Greg starts with Red to the EB level with 5
AJ Responds by shooting Blue just South of II
Greg misses Red on the left from A, leaving Ren and Yellow touching

It is a sunny day at United. The hoops are firm, and the courts running at 11.5 seconds. Chris predicts 13.5 seconds by this afternoon.

AJ shoots at the touching balls and missed badly

Greg rushes Black 2 yards South of Blue, and takes off to get a rush to 1.
He rushes Blue to 3.5 yards South-Southwest of 1
Approaches the hoop and runs the 18 inch hoop. Yellow has a rush to Red

Greg does not hit a good rush, and cuts Yellow to close to the peg.He takes off to Red (very close to the boundary) and gets in behind it to give him a rush to II, whre Black is still lurking. The rush (again) goes 3 yards South of II. Black is a little in-field though.

A good croquet stroke sends Red to deep reception, and obtains a rush on Black to 2.
Yellow runs the hoop to the boundary.
All 4 balls are now in play - a rush to 3 will yield a 4bb.

Greg stops Red to halfway between 1 and 2, and rushes Black to Blue. Black is sent to 4, where it nestles in front of the hoop - a lift if Greg fails to make the next hoop.
Blue is clubbed towards 3, and stops just South of the boundary.
Greg inspects Black to see where potenytial targets may be placed to avoid a lift.
He approaches 3 to 3 feet almost straight, and runs with Murray control to get a rush South

Blue is sent to 5, and the good pioneer at 4 means that Greg now has tight control of the break.

Greg loads 5 with Black and rushes Red South-West of 1.
He croquets it to peeling position in front of 1, and runs 5.
Blue is rushed to the middle of the South boundary, and sent to 1-back

Hoop 1 is the hardest hoop to run at this venue. Greg peels Red through 1, and gently roquets Black at 5 from 4 yards away.
Hoop 5 is run with a lot of side,and Black is sent to 2-back. Red is not disturbed.

1-back is run and Blue is sent to 3-back.
Red is sent to join it, because it stopped 2.5 yards South-West of the hoop.
Greg makes 2-back by 2 inches, and may not have a shot on Black.

Greg is forced to shoot at Red, close to 3-back. He cuts it into IV.
A take-off to Black leaves Red close to the corner.
Black is rushed towards Blue, and Blue is rushed the final 2 yards to the hoop - almost, it stops 2 feet South-West of the hoop

The croquet stroke is also a bit soft, leaving Yellow with a 1 foot slightly angled hoop.
He plays it well, and rushes Blue to the South boundary.
Blue is stopped towards the line beteen 1 and 2, 1 yard North of peg-high.
Black is rushed to 10.5 yards South of III (level with 6).
Greg decides to take off from there and position Red and Yellow close to IV.
The expert panel describes this as an error - he should have played Black to 1 yard North of the peg.

The panel recommends that AJ shoot at Black, missing into IV.
However, AJ takes the worse option of shooting at Red from A.
He hits Red, and rushes Yellow to 4 feet North of Black.

Game summary:

Greg took Yellow to 4-back and peeled partner to 2.
His leave had Black on the EB level with 6, and his balls just out of IV.
AJ hit Red with Blue.

AJ gets a rush to 6 yards south of 1.
He approaches 1 with partner, but gets too close and ends up in an unrunnable position.
He jiggles Blue in front of the hoop.

Rd is in IV, and Yellow just off the EB close to 4.

Greg is staring at Red, possibly visualising it hitting Yellow 27 yards away.
He stalks the ball with his customary grace, and shoots.
Red misses Yellow by a tiny margin.

AJ calls an umpire to watch his hoop attempt. Blue must have been not quite in front.
He runs the hoop with a rush to III.

The expert panel says that Greg should have shot at Black - shorter, and more defensive.

AJ croquets Black to 4 yards North of 3, and rushes Red to 2. Not using Yellowimplies that he wants Yellow at 3 for a TPO.
He runs 2 with nowire, and now has all the balls for the TPO.
The panel rcommends a ball to 4-back.

