The Croquet Association (UK) in now selling a limited run of a new book titled Beyond Expert Croquet Tactics. The ambitious book has a wide-ranging focus, but at the top of the list it looks to provide updated tactical advice on Keith Wylie’s Expert Croquet Tactics which was first published in 1985.
Read MoreClark: 2018 AC Worlds Overview
Many congratulations to Paddy Chapman on becoming our new AC World Champion! The final was a good quality match played in easy conditions – apart from during one downpour when the lawns became unplayable for about 10-15 minutes. Unfortunately, the hoops were left in the same holes that had been created on Wednesday and which had become wet inside with overnight rain. This made the final very much a shooting contest rather than a more complete test of skill. We need to ensure that hoops are in fresh holes for finals – as is normally the case.
Soo: Chapman Crowned World Champion in New Zealand #10
One of the most well-liked and respected players in the game, it seemed only a matter of time until Paddy Chapman (NZ) would add the title of AC Singles World Champion to his croquet resumé. A past winner of the NZ Open, the NZ President's Invitation, the UK President's Cup, and a leading member of NZ's victorious MacRobertson Shield team, Chapman did not lack for impressive accomplishments. But the world singles title cements his reputation as one of the very best.
Read MoreChapman is AC World Champion
Paddy Chapman found a way back from down 2-1 to claim his first WCF Association Croquet World Championship with a 26tp-19, 0-26tp, 0-26tp, 26tp-11, 26tp-9 win over Reg Bamford yesterday at Kelburn Municipal Croquet Club in Wellington, New Zealand. It was Chapman's second appearance in the final after he made it in 2013, but lost to Robert Fletcher. Bamford made his fifth appearance and is now 4-1 in AC World finals play.
Read MoreSoo: No Time Limits Needed #09
The Main KO semifinals were played at the Wellington Municipal Croquet Club, a hundred year old club with three lawns south of the city center. Weather was calm and overcast with occasional sprinkles, and fog developing throughout the day. The lawns were about the same medium-slowish pace we've seen at most venues throughout the week, with some lusher areas and a few tricky hoop approaches, but overall quite true. The main challenges were the hoops -- based on the number of failed shots these must have been quite solid -- and the pressure of the situation.
Read MoreClarke: Bamford and Chapman for the Title #09
The semifinals were played at the Wellington club. The lawns were only running at 10 seconds after overnight rain, but the hoops were in fresh firm ground, albeit they were set much wider than a standard Wellington Open weekend. The day started overcast and there was the occasional light drizzle as it progressed.
Read MoreClarke: Advancing to the Super 8 #07
Another still and sunny day at Kelburn meant that playing conditions were easy. The Riva v Death game “enjoyed” even easier conditions since they played on a lawn with five day old hoops. It was a high-quality match where a Death ball to 4-b was countered with a Riva ball to 1-b followed by a tpo with two balls pegged out 1 v 1-b. Death picked up a 2-ball break off the contact but missed his rush to h4. Riva then took position at 1-b and after Death missed an overly aggressive shot, finished next turn. In the second game, Riva went to 4-b 4th turn, failed to pick up a break 6th turn and finished after Death cornered 8th turn.
Read MoreClarke: 2018 AC Worlds Preview
The 2018 WCF Association Croquet World Championship starts this Saturday in Wellington, NZ. Five clubs are being used and I’ll try to send photos from each of them as the event progresses. There are eight blocks of 10 players with the top four qualifying for the knockout from each block, with ties on wins being broken with play-off games, so net points are irrelevant.
Read MoreChapman 13: England Withstands the Heat to Extend Lead
England's David Maugham on D13, Round 3 versus New Zealand
Today was by far the hottest day at the MacRob so far, approximately 40 degrees celsius. The match-ups were as follows:
- Aiken vs David Maugham
- Chris vs James Hopgood
- Joe vs Stephen Mulliner
- Harps vs James Death
...with late starts for Jenny vs Samir Patel and Paddy vs Jamie Burch.
The first point of the day came courtesy of James Hopgood, taking a 2-0 win over Chris. Chris had plenty of play, and reached 4b and peg in game 2 before James hit in and finished with a TP.
Aiken equalised the day's score at 1-1 shortly after by taking out David Maugham 2-1, coming back from game and break down, then break down in the third, to win and give NZ a much-needed point.
