NORTH ISLAND CROQUET TOURNAMENT.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1516, 15 May 1919, Page 33

NORTH ISLAND CROQUET TOURNAMENT.

HELD AT PALMERSTON NORTH. The successful North Island croquet tournament was recently brought to an end at Palmerston North, when the prizes were awarded by Mrs. Spooner, wife of the popular president of the club, who at inconvenience to himself, but to the great satisfaction of the players, managed the tournament from first to last. This entailed carrying through over 150 games, making the largest croquet tournament which has ever been held in the Dominion, and proving once more that the central situation of Palmerston North makes it a natural centre for competitions. Croquet has been making headway steadily in the Dominion for some years, and very good games were played during the week. Probably those between Dr. Whitaker and Mr. H. P. Stratton for the championship of the North Island were as good as any that have been seen here under the new system of either-ball play, and at the request of followers of the game we append some particulars. The final was played on a lawn arranged on the bowling green, kindly lent for the purpose, which made a good fast croquet lawn. Davidson hoops, well set in and gauged to inches, allowed only one-eighth inch clearance to ' the balls. In the first game between Mr. Stratton and the

doctor, neither player was seen at his best in the preliminary stages, breaks being hard to pick up under the eitherball system, but very shortly Dr. Whitaker settled down to one of his rapid, interesting and easily-made breaks, the feature of his play, which carried his first ball to three-back. Mr. Stratton then obtained the innings, and with care and precision made a three-ball break to the penultimate. With his next turn but one he brought his second ball in an all-round break to the peg, and later missed the peg with the first ball in going out. This gave the doctor an opportunity of an innings, which, once obtained, was utilised to full effect in an all-round break to the peg (three clips now on the peg and one of Mr. Stratton’s balls voluntarily pegged out), afterwards laying liis balls in such a manner that an unsuccessful shot by his opponent at the open ball must give him an easy break to go out. Mr. Stratton shot and missed. With evident relief at what was now plain sailing, the doctor shot at the opponent ball only a yard off, and missed. Mi - . Stratton had only to hit the ball next him and roll up to the peg and so out, winning by six points. The second game of the rubber was played on the same lawn the next day in ' ideal croquet weather. It went quickly to the doctor by 20 points, Mr. Stratton not being given much opportunity and his opponent making no mistakes in his breaks. The third game was very interesting croquet, particularly in the way of illustrating the possibilities of the peg-ged-out game. The doctor in bis first break went all round to the peg. He had evidently meant to stop at the rover hoop, but a good rush close to that hoop proved too tempting to resist, and, after making it. the balls were laid with accuracy. In his next break he went only as far as the fourth hoop, when Mr. Stratton hit in, and with a really good three-ball break, with only one mistake at the penultimate which he survived, went to the peg also. In his next turn he managed, with a long take-off and an excellent long rush, to get his opponentball to the peg and put him out, then commencing the slow and somewhat racking process of bringing the back ball right round from the first hoop. As soon as he arrived at the third hoop he began to have trouble, as the doctor’s ball was always waiting on the

boundary nearby in case of a. mistake, and so it continued relentlessly at each hoop until Mr. Stratton broke down and gave several opportunities, which, however, were not used to full advantage, the final innings of the peggec only carrying him to the sixth hoop where he stuck. With more pra.ctice, it is fairly certain that in the four innings with a. three-ball break each time (which Mr. Stratton allowed his opponent), the pegged-out ball would have won the game. But this does not detract from Mr. Stratton s performance, which was excellent croquet, showing him capable of standing on his own with the best in the Dominion. He was warmly congratulated by the numerous onlookers, and by none more so than by his opponent. • These two players now stand as one victory each, Mr. Stratton having succumbed to the doctor on his own tournament grounds at Hastings in February. The final of the doubles found four players of the local club in, viz., Mrs. McCrae and Dr. Whitaker against Mrs. Baxter and Miss Lauren son. As the competition was for the best pair from any club, the beautiful trophy given by Mr. J. A. Nash, M.P., was already in possession of Manawatu. The two former players, therefore, being engaged in other contests, conceded the game on level terms to Mrs. Baxter and Miss Laurenson, who, by sterling play throughout, well deserved the honour. Miss Laurenson has shown in this, her first tournament, the makings of a first-class exponent of the game. The handicap singles was finished by Mr. Sratton conceding the final to his opponent, Mrs. McCrae. She has fought hard throughout the week and well earned the beautiful trophy given- by Mrs. Aitchison. She also won, after a strenuous game and a close finish, the ladies’ singles event, and captured the trophy, a cut-glass rose bowl, given by Mrs. L. Seifert. Mrs. Pegler, a Hastings crack, was the runner-up in this event. She is an attractive croquet player with a nice style. Altogether the Manawatu tournament, for which all members worked hard from highest to lowest, was a real hearty success, and has probably done more' in one week to educate players and onlookers than years of individual play. More lawns and more members are wanted next year to ensure the future success. Mention has already been made of the loan of private lawns, without which the tournament could not have

been held, but a word of praise should be awarded to those beginners who did so well in the handicap games —Mrs. Bendall, Mrs. Cave, Mrs. Guthrie and Mesdames L. and H. Seifert. being prominent and supporting well the promise they have given during the season. .