AJ does not try to get Yellow into peeling position - he is now just going to do the right thing and take a ball to 4-back.
He under-approaches 3, and grovels through. Luckily Yellow is there as a side ball, so the break is safe.

The pioneer at 4 (Red) is not very flash - about 3 yards North.
AJ does not get a rush on it, so he is taking croquet about 2 yards from the hoop.
He fails the 18 inch hoop, leaving Blue just
in front of the hoop

Red has a 4-foot shot at Blue, and rushes it into Yellow!
He sen
ds Blue 4 yards East of 3, and gets a rush on Yellow to 3 yards South of 2.

Greg runs 2 with Red, getting a rush on Yellow to the poor pioneer at 3.
Black is still 3 yards South of 5

Greg decides to cut Yellow towards 4, and has to play a pass roll to load 4 and get a rush on Black.
He runs into Black, and has to take off instaed.
He gets a rush on Blue, andtakes croquet a yard North of 3.

Greg grovels through 3 (like AJ did a short while ago). He does not have a clear shot on Blue.
He is walking arounf the court considering his options.
A miss gives Blue a 4bb (Blue is on 4, where Yellow is waiting).
He decides to corner - Red goes to visit the red flag

Black has a 7-yarder on Yellow.
AJ casts, then re-stalks.
He shoots and misses by a few inches.

Greg shoots Yellow to 3 yards South of Red in II

AJ shoots at Red with Blue.
Misses.

Ice cream has arrived! Commentary will be one-handed for a whle

Greg rushes yellow to IV, and rushes Black to 4
He makes the hoop and rushes Black back 4y N of Yellow just off the EB level with 4

Greg rushes Yellow to 2y SW of 5
Approaches to 2ft and runs the hoop, leaving a 6y return

Yellow is rushed to South of Black (just SW of 4), and stopped infield. Black is rushed to 2.5 yards West of 6
A take-off leaves a 2 foot hoop, which is run.
No useful rush though.

Black is sent to 2-back, but he fails to get a rush on Yellow
However, a 60 degree cut sends it close enough to Blue to take off and get a rush to 1-back.
Red runs 1-back and now he has a break (for the first time since the turn started on hoop 4) - excellent play.

Blue is stopped to the middle of the court, and Yellow rushed close to Black at 2-back
Yellow is stopped to 3 yards SW of 3-back, and Black is cut on to the wire of 2-back.
He runs the hoop and rushes Black North

Black is sent to 4-back, and Blue rushed towards the bad pioneer at 3-back
Yellow gets rushed closer to the hoop, and the hoop is run

Blue is sent to Rover as a early pioneer, and Penult is loaded with Yellow (partner)
4-back is made off Black, which is sent to the peg

Greg runs Penult and positions Yellow West of the peg.
Looks like a reverse spread coming up.

Rover is run and Blue is sent to 3 yards infield from the max position.
Black is sent to nestle against the peg, showing about half a ball to Blue.
Red and Yellow are rolled close to II, where they are set with a rush for Yellow to the peg.

Game status:

Greg has Red on the peg, Yellow on 4-back.

Blue is on 4, and Black on 1.

AJ has a lift to sae the game.

AJ lifts Black from the peg and takes the 13-yarder at Yellow.
Hits it in the middle.
This game is not over yet.

AJ rushes Red to Blue.
Red is stopped 7 yards South of 3, and Blue rushed to 5 yards East and 1 yard South of 1

The approach leaves Black with an angled 4-foot hoop.
He plays Black to 4 yards South of 1, guarding Yellow's shot at Blue, which is 1 yard North of the hoop

Greg plays Red into III

AJ roquets Black with Blue.
Takes off from the SB to Yellow close to II. Stops inches from the North boundary.
Roquets Yellow and leaves it next to 2, taking off to Red in III
Sends Red to 2 yards infield, peg-high on the EB
Retires to give Black a rush to 1

