Results so far:
Mounfield beat C Williams +24 +26TP,
Bamford beat Goacher +25TP +26SXP
P Chapman beat Aiton +20 +9TPO

Wicks beat Kibble +20 +19TP

Rothman beat Higgins +5TPO, +12TP

Other matches still going on:
Lawn 5: Patel v Dawson 1-0
Lawn 3: Burrow v Maugham
Lawn 10: Wilkinson v Grimsley 1-0
Lawn 9: Brown v Avery 1-1
Lawn 11: Death v Noble 1-1
Lawn 11: RM Smith v Trimmer 0-1
Lawn 6: Hopgood v Fulford 1-0

The next Opens KO matches will be:
Bamford v Wicks on lawn 4
Chapman v Mounfield on lawn 6

Lawn 9: Avery in play.
Lawn 10: at lunch
Lawn 11: Trimmer and RM Smith have resumed, Trimmer in play. Noble v Death at lunch.

Lawn 3: Maugham is making a leave.
Lawn 4: awaiting new game
Lawn 5: Samir is in play taking a ball to 4b, POPing Dawson to H3 and H3 from H1 and H2 to start.

Lawn 6: Fulford is in play, all clips on H1 except K which is on H2.

Lawn 3: Maugham PW is one up v Burrow GrBr. He made a spread, and Burrow has just missed long lift in to C4 with peg ball.

Lawn 11: Noble v Death game 3: Noble Gr to E bdy, Death P to C2, Noble missed partner. Death misses long shot in to C4. Trimmer in play.

Lawn 11: Noble Br blobs H1 off W. Trimmer has run H2 with K.

Lawn 3: Maugham is going to 4b with an NSL
Lawn 4: Reg R to E bdy near H4, Wixy U shot and missed at R. Reg shot down E bdy with Y and missed. Wixy now taking the long shot at all the balls with K, missing on the left
Lawn 5: Samir is now making his contact leave. Leaving partner in C4, and placing UK across C2. He will presumably place strikers ball in C1.

Lawn 6: A little interactivity but Fulford is now in a break with Y.

Lawn 9: Avery in play, pondering with oppo balls in C4.
Lawn 10: Wilkinson in play on 2nd break with forward ball (Y). Just made 2b.
Lawn 11: Trimmer on H5. Balls in the other game are waiting around... Death and Noble are excellent double bankers aren't they?

This is where, on Test Match Special, various readers of the commentary would send in their favourite stories of good and bad double bankers...

Lawn 3: Sarah Burrow missed long lift with non NSL ball, and Maugham has a standard TP
Lawn 4: Reg on first break.
Lawn 5: Samir assessing his options after Dawson makes a tight leave in C2, with R out in the lawn and Y in C4.
Lawn 6: Fulford for H6. He's having a POP on K through H1, having already POPed U through H2. The commentary box reckons he'll finish on 4b with oppo balls on H3 and H3.

Lawn 9: Avery has a ball round, and is in play.
Lawn 10: WIlkinson beats Grimsley +17 +7TPO. He now faces Rothman in the last 16
Lawn 11: Death in play; Trimmer in play.

Some quotes from commentary readers:

"Surely Goacher must be one of the best? He's so static, you can treat him as a hoop and just play around him."

"As far as worst, there are so many. I could name one who marked one of their own balls and then put it in the hoop I was going to approach."

Keep them coming!

Lawn 3: Maugham has one peel done of standard TP
Lawn 4: Bamford is making a spread.
Lawn 5: Dawson is in play, about to rush to H3. (H3 and H3 vs 1 and 4b)
Lawn 6: Fulford is finishing his contact leave.

Lawn 9: Avery in play. I shall send a runner presently to check on hoop positions as my eyesight is too poor.

I should also point out that in a rare Cheltenham first, power has been extended from the CA Office to the viewing hut between lawns 6 and 7, which is where your commentator, the manager, the manager's board and a bunch of other people have been residing these last few days.

