Listen very carefully and you might hear the rasping death throes of AC play up here in the North West – why start a report in such a manner?
Well, despite multiple reminders from the Federation Secretary to all member clubs, trying to gather support for the Federation’s Premier Tournament, the AC Millennium Level Play, the response was pitiful. Only eight players from four clubs attended this two day tournament at Pendle & Craven CC, with Handicaps ranging from 4.5 down to -1.5, both trophies at least could be contested.
Play got underway as the last winds from storm ‘Betty’ made conditions for ‘casters’ tricky. Four courts had been prepared, so luxurious single banking enabled four rounds of untimed games to be completed well before the booked tournament meal at the Jade.
Sunday was a warmer affair (summer returned), as the remaining three rounds of the all-play-all were completed… with the last round producing ties on number of wins for both cups.. This should have been resolved using who-beat-who for the Neil Williams, but all the high handicappers had beaten each other, and the options of playing various tie-breaking games were rejected, so ‘net-points’ as a method was utilised to separate them.
Thanks to Angharrad for posting up on CroquetScores, (https://croquetscores.com/2023/ac/nwfed-millennium-advanced) Richard, Nigel & Robert for helping set-up/clear-up
This year’s ‘Neil Williams recipient – Nigel Matthews (Woodland winner in ’22)
and the ‘Woodlands’ – to Steve Skelton.
Cheers Riggey