Croquet in the North West

North West Federation of Croquet Clubs - for everything Croquet in the north west

You are here: Home / Archives for 2011

England CA beat Ireland CA at Fylde

by

England CA Team Win The 29th McWeeny Trophy (by Paul Rigge, 17/07/11)

From Left: Jane Morrison (I), Alan Pidcock (E), Brian Lewis (E), Robert Barklie (I), Ben Reves Smith (I), Bob Burnett (ECapt), Jack Clingan (I), Michael O”Shaughnessy (I), Lee Heartley (E), Peter Wilson (E), David Roe (E), Nathanial Healy (ICapt).

Fylde hosted the 29th McWeeny Trophy between the CA and the CAI.  The Vera McWeeney Trophy is travelling back down to Cheltenham, after being retained by this year”s CA squad at Fylde CC, this was the 29th time that England has played Ireland with both having previously held the title fourteen times, England now having the bragging rights 15-14.  The McWeeny trophy is named after Vera McWeeny, an irish journalist who championed womens involvement in sport.  She represented Ireland in Hockey, Squash, Tennis and Croquet.

With the overnight score of 13-10 in our favour, it should have been an easy morning”s work to secure the final point required for victory in the last round of doubles outstanding before the visitors left for the airport for their lunchtime flight.  However they seemed to dominate most of the play and it appeared at times that only Irish players had turned up since they were occupying all three courts, indeed there was much speculation that if the three doubles went the wrong way, to level the score, the “dead” singles game from Saturday would have to be played after lunch (Burnett vs Morrison).  This proved unnecessary with the final three scores all being secured in timed games, final result; 15-11 after some very nervy play with single yard roquets being missed and wrong balls being played.

The weather was cold, windy, wet and miserable, just the opposite in fact of Fylde CC”s hospitality, that was nothing short of superb; They acted as taxi”s from/to the airport. The club was bedecked with appropriate bunting and national flags.  Local press came down for interviews and pictures that made both the front page and all of page 3 on Saturday (do not ask who modelled for the p3 shot! – no don”t!).  They billeted all the visitors with club members including feeding and watering them for the weekend.  New solid friendships were made this weekend. The Irish were a delight and both teams played in excellent sprit.

Singles: Nathaniel Healy beat James Hawkins 15; Bob Burnett beat Robert Barklie 9; Lee Hartley beat Jane Morrison 16; Michael O”Shaughnessy beat David Roe 16; Ben Reeves Smith beat Brian Lewis 8; Peter Wilson beat Jack Clingan 5; Lee Hartley beat Nathaniel Healy 8; James Hawkins beat Robert Barklie 14; Michael O”Shaughnessy beat Brian Lewis 22; Peter Wilson beat Ben Reeves Smith 10t; Jack Clingan beat David Roe 11; Bob Burnett beat Nathaniel Healy 5; Lee Hartley beat Robert Barklie 8; Jane Morrison beat James Hawkins 2; Peter Wilson beat Michael O”Shaughnessy 26; David Roe beat Ben Reeves Smith 8; Jack Clingan beat Brian Lewis 13.
Doubles: Healy & Clingan beat Hartley & Roe 26; Hawkins & Wilson beat Barklie & Reeves Smith 22; Burnett & Lewis beat Morrison & O”Shaughnessy 19; Healy & Clingan beat Burnett & Lewis 17; Barklie & Reeves Smith beat Hartley & Roe 14; Hawkins & Wilson beat Morrison & O”Shaughnessy 12; Healy & Clingan beat Alan Pidcock* & Wilson 2t; Burnett & Lewis beat Barklie & Reeves Smith 1t; Hartley & Roe beat Morrison & O”Shaughnessy 1t; *Alan Picock was substituted for James Hawkins on Sunday Morning.

2011 Fantastic Year for Chester Croquet

by

New Clubhouse, The Apps Healey Award and Two CA Diplomas for Members

2011 was a wonderful year for Chester, as we attained our long awaited pavilion at the start of the season after 15 years of the horrible hut. The pavilion is in constant use and we are still on speaking terms with the 3 bowling clubs with whom we share it.

The Grand Opening was performed in July by Barry Keen, the Chairman of the CA, in the presence of the Lord Mayor of Chester, sundry Councillors, the Chairman of the NWFed, guests from clubs throughout the North West and club members.

The sun shone and guests were still playing croquet at 5.45pm when we started taking down themarquee. Barry Keen also presented the CA’s Apps Healey Award to the club as the club with 3 or 4 lawns which hadmade most progress over the past 2 years.

Recently 2 of our members, Mollie McBride and Janet Davies were awarded CA Diplomas for services to croquet (particularly at club level) over the years.

Press any image to see a Slideshow:

Plenty of Winners at the Pendle Midweek Tournament

by

Results from Pendle Marathon Midweek Tournament (by Barbara Dutton 09/07/11)

The marathon 4 day Midweek Tournament in which 23 players from all the over the country finished on Friday just before another deluge. Players were alternately baked and drenched over the 4 days but only the thunderstorm on Tuesday drove them temporarily from the lawns, possibly because modern mallets have metal shafts, or possibly that the comment that the nearby metal chimney would probably be an easier target for the lightning was not believed.

There were 8 trophies to be competed for and the results were as follows:

Block A advanced for the Pendle Rose Bowl – Lionel Tibble from Northampton.
Block B advanced for the David Jenkinson Trophy – Peter Moore from Nottingham.
Low bisque Handicap for the Pennine Trophy – Barry Keen from Bowdon.
High bisque Handicap for the David Hoyle Trophy – Joe Lennon from Glasgow.
Doubles for the Woodlands plates – Peter Hallet from Bowdon and Fylde and David Turner from Pendle and Belsay Hall.
Fastest singles game in 23 minutes for the Egyptian Cup – Barry Keen from Bowdon.
The Addicts trophy for most games played – David Marsh from Wrest Park.
The Highest Overall Egyptian for the Irish Cup – Peter Moore from Nottingham.

The managers Peter and Liz Wilson thanked the club for the hospitality, wonderful state of the lawns and the catering. The club can only thank the managers for keeping this complicated and marathon event on track and in such good humour.

Find a Category

Webmaster – Chris Alvey (webmaster@croquetnw.co.uk)