A few players have revealed how much money they've spent in the bar this week and how it compares to their usual fare in Cheltenham. It makes for interesting listening!

Lawn 11: Death has just run H4 to bdy. Trimmer has gone to 4b with K, with a contact leave: R off W bdy near H2, U in normal tice position, K in C4 and Y on E bdy peg high.

Another anecdote about double bankers:

"Marcus Evans played a take-off and smashed into a double-banked ball. Replaced that ball, marked it, moved it, and replayed the shot…and smashed into the same ball again, a few feet away where he had moved it to!"

Please email any submissions or comments to me at [email protected]

Someone in the box has pointed out that it's always hard double banking with James Death, as the balls are always flying around the lawn

Lawn 3: all peels done by Maugham
Lawn 4: Reg is in play; presumably Wixy missed the lift.
Lawn 5: Dawson having a shot from H2 at Samir's balls laid up behind H1.
Lawn 6: Hopgood tries a big split roll to get behind partner in C4 to C2. The weight is brilliant, but it just trickles off. Rob hits at U near C4 from S of H3

Lawn 9: Avery looks like he is finishing a break with all peels done.
Lawn 10: awaiting the manager to hurry up and finish his turn so some plate games can start. One of the shorter NQed players from yesterday is milling around eagerly, waiting to pounce on his Plate opponent.

Lawn 11: Noble has rushed partner to H1, Death's clips are H6 and 3b, after he stuck in H6 on his SXP. Noble doesn't approach H1 and retreats west.
Trimmer is cornering after RM Smith made a tight leave from the contact. RM Smith has been POPed to H2 and H3. Trimmer for 4b and 1.

Lawn 3: Maugham beats S Burrow +12TP +25TP

Mounfield v Chapman about to start on lawn 3.

Lawn 4: Reg looks like he's approach H5 with 2 peels done.
Lawn 5: Samir in play, placing peelee (R) in front of 4b going to pioneer at 6.
Lawn 6: Rob is starting with his second ball.

Lawn 9: Avery beats Brown +17TP, -20, +26TP

Lawn 11: Death hits in, and is now in play. He's just made 4b with rover peel to do... I believe he started this quad from H6. Trimmer is in play

Lawn 6: Fulford on standard TP
Lawn 11: Death takes the final game to beat George Noble in three games. Exact scoreline to follow.

Lawn 5: Dawson is back in and has just run H3. Apparently he's game up vs Patel, not the other way round as I originally thought.
Lawn 11: Death beats Noble +13 -14 +26QP

Lawn 11: Trimmer is trying to line up a corner cannon in C3 to H1, for a standard TP to win. His partner ball is at H2.

Lawn 5: Dawson approaching H5. Samir's clips on 1b and penult.
Lawn 6: Fulford taking off to 2b, has the rover peel to do.

Lawn 3: Chapman RY v Mounfield UK. Chapman plays the wrong ball first turn, places his own ball Y on end of A baulk. Mounfield rolls up to H1 and gets going on 2bb. Gets through 1b without a forward rush, and sends Y to C2 and K to C4, conceding contact. Chapman takes croquet from K rolling out and sending it in to the lawn, not getting in front of H1 and retreating to C4. Mounfield hits K in lawn from B baulk on turn 4, and is now approaching H1.

Lawn 4: Reg is on rover peel of his sextuple. Jawses the peel, jumps to the boundary, comes back and uses escape ball to promote peelee through the hoop, with a rush to the peg. Should be winning the first game imminently.

Lawn 5: Dawson still in play. Looks like he is doing a DPO on Patel's R ball.
Lawn 6: Hopgood v Fulford 1-1. Third game. Hopgood U to E bdy.

Lawn 6: Fulford goes outside C2. Hopgood shoots and misses narrowly at partner, Fulford is shooting at double from end of B baulk,... hits

Lawn 11: Trimmer is for H3, about to start a standard TP.

