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5 out of 5 Croquet Winners at Southport

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Southport Super B and B Level Tournament 23/24 July 2016

Omied Hallam receives the Super B Trophy from club President Alan Pidcock
Omied Hallam receives the Super B Trophy from club President Alan Pidcock
Peter Wilson receives the Super B Runner Up prize
Peter Wilson receives the Super B Runner Up prize (photo: Ray Lowe)
Bob Burnett receives the B Level trophy from Club President Alan Pidcock
Bob Burnett receives the B Level trophy from Club President Alan Pidcock (photo: Ray Lowe)
Nathan Baker receives the B Level Runner Up prize
Nathan Baker receives the B Level Runner Up prize (photo: Ray Lowe)

Lots of regulars plus a number of new faces made for a full complement of 20 players for Southport’s Super-B/B-Level Advanced weekend. The decision to reduce the lower handicap from 1 to 0 succeeded in attracting 4 scratch players. The range of handicaps neatly dividing into two groups of 10.

The winner of the Super-B was Omied Hallam (Nottingham) with 5 out of 5 wins, thus retaining the Mallet Trophy which he won last year. The runner up was Peter Wilson (Fylde).

The winner of the B-Level, and the Hawkins Cup, was Bob Burnett (Crathes) with 5 out of 5 wins. The runner up was Nathan Baker (Fylde).

Many thanks to all the Southport club members for their hard work in lawn preparation and the provision of excellent food, and in particular to the managerJohn Haslam for his usual calm and efficient tournament management.

Photos by Ray Lowe

Fylde Croquet Festival Winners 2016

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2016 Festival of Croquet 25-26 June 2016

Fylde - 2016 Festival Champions
Fylde – 2016 Festival Champions

The North West Federation of Croquet Clubs held its annual Inter-Club Championship at Southport & Birkdale Croquet Club on 25-26 June.

The festival is one of the UK’s largest gatherings of croquet players, with 75 people in play throughout. It comprises four events for different disciplines and different levels of experience within the sport, and Fylde won the trophy for overall victors.

Fylde had won the Handicap Singles event, and their pair of Peter Wilson and Lee Hartley beat the highly-ranked Bowdon team in the final of the Advanced Doubles. Respectable results in the other events gave them enough points to edge the main title, and nudge Bowdon down into runner-up position.

Bowdon took some consolation from an unbeaten performance in the Short Croquet, with their squad winning every match in the block stage and the later playoffs.

The Golf Croquet event produced a welcome victory for Culcheth. The club have been regular stalwarts of the Golf event but this is the first time they’ve earned the title since 2006, which they did with some solid and consistent play.

Paul Rigge from Bury tells us about that brilliant display from James Hawkins:

“Innings of the weekend must be given to the manager, James Hawkins, who responded to much barracking from the gallery by playing a ridiculous third turn break on the front court.
State of the game; Advanced AC rules. Pendle won the toss & elected to play.
T1 Green to east boundary just north of H4,
T2 White shoots..and misses. Replaced 1’ north of green.
T3 Brown runs H1 from A baulk directly south of it to cheers from gallery. Shoots at white some 23yds away..hits to cheers & applause. Stops white a little into field while giving rush on green to H2. Rushes Green to H2..applause. Stops green north east of hoop while holding position. Runs H2 giving rush back to white..applause. Rushes back and stops green to H4 giving rush on white to H3. Break under full control by H3. James holds easy 3BB together to 4b and quits under control, leaving 3 ducks for partner south east H2 (3 ducks – all balls in diagonal line) with a big smile to loud cheering and applause from the spectators…..”

 

Fylde - Advanced Winners
Fylde – Advanced Winners
Bowdon Short Winners
Bowdon Short Winners

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time to say Thank You (Tony Thomas on behalf of Federation)
How did the management do?
Well the Festival seemed to run iteself! However, we all know this only happens when the event is expertly planned in advance and managed on the day quietly and efficiently. Thank you to James Hawkins, ably assisted by John Haslam, not forgetting Sue Hardman and Jean Hargeaves on the day.

