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Sun Shines on Dave Kibble Taking Away the Pendle Bowl

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PENDLE & CRAVEN MIDWEEK TOURNAMENT – Dave Kibble retains the Rose Bowl.

See all match details at Croquet Scores: https://croquetscores.com/2021/ac/pendle-craven/rose-bowl

Paul Rigge triggers to minus one and a half. Croquet welcomed Richard Harding back, playing smooth Croquet after a long absence from the game.

The week resolved four tournaments. Covid had reduced the number entering and so things were not as flexible as they are usually were. Therefore the Addict Trophy for the most games was re-branded for this year as the Peeling Bonanza Trophy. This did cause some variation in play as some rivalry was generated, especially from the high low doubles pairings.

A special mention is due to Tom Dewar who came as a spectator for the first two days but assisted in the catering and lawn maintenance throughout his time here. A second special mention to Roger Staples Fruit Salad. Unanimously voted the best fruit salad we ever tasted. Croquet lore says eating of the fruit salad improves your game and Roger has clearly eaten of the fruit salad recently, being half of the winning doubles side with Paul Rigge and winning the B Class (albeit by 1 Sonneborn–Berger  point).

While the rest of the country was awash with rain and low pressure Pendle was bathed in Sunshine.

Some other stuff happened too:

Richard received a loud spontaneous round of applause for his roquet jump shot over hoop one.

At the end of day two, opponents and  spectators fell silent at the ending of a doubles match. Lorna had been pegged out Steve then out drilled out a ball from the jaws of penult from 18 yards.  What followed was a magnificent three ball break to the peg and box to win the game.

However in his next game with time called and the balls in all the corners Steve hit a 14 yarder and then a thin take off from hoop three to inside the ball at corner four. That ball was rushed to corner one and then that one to hoop seven which was run. From there, a four ball break to peg out.

Photo shows Ken Jones trialing the latest technique for determining a wiring lift:


The manager, Liz Wilson, must get a mention for the choreography of four trophies accommodating several players only coming for two days and therefore two tournament meals at the Jade Palace. In addition the Euros semi final with England involved had to be factored in with a nice early finish on that day.

Anne Alvey Holds onto Millenium Trophy

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Federation Millennium AC Handicap 10/11th July at Pendle – The women dominate….(spoiler alert)

Ann Alvey being presented with the 2021 Millenium AC Hcp Trophy

Clubs again sent their representatives to contest this event, well at least the members who were prepared to allow their names to be submitted in these risk-adverse times.

Pendle lawns looked resplendent in the sunshine for the start of play, but player’s optimism and the clouds, quickly clouded over as a very heavy cloud-burst passed through. After three rounds (manager tried to push for a 4th ) on the first day, only last year’s victor was unbeaten..each of which was a timed win, the 2nd & 3rd being by the margin of +2t & +1t – what a grinder, what a performance!

Day two opened with the sun back again and during the fourth round, the manager took the opportunity to ‘correct’ an omission from last year – taking a picture of the winner hoisting the proper ‘Pidcock Mallet’ trophy (due to ’20 isolation we didn’t have it available). The interruption didn’t break her campaign challenge however – another win taking her clear of the field.

Anne Alvey 2020 and 2021 Winner of Fed Mill AC Hcp

Round five – the match against her closest challenger (in effect the final), turned into a great match..both players expended their bisques sensibly but both ran out a long way from home. What followed could have degenerated into a classic ‘C’ class game of ‘Hide the Aunt Emma’, but it proved to be a real quality tactical tussle with the title going to (for the first time) the defending champion..queue another picture for this year’s gallery…

For the other place that gets recorded for posterity, the  runners-up spot, places changed throughout the weekend, and it came down to the vagaries of the Egyptian system to return a clear 2nd spot occupier at the death, the other woman in the field – Pendle’s own…Libby Dixon.”

Libby Dixon with the 2021 Millenium Hcp AC Runners Up award

Frank Sharps Wins Hunstanton Golf Croquet C Level

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FRANK SHARPS WINS HUNSTANTON GC C LEVEL

Four players from Crake Valley recently played at Hunstanton in the Golf Croquet National Series Qualifiers over 2 days
On the Saturday David Cornes was beaten 7-6 in the final by Mark Buckley (Leicester) who now joins David in the National B level Final in Compton (Eastbourne) in September.

The Sunday saw 8 players compete “all play all” with Frank Sharps beating all opponents to take the title and his place in the C level Final in Ryde, Isle of Wight, also in September.

The photo shows Frank receiving the C level trophy from Hunstanton Chair, Janet Kendal.

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