Lawn 3: Mounfield has played very well to get a break on turn 4. Partner ball is for 2b.
Lawn 4: Reg wins first game, and hits in 4th turn of second game down the boundary.

Lawn 5: a number of players are lying on the ground, adjudicating on a ball on/off decision. It all looks hilarious from here, as Jeff Dawson appears to be looking straight up somebody's bottom. Patel comes over to borrow a mallet, presumably to join in the fun.

This is where one should be able to attach a photo or two to the Croquetscores.com commentary.

Lawn 3: Moufield approaching 1b.
Lawn 4: Reg on first break.

Lawn 6: Fulford is approaching H2.
Lawn 11: Trimmer has got the penult peel done, approaching 1b.

Lawn 5: Dawson has made rover and is lining up to peg out Patel's R ball.

Lawn 4: Reg is doing a POP on Wixy' U.

Lawn 5: Dawson completes the DPO, leaving H3 and peg vs 1b.

Rothman and Wilkinson have just started on lawn 9.

Lawn 5: Dawson takes contact from K in C4, rolls it to 2b going to U on E bdy peg high, and rolls towards 1b. Doesn't get in front, has a squeeze.
Lawn 6: Fulford running 5, has done one POP.

Lawn 3: Mounfield breaks down on 3b and retreats to C4.

Discussion on best and worst double bankers continues... apparently I was pretty terrible yesterday for Brian Cumming vs Aiton! Meanwhile a small crowd gathers to watch Robert Wilkinson take a 6th refusal at short lift against Rothman, which eventually misses. The axe takes an upward swing.

Lawn 11: Trimmer finishes his TP to beat RM Smith in two games. +12TPO +23TP

Lawn 3: Paddy has just rushed to H1.
Lawn 4: Reg on a sextuple.

The manager is asleep in his chair. Everyone is drawing straws to see who will go in and take some pictures of him, or play some human buckaroo

Lawn 5: Patel made 1b off the squeeze but missed at oppo. Dawson back in.
Lawn 6: Fulford goes to 3b giving contact. His contact leave is R in C2, Y in C4, U and K in normal and reverse tice position respectively. K has been POPed to H3.

Lawn 5: Dawson calls for another adjudication after he rolls his balls from C4 towards C2; K ends up close to the line... the same referees that turned up 5 minutes ago for the last line call decision trod wearily across to lawn 5.

Wixy is sprawled outside the commentary tent, hoping for a miracle against Reg.

Lawn 3: Paddy approaches H6.
Lawn 4: Reg has rushed peelee in to another ball and looks disgusted with himself.
Lawn 5: This time the ball was adjudicated off. Patel hits, rolls to 2b and fails to in front. Dawson runs away back to partner next to H2. Patel runs 2b and escapes to C2.
Lawn 6: Fulford misses at Hopgood's leave, and Hopgood is approaching H1.

Lawn 3: Paddy was on a QPO, but looks pretty disgusted with himself.

Lawn 4: Reg rushes 3b peelee too close to 3b, and has to take a very angled angled croquet stroke to H6 pioneer. Peelee goes through but he misses the 8 yarder at K near H6.
Lawn 5: Sorry, that was C3 not C2. Patel shoots at oppo in C1, missing. Dawson sends Patel's Y to near C4 and is making a leave on W bdy near H1.
Lawn 6: Hopgood has peeled Fulford's 3b ball going to R peg high in lawn, getting a rush to H1. Will be trying for a QPO.

Lawn 4: Wixy is going to try a TPO on Reg. He's just made H3 with the balls well set up.
Lawn 5: Patel is lining up a shot from C1 to Dawson's balls on N bdy behind H2.
Lawn 6: Hopgood is about to run H3 with Rob's peelee a little E of ideal line.