How did the North Lawns Play?
In brief, better than ever. The days of the infamous cage and criticisms are becoming a distant memory as each year these lawns improve in quality. The time and effort needed to get this result was very much appreciated by players. Many thanks to David Key, Don Williamson and Terry Durrance.

How did the kitchen perform?
For only £8 players received tea/coffee/biscuits all day long, afternoon tea and a magnificent two course lunch. Once again Margaret Flemington and her team of helpers surpassed themselves – catering magnifique.!

Was it ready in time?
Of course it was, well done and thank you to the gangs of helpers from Southport who arrived before everyone else to get hoops, balls, flags, pegs, chairs, gazebos, etc. in position before 9am.

 

Fylde - Handicap Winners
Fylde – Handicap Winners
Culcheth - Golf Winners
Culcheth – Golf Winners

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a Gallery of Photographs.  If you would like to add any, please send them to Tony Thomas at photos@www.croquetnw.co.uk

Pressing any photograph takes you to a navigable window of larger images.

Press here to see the Festival on the South Lawns on Saturday

Press here to see how the Seagulls viewed us

Thank you to Brian Kerr for the above videos.

Seagulls Eye View of the 2016 Festival (Photo: Brian Kerr)
Seagulls Eye View of the 2016 Festival (Photo: Brian Kerr)

Teams entered:
Advanced – Bowdon; Bury; Crake; Fylde; Pendle; Southport.
Handicap – Bowdon; Bury; Chester; Crake; Fylde; Southport.
Short – Bowdon; Bury; Chester; Fylde; Pendle; Southport.
Golf – Bowdon; Bury; Chester; Craig-y-Don; Culcheth; Ellesmere; Fylde; Llanfairfechan; Pendle; Southport.

Pop Up Croquet Tournament at Fylde

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South Shore Advanced Tankard Weekend, 16/17th April

Matt Holmes with the Spencer Ell trophy
Matt Holmes with the Spencer Ell trophy

Due to lawn conditions, Southport had to cancel the April Jubilee Tankard tournament planned for last weekend, however, Fylde jumped into the breech and invited all the entries to play on their dry courts.

Because of or in spite of an incorrect weather forcast, only Lancashire players turned out for this impromptu “Not Southport Tournament” or “Three-a-Day Advanced” with the same manager being retained for the new “venue”.

As it happens, shorts were in order on both days with loads of blue sky and early season sunshine – even Lee Hartley was seen without a scarf and coat, it was that warm!

Format was all play all over the two days and both Bury club members finished top of the heap with Matt Holmes having the Bragging rights over Paul Rigge  on who beat who.

Many thanks to FCC for Hosting at such very short notice and as an illustration of how much fun was had – all combatants stayed until the very last stroke.

Liz Wilson from Fylde also writes:

The Pop-Up Tournament

Following the cancellation of the Southport and Birkdale Advanced Tournament 7 entrants (Hartley, Hawkins, Holmes, Nicholson, Rigge, Wilson and Wilson) decided to play an impromptu tournament at Fylde over the weekend. As one of the players said “It is difficult to negotiate a whole weekend off to play and is therefore a shame to have nowhere to compete”. Fylde is lucky in being one of the few clubs in the North West who seem to have conquered their drainage problems and thanks to the hard work of Philip Bass and the other members of the club the lawns have been playable for most of the winter. Manager James Hawkins entertained and managed in equal measures and warm help-yourself whenever casseroles were provided to counteract the Arctic Winds. Both days had a fair dose of sun and more than one of the players complained of sunburn (or was it wind burn). It was run as an all play all with only the non-played match being Wilson vs Wilson. There were many amusing incidents, grievous peg-outs and crazy misses along the way and the whole tournament was played in Great Spirit with Nick playing his usual entertaining cat and mouse game with Liz Wilson (well I like to give you a chance!).   The “final” was between Paul Rigge and Matt Holmes with Matt running out the winner. In my opinion these pop-up tournaments are something for the Fed to consider – perhaps one day turn up and play events with a winner at the end of the season.

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