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Sam Murray Wins CA Eight at Southport

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Sam Murray Wins the CA Chairmans Salver at Southport, 6-9 September 2018, by Robin Brown

CA Chair, Brian Shorney, presents the Chairmans Salver to Sam Murray. (Photo: Robert Wilkinson)

Sam Murray and James Hopgood finished with 10 wins apiece in the Chairmans Salver at Southport. Before the final round, James declared himself unavailable in the event of a playoff being required, having a train he needed to catch to get home to Edinburgh.

As it happened a playoff was required but with James withdrawing, the trophy was awarded to Sam. Chairman of Council Brain Shorney, travelled to Southport to present the Salver to Sam Murray.

Final standings:  Sam Murray 10; James Hopgood 10; Robert Wilkinson 8 (from 13); Daniel Gott 7; Robin Brown 6; Jonathan Powe 6; David Goacher 5 ( from 13); Chris Williams 3; 

Full results at: https://croquetscores.com/2018/ac/the-chairmans-salver/ 

Phil Nuttall and Adrian Apps Going to Final

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All England Handicap AC Regional Final 1-2 Sep 2018 at Fylde CC

Phil Nuttall

The format was a 5 round Swiss, full bisque base 10 time limit 3 hours.

The Players: 1 Bury CC – Phil Nuttall (Holder);  2 Leven & Crake Valley – Dave Williamson;  3 Bowdon – Adrian Apps;  4 Bowdon – Mike Steer;  5 Chester – Helen Brophy;  6 Chester – John Dawson;  7 Fylde – Alan Morton;  8 Penrith & North Lakes – John Henderson;  9 Pendle & Craven CC – Libby Dixon;  10 Pendle & Craven CC – Garry Wilson

Day 1: A wonderful standard of play from everyone in easy conditions. Our lawns playing very well and beautifully prepared by Philip and Richard in the days leading up to the event. Several spectators and welcome helpers including our President and the NW Fed Chairman saw Helen Brophy take the overnight lead. Followed by a strong group of defending holder Philip, Flyde’s Alan, John H who always shines here at Fylde and Adrian who has risen to handicap 6 in just three years.

No Red Arrows this year but there is a quiz question: “What is the name of the nearest star to us?”
Take a point if you said “The Sun” but take two points if you said “Britney Spears” who switched on the Blackpool Illuminations for us.

Day 2: The gentlemanly conduct and sportsmanship from yesterday continued as the competition intensified on another beautiful warm, still and dry day.  With two places in the final up for grabs the places in the final were still quite open and would not be decided until the end of the final round after lunch. The fourth round results had the effect of concertinaing the field to a great extent making the results of almost every game in the final round crucial.

Adrian Apps was playing solid Croquet and achieved his Silver Merit Award. In the final round Adrian, Alan and Phil were favourites. Adrian duplicated his round four Silver Award and was first to finish. But with only two places in the final should they all win their games the tie break rules would decide.  He had a nervy hour or so before it became clear he was through to the final. Alan had a nail biting finish. With all four balls for the peg, a seven yard roquet was what he needed and did not get. Phil was last to finish as his opponent made a spirited effort to level the points with a time turn break in front of the pavilion with everyone spectating. A backward take off fell short of 2b and hands were shaken during applause.

Winner:  Phil Nuttall  (for the 3rd year running – 2016 at Bury, 2017, 2018 at Fylde) with Adrian Apps runner-up.  Both go through to the final at Wrest Park next week
Adrian Apps

 

Keeping ‘Beyond the Pale’ at Chester

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Annual Anglo-Irish Tournament won by Chester – Chester CC 25-26 August 2018

Alan Looney, Carrickmines President, presents the 'Beyond the Pale' trophy to Chester Captain, John Dawson.
Alan Looney, Carrickmines President, presents the ‘Beyond the Pale’ trophy to Chester Captain, John Dawson.

Whilst Dublin hosted its own special papal visitor over the Bank Holiday weekend, its premier croquet club (Carrickmines) travelled across the Irish Sea to Chester in an attempt to wrest the “Beyond the Pale” Cup from Chester Croquet Club. This time they brought an experienced team of AC and GC players. Even getting to Chester was tough – the ferry company cancelled its high speed hovercraft and the team was shunted onto a good “old fashioned” but slow ship. Then the Carrickmines skipper strained his back (one of his team mates jokingly suggested that it happened whilst picking up his wallet!).  Friday evening was spent on a pre-match carbo-loading, hydration and bonding session in a thatched pub in Raby, on the Wirral. After fleeting rain Saturday was lovely; the Chester “sloping lawns” – somewhat sharpened by the summer drought  made playing conditions tricky. The three AC matches went Chester’s way but the GC “round robin” was more closely contested. It was clear that Roger Edwards of Chester had scooped the individual prize but the team event went to a recount.

Some Carrickmines players having misheard the location of the evening’s rehydration programme thought an “interesting night” lay ahead. Unfortunately the restaurant was merely “Moules a Go-Go”, disappointment was quickly put aside and kilos of seafood were consumed with the appropriate alcoholic beverage to wash them down.  Sunday was “good news- bad news”. Good news- the lawns were more benign, the bad news – it was chucking it down. “Never seen rain like it ” a seasoned Carrickmines player said. Two hasty rounds of GC and one soggy AC match were closely contested.

Yet another ferry cancellation brought proceedings to a premature end.  Alan Looney, the Carrickmines President and captain, presented the cup to the Chester captain and declared  “It’s been  a great weekend.  No matter how the Brexit discussions conclude the Chester team will be welcome at Carrickmines in 2019” and he presented the Chester Chair, Sarah Andrew, with a signed copy of the Carrickmines Club Centenary book. That done the Carrickmines convoy aquaplaned out of Westminster Park in hot pursuit of the Holyhead ferry.   

Alan Looney, Carrickmines President, presents a signed copy of the Carrickmines Centenary Book to Chester Chair, Sarah Andrew.
Alan Looney, Carrickmines President, presents a signed copy of the Carrickmines Centenary Book to Chester Chair, Sarah Andrew.

Photos courtesy of Pat Clare

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