Lawn 3: Chapman stopped on 4b giving contact; Mounfield is for 2b and 4b. Contact leave is Y on W bdy level with H6, R on E bdy peg high and U on reverse tice position. Mounfield picks up 2b ball and sends R to 4b getting a rush on U to beyond 2b. Rolls up from behind and makes the hoop.
Lawn 4: Wixy has got the penult peel, and is approaching 2b with peelee at rover.
Lawn 5: Patel failed 3b, Dawson goes to N bdy between H6 and H2. Patel considering his options.
Lawn 6: Hopgood gets the 4b peel. Has just sent peelee to penult going to H5 pioneer.

Lawn 3: Mounfield doesn't get in front of 3b, and is considering his options.
Lawn 4: Wixy has finished all the peels of the TPO. Reg's other ball is on H6.
Lawn 5: Patel goes to C1.
Lawn 6: Hopgood makes some progress with a passable croquet stroke.

Lawn 9: Not sure what's going on, but Rothman is on the lawn. Wilkinson hiding somewhere.

Most of the spectators are facing away from lawn 9, towards 3, 4, 5, 6

Lawn 3: Chapman in play and has just run H2.
Lawn 4: Wixy pondering mid-lawn. He's completed the TPO and has left his balls in C3 and C4. Well played. Many of the sitting audience are commenting on how well Wixy has played this Opens.
Lawn 5: Dawson makes 4 and rolls both his balls to max distance on W boundary. Samir is in H1.
Lawn 6 : Hopgood doesn't get the penult peel after H6, and sets up to do penult peel before 2b. Runs 1 and plays a good stroke sending partner K to 3b. Rushes Y in front of penult.

Lawn 3: Chapman is on a TP with Y.
Lawn 4: Reg rolls K from C4 towards 1b going to U in C3. Tries a big roll approach to H6, but strikers ball hits H3. Retreats to W bdy level with H6.
Lawn 5: Dawson in play and approaching 1b off partner.

Lawn 6: Hopgood's penult peel bounces out; doesn't get a good rush to 2b. Approaches well, and runs it at an angle giving him an extra few yards on the return roquet. Goes for a walk.

Many people are mulling around hoping to play some Plate and Z
games... they can't because the manager is asleep. Finally, Avery walks in and catches Maugham dribbling. Maugham turns his head.

Lawn 3: Chapman approaching 1b, 2 peels done.
Lawn 4: Wixy hits Y with U and send it back to C3. Joins up with partner near C1.
Lawn 5: Dawson still in play.
Lawn 6: Hopgood does a great death roll peel on penult going to 3b pioneer... is nearly wired by the hoop but slides past just enough to the amusement of the gathering crowd.

Lawn 3: Chapman is making 3b off peelee with one hoop to go.
Lawn 4: Reg corners in C3, Wixy is approaching H1 with K. Makes it, rushes to H2 and runs away back to C1.

Lawn 5: Dawson has two more hoops to take the match against Samir
Lawn 6: Hopgood runs 3b in to reception ball. Copes.

Lawn 3: Chapman has got peelee in position for straight rover peel.
Lawn 4: Reg shoots from C3 balls in C1. Misses.
Lawn 5: Dawson lining up pegout.
Lawn 6: Hopgood has angled penult but runs it well.

Lawn 3: Chapman is pegging out to take the first game v Mounfield with a TP
Lawn 4: Wixy ignore Reg, rushes up to H2 and blobs it.
Lawn 5: Dawson finishes the match and win 2-0.
Lawn 6: Hopgood has peelee virtually in the jaws of rover. Can afford to think of how he wants his leave.

Lawn 3: brief pause.
Lawn 4: Reg shoots at oppo and goes off next to Wixy's peg ball U. Wixy sends Y to S of H4, rushing partner to C2.

Lawn 6: Hopgood rushes partner to E bdy and is taking off back to peelee.

Lawn 4: Reg corners in C4.
Lawn 6: Hopgood sends black a little too far south from ideal position - ends up about 4 yards N of C4. Finishes the QPO, and goes off in C2.

