenting on Saturday’s play the New Zealand Herald says: Miss Collinson, Christchurch (4|) was not playing up to her usual form against WardPetley,. England (—l4). Shortly after the commencement Petley made a break to penultimate. Miss Collinson then took a bisque and went to 4 back. WardPetley hit in and, playing carefully, double-peeled and pegged one, 26—10, leaving his opponent with three bisques unused.

Playing against Mrs. Munro (6), it was not long before Ward-Petley had his forward ball on penultimate, at which stage his opponent had one clip on No. 2 and the other on No. 6. Ward-Petley hit in ■and, making an all-rounder, peeled through penultimate, but failed to get the peel at rover. Mrs. Munro,' taking several bisques, went to penultimate. Ward-Petley then took, advaritage of a missed shot by his opponent and finished 26-12.

Mrs. Hilton (rec. W started and broke after making No. 1 against Stratton (owe 11), who missed the long shot. Mrs. Hilton then advanced her clip to penultimate in one turn. Stratton again missed and Mrs. Hilton made a break of 12 hoops with her second ball. Stratton again missed when Mrs. Hilton finished the game with one, without having to use her handicap, the score being 26—0. In the game between Mrs. Kibblewhite (owe i) and Mrs. Wilson (5), Mrs. Kibblewhite hit in.. With the third ball, but baulked at No. 1. Mrs. Wilson hit in and made a point, and Mrs. Kibblewhite got. the long shot, making a break of six. Her opponent again had possession, but did not score more than one point before Mrs. Kibblewhite again hit in, going to 4 back. Mrs. Wilson took a bisque to gain control, but did not score. Her opponent hit in, but did not do a great deal. In-and-out play followed, until Mrs. Kibblewhite, when in possession of the balls, made a substantial break to third return, but broke. Taking another misque, Mrs. Wilson made several more points before Mrs. Kibblewhite' finished with a break of four. A feature of the game was the splendid long shooting by Mrs. Wilson. . Mrs. Croxford (3) had the game with Mrs. Jarvie (3) nearly all her own way, Mrs. Jarvie making two points, and having only six strokes in the match. In the first turn Mrs. Croxford went to second return and, after picking up a long shot, made an all-rounder, ■ and, on Mrs. Jarvie missing the shot, finished the game in the short time of half an hour. Laurie, Wellington (rec. 4) made a break of 10 almost at the commencement of the game with Mrs. Neilson (Palmerston North), (9J). Mrs. Neilson shot in and went to No. 4, arid in several turns carried her clip to the back. Laurie hit the long shot, making a break of 6. Mrs. Neilson, taking control, made three more hoops, with the aid of bisques. Laurie got the shot, but failed at the hoop. His opponent, with the aid of another bisque, made several more points before Laurie succeeded in pegging on, 26—19. Mrs. Lowery, Wellington (2) was playing at the top of her form in the game with Mrs. Ellison (rec. 2), giving her opponent few chances to score. Makingr two substantial breaks, Mrs. Lowery finished in record time, 26—3. Lieut.-Colonel Du Pre gave A. J. Gibbs no chance. He went to No. 3 and, continuing, went the sth with the other ball. Gibbs missed, and Lieut.-Colonel Du Pre continued to 4.back. His opponent again missed when the English

player finished from No. 3 to the. peg. Gibbs missed the long shot when Lieut. - Colonel Du Pre finished 26—0. Mrs. Bocock established a good lead of eight points early against Mrs. HOa-ley. Playing steadily, she won a hard-fought game 26—17. Mrs. Corbet, Dunedin, held the lead throughout the game with Mrs. Bock, Wellington. The latter was unable to gauge the strength of the green, while her opponent was judging well and made two all-round breaks, finishing 26-5.

Playing Captain Hartnell Poulter hit in with the fourth ball and made Nd. 1 hoop. Hartnell missed the long shot and Poulter went, by well-played, croquej to 4 back. Hartnell missed the long shot and Poulter went from No. 1 to No. 12. Poulter had no trouble in making No. 12 hoop, and won, 26—1. Stratton (owe 1|), playing Ward-Petley (owe 14), got in first and failed in short roguet, after- making two points. WardPetley then developed a fine break and went to 4 back and packed at the first hoop. Stratton retired to fourth comer.