Greg plays Yellow into II

AJ rushes Blue to 2 yards South of 1
Makes the hoop with a rush to Red just off the middle of the EB
Stops Blue towards 3, and rushes Red to just South of II, where yellow is waiting.
The rush out of II leaves Yellow a yard East of 2.
Black runs the hoop to the boundary

Black hits Red in II. He now has a break.
Red is stopped infield, to 5 yards East of the peg.
Yellow is rushed to the EB just North of the peg.
Blue is about 3 yards SE of 3.
Yellow is played infield and Black gets a cut on Blue to 4 yards North of the hoop

A good hoop approach leaves Black a slightly angled hoop (hard to tell thedistance from this angle), and the other bals all together.
Black runs the hoop hard, leaving a 7 yard return roquet on Red, which is hit
Red is stopped to 5, and Blue and Yellow (which are a yard apart 16 yards North of 4) will provide a rush to 4.

Yellow is rushed to 4 feetNorth of 4.
The approach is miscalculated, and results in an angled hoop.
He belts it and it goes through by 2 yards.

AJ has taken his 4bb around, but the 3-back pioneer (Red) hit hoop 5 and is now 6yards North-East of the hoop.
He rushes Red to the hoop, and runs the hoop with no wire, leaving him a 7-yard return roquet

The return roquet is made, and he sets an NSL with Red in the jaws of 4.
The expert panel recommends a Riggal in these tricky conditions.

Game summary:

Greg has Red on the peg, and Yellow on 4-back.
AJ has Black on 4-back, and Blue on 4.

Yellow is just off the West boundary level with 6, and Rd is in the jaws of 4.
Blue and Black are on the EB level with 5, with a rush infield.

Greg lifts Red from the jaws of 4 and shoots down the EB at Blue.
Misses into IV

AJ rushes Black to the middle of the WB, and croquets it to 3 yards West of 1-back getting a rush on Yellow to IV.
The rush goes out 3 yards North of Red.
Yellow is rolled to 2 yards NW of the corner, and a rush on Red is obtained - good shot!
Red is rushed to 1 foot North of 4.

Red makes the hoops and rushes Yellow into IV.
Yellow is stopped to 4 yards South of 6, but the SB rolls past Red, spoiling the rush to 5.
A take-off from Red to Black tucks Red in behind 4, leaving it wired from Yellow.
Blue ends up North of Black, yielding a nice rush to 4 feet North of 5.

Blue takes off and runs a 2 foot hoop 5.
He now has all the balls under control for a break to the peg.

Blue runs 6 to the boundary, leaving a 10 yard return roquet.
The shot is centre-balled, rushing Yellow South of 5
Yellow is sent to 3-back, leaving 2-back poorly pioneered by Black about 4 yards North-East of the hoop.

After making 1-back with no rush, a big roll sent Blue just past Black, leaving him with a 3.5 yard approach to 2-back.
A good croquet stroke left a 18 inch hoop, which was run to th boundary.
The break is now back under control.

Blue ran into Red while trying to get a rush to 4-back from 2 feet North-West of the hoop, so AJ took off and had a 2-foot hoop which he ran too softly. The turn ended with Blue in the jaws.

Game summary

Greg has Red on the peg, and yellow on 4-back.
AJ has both clips on 4-back.

Blue is in 4-back, Red a yard North of the hoop, and Black at penult.

Greg lifted Yellow and roqued Red. He now has all the balls to finish the game.

Greg takes Yellow through the last 3 hoops under control and pegs out to take the game.

Match Status: Greg 1, AJ 0

We will have a lunch break before commentary starts again.

We rejoin game 2 with the following position (Your commentator can recommend the Running Man's chicken wings):

Greg had a clip on hoops 1 and 3.
AJ has a clip on 1, and is taking Rd around.
He has just made 2-back.

AJ sets an NSL with Black on hoop 4.

Greg lifts Blue from the West boundary and takes the short shot at Red. Hits. Red stops on the EB level with hoop 6

Red is sent to 2y West of 1. Blue does not have a useful rush on Yellow - it requires a 45 degree cut to get to 3.
The cut is slightly over-done, so Yellow stops 5 yards South of 3. He rolls it down to 4, where Black is in front of the hoop.
The rush on Black ends up about a yard West of where Yellow was, still well short of hoop 4.