Lawn 6: Rob is taking contact from K, N of IV, rolling to 1.

Is 5yds S of 1.

Takes it on....

Sails through to N boundary. U is in II, R has a 5-6 y shot at it.

Clips it, cutting it South. Splits it to 3, going to K which is midway between 1 and 2, but is short.

Has 10 yard roll-up to 2.

Gets about 6 feet in front.

Has a 3 ball break if he makes this.

Runs 2 to the boundary, and has a controlled 3-ball break for the match.

Lawn 4: Wixy has missed a cut rush, and Reg has hit in. Is taking croquet from hoop 3, he is for 6. Other enemy ball in IV.

Lawn 4: Approach to 6 looks to be short, but Reg is taking it on.

Through cleanly.

Approaching 1b from the boundary, due north. Good approach, and makes the hoop, but runs it level with the reception call, 12y N of 2b.

*reception ball.

Lawn 6: Rob is hampered after making 5.

Lawn 4: Reg makes 2b, rolls U N of 3b going to K in IV.

Lawn 6: Reg makes a good approach to 3b from IV, sending K midway between 4b and Penult.

*Lawn 4:

Roquets K, roll approach to 4b. Makes it.

Lawn 6: Rob retreats to 6y WSW of 1.

U is 2y N of 5, K 3y S of 6, looks like they are cross-pegged.

Lawn 4: Reg is making Penult, with K 3y from Rover.

Reg finishes, +12 otp.

Commentators are required for the Plate, as Hopggod considers his next shot on Lawn 6.

Hopgood now for 5 separating with Rob in Corner 1. Hopgood in II and IV. Rob misses into IV.

Chapman has first break v Mounfield and is laying up with a spread after going to 1b.

Hopgood rolls toward Corner I almost sending K off the lawn, lays up with Rob now close to Corner III. Rob moves his ball closer to III. Hop lays a better rush.

Rob deems. Hop fiddles with his rush to get it perfect. Eventually hop plays his now apparently perfect rush to 5 and fails to get in front of 5 after a ropey old rush. Goes in to corner IV. Corner I would be better says Reg "don't quote me" Bamford.

Rob misses U to near Corner I, Hop moves to Corner II. Rob hits K in IV. He's now for 6. Rolls to 6, arrives close to the peg. Misses the hoop completely. K has 5 yarder at K if he wants it.

K to corner IV. Rob hits U in corner II. Rolls to a dodgy hoop 6 position. Doesn't like it. Misses K in Corner IV. Now christened "Hoopgod Corner".

Hopgood lays up in II leaving Rob near IV. Rob moves to III.

Hopgood plays a marginally better rush to 5 and runs it with a rush to 6. Approaches from 3 yards E of 6. Gets angled position and runs with a rush to 1b

Overrolls 1b but is wired from Hoopgod corner. Gets as close as he can. About 3yrds E of IV on South boundary. U about 7 yds S of 1b.

Rob hits U from corner III. Rolls to perfect position at 6. Runs to South boundary with rush to 1b. Reg gives him 70% to finish.

runs 1b with good rush to K but the rush hits rover. Good take off behind K with rush to 2b. Should be all over.

But is it. backward take off to 2b leaves him a nasty angled hoop. Runs it easily. Should definitely be all over now.

And it is. No further dramas as Fulford wins +8otp

mountfield stuck in hoop 6 against chapman who is now making hoop 2 ith a standard tp ahead of him for the match

hoppy and fulford standing on the lawn going through the game play by play, goacher closer by hoping to pick up so tips

dawson vs maugham on lawn 11.
first game, maugham for 1 and 3back, dawson for 6 on a break with other ball for one, looks like he will be stopping at 1back with a spread

rothman vs wilkinson on lawn 9 has degenerated in to a two ball game with wilkinson on 4back and rothman on 3

wilkinson takes posi at 4back with rothman on north boundary a couple yards out of corner 2.
rothman shoots and misses to east boundary