Harps vs James was an all-day affair that eventually ended 2-0 to James, despite a lot of interaction. In the second game, Harps reached rover & peg and had a rush to rover vs James' single ball for peg. James smacked the peg from near corner 2 to take the win just in the nick of time.
Joe vs Stephen was an epic battle between two players who first played each other in the MacRob in 1982. Stephen took the first, and TPO'd Joe in the second, however Joe eventually hit a long shot and took a break to the peg. A 3-yarder was missed after rover, allowing Stephen a chance. Fortunately for NZ, Stephen missed his own 3-yarder to give Joe the game. Joe had all the early play in the decider and was on a standard TP. With all the peels done, he failed rover from close-by. Stephen failed to progress and Joe had another chance, but failed rover again. Stephen again failed to progress and this time Joe made rover but missed the peg-out from fairly close, sending a ball off the lawn in the process. Stephen found his second wind and finished in 2 turns to take a 26-24 third game.
Paddy vs Jamie was a clinical match in Jamie's favour. After a succession of misses at the beginning, Jamie had the first break. Paddy hit the lift and started a popping turn before misapproaching 1b out of nowhere. Jamie finished a short while later. Jamie had a convincing 5th turn finish in the second game to take the match, albeit having to rush peelee into position for the rover peel from just south of penult.
Jenny vs Samir had a very close first game, with Jenny reaching 4b & peg before Samir had made much progress. Samir finally hit in but made an error around 2b, allowing Jenny the first chance to close out the game, however the approach to 4b left a longer-than-ideal hoop which was failed. a 3-ball ending ensued in which Samir prevailed. In the second game, Samir had a 6th-turn ball to 4-back, and then an 8th turn ball to the peg, never getting any luck with the 4-back peel. He ended up winning the game without conceding croquet.
At the end of the day all players were very pleased to get inside to air-conditioning on what was an absolute scorcher. Well done to England on a good day. NZ's performance was approaching average but a series of unfortunate events and too many errors ultimately led England to a 5-1 scoreline.
Chapman 08: Australia Extends Lead to 8-4
Aiken Hakes was able to pick up a 2-0 match win over Australia's Robert Fletcher
Going into day 3 of the second test, NZ were 4-2 down to Australia after yesterday's 'tension in the twilight.' NZ are not a team to roll over when they are behind however, and we were confident of a good day in today's singles.
The match-ups today were:
- Jenny vs Ian Dumergue
- Joe vs Malcolm Fletcher
- Aiken vs Robert Fletcher
- Chris vs Stephen Forster
With the two late starts being Harps vs Greg Fletcher and myself vs Simon Hockey.
For NZ, the match of today was surely Aiken's massive victory over world number 1 Robert Fletcher. Aiken hit 4th turn in game 1 after Robert failed H1 3rd turn, and proceeded to 4-back. Robert missed the lift and Aiken finished his delayed TP. Game 2 started with a supershot opening from Aiken, with misses on turns 3 and 4. Aiken hit an aggressive shot 5th turn and repeated the result of game 1 for a great victory.
Malcolm had most of the play against Joe - Joe hit numerous long shots but never quite had the rub of the green, and Malcolm won in straight games.
Ian and Jenny had a very high quality match (13 turns total) with Ian winning 2-0. Neither player made any errors, and Jenny can count herself a little unlucky with the end result.
Chris vs Stephen was probably the longest match of the day. Stephen took a tight first game by +5, only for Chris to comeback strongly with a TP in the second. In the decider, both players had some play, but Stephen reached the peg first to put Australia 7-3 up overall.
Harps vs Greg also had plenty of play for both sides. Harps had at least one ball round in each game, but Greg maintained the upper hand and played some tidy croquet to eventually win in straight games.
Myself vs Simon was the final match to start. I got off to a fast start by hitting 5th turn and going to 4-back. Simon hit the long lift from B Baulk centre-ball but got caught out by a hill at H4 when making his own leave and had to separate his two balls. I regained the innings and finished with a TP. In game 2, Simon had the first break but again got caught by the hill at H4 when making his leave. I hit the lift and popped his H1 ball to H3. Simon hit back in yet again, but made an error at H4, leaving me a short shot for a standard TP to make it 8-4 to Australia after day 3.
NZ will be aiming for a 3-0 result in the doubles tomorrow to try and close the gap to Australia.