Teams of 6 from Croquet North and The North West Fed met at Pendle for the annual contest.

North – Andrew Killick (- 1 ½), Terry Vernazza (3),David Millener (6), Julian Gibson (c)(8), Nigel Durie (10) and Derek Johnson (12)

North West – Lee Hartley (-1), John Henderson (5) Chris Alvey (8), Betty Bates (8), Anne Alvey (10 and Libby Dixon (12) (Non-playing Captain Liz Wilson)

The three morning  advanced doubles paired 1 with 6, 2 with 5 and 3 with 4.  John and Anne saw off Terry and Nigel in record time winning 26 – 0 and Chris and Betty did pretty much the same thing against David and Julian 26 – 3.  The other game featuring the minus players was far more tactical with Lee and Libby beating Andrew and Derek 26 – 9.  So 3 nil to the North West at lunch.

In the afternoon the first 4 pairings played level advanced with the final two pairings playing handicap.  First to finish was Lee vs Andrew 26 – 9.  The next to finish was Terry vs John which went to the North East 26 – 9.  Chris Alvey then produced the match deciding win against David Millener again winning 26 – 9. 

The other three games all went to time and were very close and exciting.  Libby beat Derek 26 – 21 in the time turn.  Julian beat Betty 20 – 18 and Anne beat Nigel 18 – 16.  The final score 7 – 2 to The North West but it could easily have been 5 – 4!

Readers will remember that the AC Team for Lancashire got relegated last year, down to the second division. This hurt – a lot, so this year’s campaign was all about trying to bounce straight back, to play again with the ‘Big Boys’ in the top flight next season.

Our task began gingerly at Compton on Saturday (25^th May) with two 2-1 wins against Sussex & Kent. Sunday, back over in the sun at Southwick, we settled into our task and took next three rounds 3-0.

By Monday lunch we were still unbeaten, as the other county who had started well (Dorset) dropped a match. Lancashire posted three more 3-0’s for the day, so giving us a clear run for the division title.

Tuesday started wet and who would we face? Dorset… if they beat us they could take the title on ‘who beat who’ rules. Both teams threw the kitchen sink into the match, but our local lads (and lasses) withstood the pressure and were victorious overthem with a 2-1 win. Giving us the Championship Shield a full match early, nobody could catch us in the afternoon session! 

(as it happened, we lost the last round 1-2, maybe a bit too much celebration by the team over lunch?).

Photo – Ailsa Lines, Annabel McDiarmid, Neil Adams, Richard Harding, Riggey, James Hawkins