wilkinson runs 4back, didnt even look at black, tries to run penult (!) bounces off to a yard to the side

rothman takes his lift, shoots at red by penult
hits 10 yarder, rushes it to 3 yards west of the peg

dawson gets to 1back with a spread, maugham hits the short shot with his hoop 1 ball so quad to win

rothman has thick take off to long posi at 3, runs it to within a yard of black approx level with 5 in front of hoop 4
punches a fist in celebration

poor approach to hoop 4 and bounces off to wired position a foot dead in front, wilkinson has a wiring lift

doesn't take it.....makes roquet on black after bouncing off the wire of hoop 4, takes off to penult, puts black behind rover. good shot.

bounces off penult to half way between penult and 4 back, gives away a wiring lift which rothman takes from b baulk

rushes to 7 yards north of 4

poor approach again, long hoop, runs it to the boundary, 4 yard return roquet

rushes it a foot to the west of hoop 5

maugham making hoop 3 with a standard quad laid in front of him

rothman makes 5 with a rush pointing south

match position is 1-0 to rothman
first +26to
second game, rothman went to 4back in 2 breaks, wilkinson then hit and went to 1back, rothman missed and then wilkinson did a tpo with his hoop 1 ball and pegged two off

rothman runs 1back failing to get a rush to 2back

long roll up for rothman, shot again, 3 or 4 yard hoop

runs it getting lucky with a rush to 3back

paddy has pegged out to win 2-0

rothman runs 3 back but again isnt able to get a useful rush

now approachin 4 back from level with 5

sends red to within north boundary, dead straight hoop though

wilkinson sitting here and cursing

rothman appraches penult from a yard off the north boundary in front of penult, good shot

nearly gets wired by the peg after running penult but is ok

under approaches again leaving himself a tricky rover but copes. punches another fist before taking off to the peg to peg out

rothman wins +26tp +3otp

shouts "yes" as the ball hits the peg before apologising to wilkinson

maugham peels 4 back taking off to 1back pioneer, makes 1 back and has to rush peele back through hoop 3, expecting him to finish here

jaws the penult peel with a roll to a rough looking 3 back pioneer but does well and rushes on top of 3back, but runs the hoop wthout a north ward rush. dave and i have decided its impossible to ever get a forward rush out of a hoop

youve probably realised that its wixy back on the keys by now

maugham making 4 back with partner in position for a straight rover peel

pegs out without any dramas to win the first +20qp

susan fulford off to the bar for crisps for rob and lager for me, shes a good person :D

martin murray and joel taylor look to be having a feast on lawn 4, i will try and get a grip on whats going on as im sure it will be good value

maugham and dawson started again after a brief management session

dave seems to have chosen to go first!!!
he has hit hoop 5 with black, so superhot opening
dawson to east boundary with red
maugham shoots from b baulk, missing to 6 yards south of red which is at max distance position
, quite animated as it goes past so assume he was robbed

dawson shoots with yellow at the supershot ball by hoop 5, rushes it to hoop 6
takes off to blue, not too happy that he didnt get south of it
takes off up the boundary to try and get a rush on partner to hoop 1

pretty good shot, cut rush to hoop 1 good as well so should be off

sticks in angled hoop 1 though, not happy at all, luckily (?) off partner

maugham calls on an umpire to watch his shot at red/yellow from by 6 with black, rothman goes on but didnt really need to bother as maugham rushes yellow out of the jaws to 5 yards in front of 1, easy break oppotunity now

to 3back?

been to the hut for a pit stop and to rescue my sunglasses, also thought it important to get another beer while i was there......would be rude not to! :P

maugham at hoop 3, had a backward take off so little scrappy atm but expect him to be fully in control after running 4

still not quite under, hoop 5 pioneer a couple yards north....

come on daveo!!!!!