Black is rolled towards III (about 5 yards SW), but Blue does not get hoop position. Blue goes to 3 yards SW of III.

AJ shoots Yellow into II. Red is 2 yards West of 1, with the hoop in play if it is rushed to 4.
Greg rushes Black to 3, and Blue makes the hoop with a rush to the North boundary.

Blue takes off from the NB to Yellow in II. Yellow is played to 2 yards ENE of 1, leaving Blue a 6 yarder on Red.

Blue rushes Red to the SB. It is sent to 3y WNW of IV, as Blue approaches 4!
The approach is not good enough, so he retires to partner.

Red has a 15-yarder at Yellow.However, AJ shoots Yellow into corner III.

Greg rushes Black to the WB level with 1. He sets up a wired rush for Black to Red.

AJ shoots Red to a wide join 16 yardsSouth of Yellow on the EB

Greg plays Black, and runs 1. His rush points South.
Black takes off from the SB and gets a Northward rush on Red towards Yellow.
The rush goes out 12 inches West of Yellow.

Yellow is rushed to 2 and the hoop made.

Yellow is rushed to Blue on the SB. It goes out 5 yards West of Blue.

Yellow is sent to 4 yards South of 4, and Blue to the safety of corner II. Black approaches 3 off Red, but does not get a good position.
Black is ent back to corner II.

Red shoots at Blue and feathers it.
Blue is sent out a few yards from corner II, and Red roquets Black in the corner.
Black is sent to hoop 1, and Red roquets Yellow.
Yellow is rolled to 7 yards North of IV, with a rush on Red to hoop 1

Blue is just out of II.
Black is 1 yard NW of 1.
Yellow has a rush to 1 from the EB level with 4.

Greg is eyeing the shot at Red (with Yellow hidden behind it). Chris recommends corner IV.

Greg shoots at Red, but hits the hoop cunningly left between his ball and its target. Black goes out about 9 yards North of Yellow.

Yellow rushes to 1 and makes it with a forward rush.

More like a rush towards 3

Red is rushed to 3 yards SW of 3. He takes off to Blue. Will have to roll for the hoop from the corner.

The roll leaves Yellow with an angled 18-inch hoop. He smashes it hard - rejected to close to the WB.

Blue takes on the he10-yarder on Yellow.Misses.

Yellow takes on the 6-yarder on Blue. Hits.

A big roll on Blue sends it to 4, and Yellow roquets Black on the WB level with 5.
Black is rolled to 3, but the intended rush on Red is South instead of West.
Red is cut to 2 yards SW of the peg.
He rolls for 2, and gets angled position, with Red on the yard-line 4 yards East of II.
Yellow sticks in the jaws of 2.

Greg lines up Black at Blue - 20 yards. Misses.

Yellow runs 2 from within the jaws. Hits the 5-yarder on Red.
Takes off from II to Black on the SB behind 4.
Yellow stops well short of hoop 4, close to Blue. AJ decides to roquet Blue instead of the 9-yarder.
Takes off from Blue and gets halfway behind Black! 45 degree rush to 3 required for a break.
Decides to tap black and leave Black and Blue wired.
Blue is 3.5 yards North of 4, about 2 feet East.
Black is a yard off the yardline, wired from Blue.

Yellow has retired to partner in II.
Greg is considering his options.
The wiring of Black and Blue is perfect.

Blue shoots are Red and Yellow in II. Finds the gap between them.

Yellow uses Blue to rush Red to the SB behind Black.
Red is sent to 4, and Black rushed a bit deep - only 2 yards South of the NB, and about 5 yards East of the hoop.
The hoop approach is under-done, and Yellow is forced to retire to partner.
He goes off the SB, leaving an 8-yarder on partner.

Black shoots into I
The expert panel believe that shooting at Blue is much better - if forces AJ to hit.