he puts out an early 2back pioneer after hoop 5, partner going to 1back before 6

rushes partner to corner 2 after 1back, leaves it there

no 3 back pioneer, so oppo will be joined up by corner 4 and he will be off to corner 3 with strikers ball after 2back

so there will be 5 english players in the quarter finals, the exections being bamford (world number 3), chapman (world number 6) and rothman (world number 15)
are you reading chris clarke?

dawson takes croquet form the corner 3 ball (for 3back) and puts it to level with hoop 5 in front of 2 back, goes to daves hoop 1 ball in corner 2, rolls it to corner 3ish, gets a lard yine, joins up with partner on the south boundary by corner 4

dave kibble appears with a tray full of half filled wine glasses, its white looking liquid, not sure what but looks like his treat as its his birthday.
happy birthday big K

maugham shoots at the eastward off jeffs balls, hits it, strikers ball runs in to the other ball rushing it closer to the corner. thought he would make 3 back here but turns it down and rushes in to corner 3 instead

croquets red out to somehwere just off the east boundary level with 4back, not sure if he was rushing partner to 3 back but ends up rolling across to join up with a rush to 1 in corner 1

dawson on the lawn menacing before maugham has played his last shot. maugham looks scared....

kibble walks back from lawn 5 with an empty tray! :( i didnt even get a sniff!!! i thought he was my mate

dawson shoots with his ball at 4 back at partner by corner 4
steers it but pretty sure it was missing all the way
maugham rushes partner to hoop 2
takes off to corner 4, leaves himself a 4 or 5 yard roquet on jeffs balls

roquets the eastward ball but again rushes the other ball in to corner 4 with the strikers ball having made the roquet
takes off in to the corner for a rush to hoop 1
hits the rush on a good line but a few yards short but shouldnt be an issue

looks concerned that he hit the approach too hard but its fine and he has made 1 with a rush to corner 4 which he takes very well

avery getting on my back about going to get showered and powder his nose as we've got a dinner date with keefo at half 7
ive told him we can leave in 10mins as i want to see what dave does
you might be without commentary when i go......you never thought you be wishing for wixy not to leave....did you? haha

kibble arrives with another tray off fizz! offers me some this time, i take the smallest glass
tells me that he is 56
also martin murrays birthday so they were cheap and went half on the drink
combined age is 128 so ill let you do the maths as to how hold martin murray is cos im on eugenes mac and dont know how to find a calculator
kibble tells mark ormerod that their combined age is 1,000,000 when coverted to binary - all over my head

maugham makes 4 with tight postition for the quad
peels 3back to 8 yards in front of 4back so effectively a delayed tp to go
maugham defo favourite to finish this turn

bran cumming enters the hut and asks me if im the manager now !!!!!!!!!........... i thought he knew me farily well by now.....

maughame gets a ball to 1back but the peel of 4back bounces off to the side before hoop 6, not sure why he didnt get very close for the peel

after 6 he rushes off east boundary level with 4back
wasnt watching but looks like he has peeled 4back while taking off to 1back pioneer

makes 2 back with 2 peels to do.
3 back pioneer is a yard north of the hoop

thinks about for roll peel of penult going to 3 back
but takes off from partner so leaving a good delayed double position

chapman arrived again in non whites, sits on his on on the bench by lawn 11 to support his doubles partner on what should be his turn to win the match

shock!!!!!! maugham gets a north ward rush out of 3 back, bit hampered though so can only take it to peg high
rolls both to penult, peels penult before 4back

berthouze has a decent position against trimmer in a random Z game, he is rover and peg vs 1 and 2

avery comes back to annoy me about going home, im starting to desperately need a toilet break though so not too unhappy

eugene comes to look at the cricket score, he checks the bbc website, has a giggle and then walks out again.....no idea whats happening

chapman enters the hut and says he facies lionel tibble for the prez

maugham has a straight rover peel, stop shot, has to jump over peelee, no deep ball though
8 yarder back, centre balls it
all over +26qp
.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wait........he has missed a 2 yarder on dawsons other ball by rover!!!!!!!!!!
dave ends hit turn on peg and peg
jeff for 1 and 1

i gotta go now, blame dave, not me
over and out x

Eugene here. Luc Berthouze has just beaten Pete Trimmer in the Z: +25. Dawson is on break with red, approaching H3.

Dawson thinking about what leave to do. He approaches and runs H5.

The lawns are bathed in late evening sunshine and the everyone is enjoying the temperature. Death and Mounfield have finished the Telegraph Toughie crossword and are looking rather pleased with themselves.

Dawson goes to 1b and lays a tight cross peg leave, with R and Y on W boundary level with H6. Dave Maugham lifts U and is taking the short lift shot from end of B baulk....

Missed.

Dawson gets going with backward ball; he is going to try a sextuple. He makes H1 and H2 with Y, and peels R through 1b to 3 yards N of 2b. He is now approaching H3.

Maugham informs me that Jeff has never done a competitive sextuple peel, and that both Hort and Kibble gained their platinum badges for their first SXPs against him in various Opens Plates events in the past.

2nd peel done going to 4.

After H4, he has left U near the peg and come across to R. He sends this to a yard or so W of 3b going to K at H5.

Jeff makes H5, rushes K to S boundary and sends towards 1b, but it stops level with H6. He cuts R towards peeling position... it runs on a bit according to his hand gesture.

The crowd around the club have been informed and are watching from afar. I've moved closer for better accuracy on reporting.

Jeff gets the 3b peel beautifully to peg high, and gets a rush on U to H6, which he makes with a southwards rush on U.

He taps U and and rolls it towards 2b - it stops level with H5 - and has a northwards rush on R which he sends to 2 yards SSW of 4b. Takes off to get the rush to 1b.

Jeff rushes K in to the jaws of 1b. From this position, he'll be facing a straight triple or 4b before 3b to finish.

Jeff plays a nice stop shot and hoop stroke to get a good rush on K east after 1b. He rushes this across and sends this level with 4b - it looks very close to the wire. He roquets peelee and takes off to 2b nicely, pushing peelee in to peeling position.

Cuts 2b pioneer away from the hoop but copes with the sideways roll up. Gets a nice northwards rush after running 2b, which he rushes halfway between H6 and 1b.

Full rolls both balls across S of 4b. Has a 2 yard roquet on R to cut to peeling position, which he over hits and sends R out of peeling position close to K. The crowd go oooh......

Sends R to peeling position and gets good rush on K, which he rushes 1 yard S of 3b to some applause. Approaches and runs beautifully with a 2 inch rush northwards.

Straight triple to complete the SXP.... can he do it?

Sends K 5 yards E of penult, sends U to NE of 4b and gets R in to peeling position....

Does the Irish peel, Y grovels through 4b by a fraction
and he is hampered from U!!! Looks at the sweep and calls a ref. Trimmer obliges.

Hits the hampered shot but no chance of a bombard promotion. He takes off to get a rush on R, and rushes it to 4 feet NNE of penult. This is getting hairy...

He is going to try the peel going to K. Jawses the peel giving himself a 4 yarder on K to N of penult, which ends up 4 yards N of penult.

He needs to promote R through with K, get K out of the way and still be in position to run penult.....

Alas! K sails past R in the jaws of penult, and Y trickles past hoop running position!!

It all hilled off :(

Jeff looks despondent. He looks around and retires with Y to west boundary level with penult.

What a great effort. Maugham just needs to take contact and peg out to win the match.

Jeff comes off the lawn and explains that both K and Y hilled away in the croquet stroke.

K is about 4 yards S of the peg, U north of 4b, Y on W boundary level with penult, and R in jaws of penult.

Maugham takes contact from Y and rushes to 3 yards from the peg. Pegs out to take the match 2-0.

That's it for tonight, folks... Tomorrow sees the quarter finals and the Plate Draw and Process. Andrew Gregory will be joining the commentary team tomorrow. Over and out.