Red shoots at partner on the SB and hits.
Takes off to Black in I, goes well past it......and goes out

Black rolls Red to 4 yards past 3, and joins partner in II.
Rolls Blue to just off the WB 2 yards North of 5.
Sets the rush for Black to 3.

Recap

Greg has Black on 3, Blue on 4.
AJ has Red of 4-back, Yellow on 3.

Black is on the WB 1 yard North of 5, with a rush on Blue to 3.
Red is 4y NNE of 3.
Yellow is on the SB 3y West of IV

AJ Shoots Red into II

Greg rushes Blue to 1y South of 3.
Takes off and gets good position, runs the hoop to the SB where Yellow is waiting.

Yellow is rushed to 2.5 yards North of IV.
It is sent to 3 yards West of 5, and Black gets a rush to Red in corner II.
The rush leaves Blue 3 yards South of Red.
He takes off behind Red.
Now needs to rush it to hoop 4.......

The rush leaves Red 3.5 yards South-West of 4.
Black takes off for hoop position, gets a straight 4-footer.
Stalks it carefully.....
Runs the hoop to the border.
He now has a break

With 6 loaded, Greg grovels through 5 and needs an umpire. From here it looks easy - Yellow is almost directly North of the hoop, and he is in the middle, through by an inch.

Greg hits the hampered shot. His break is still on, and he will be picking up the Blue ball after he makes 6

Greg made 1-back with all 4 balls in play, but managed to get a slightly long angled 2-back which bounced back
AJ lifted Yellow and hit the 3-yarder at Blue.
Yellow is for 3, and Red is already at 4.

AJ leaves Blue at 1, and rushes Black to Red at hoop 4.
Red is rushed to 3 yards South-West of 4
The take-off to 4 is clubbed, leaving a 6-footer that he tries to guide through the hoop gently.
It hits the far wire and bounces back.

Greg shoots with Black from hoop 4 to Blue at hoop 1. Hits.
Blue is sent to hoop 4, and Black goes to 3 to visit Red and Yellow

Black ends up between Red and Yellow, but with the hoop in the way of Yellow.
So he hits Red, and takes off to get a rush on Red.
The rush is a bit long, and he clips Yellow over to the WB level with 6.

Yellow is sent to 1 yard West of 2-back, and Black scatters Blue to the WB level with 4, with Black in corner IV

Yelow shoots at Red, just North of 6. Mis
ses.

Blue hits Black in corner IV.

The take-off from IV to Yellow on the NB behind 3 is very delicate - lots of fast lawn to cover.
Greg plays the shot with finesse and has a 3-yarder.
Yellow is sent to 5 yards North of 6, and Rd is cut to the EB level with 5.
The load-and-hold sends red to 2-back (Black clip) and leaves Blue with a 2-foot slightly angled hoop 4.
Blue fails the hoop.

Red shoots from 2-back to Blue in front of 4, missing narrowly.

Black hits Red from corner IV.
Takes croquet on the EB a yard North of 4.
Red is sent to pioneer 3-back, and Blue is rushed to 5 feet West of 2-back.
The take-off leaves a 2-foot hoop, which is run

Black had all the balls for his break to the peg.

The leave:

Red in IV
Yellow on the EB peg-high
Blue on the WB 2 yards North of peg-high, with a rush on Black to Yellow

The clips:
Blue on 4
Black on the peg
Red on 4-back
Yellow on 3

AJ lifts Yellow and shoots at Blue from corner I. Misses.

Yellow was mis-hit badly - it went out next to Blue.
Greg used Yellow to get a rush on Black to IV, which went out 6 inches from the corner.
Red was rushed to 4.

After running 4 to the boundary, Greg shot at Black in the corner.
Black was then stopped to 4 yards South of 6. Bluehad a rush on Red to 5, which ended 2.5 yards South of the hoop.

Blue established a 4bb and progressed to 2-back, when time was called.
He is still playing the break, about to make 3-back.

Blue continued to the peg, running Rover to leave a 9-yarder. He hit the roquet and pegged out to win the game and match.

Greg Bryant qualifies forthe final to defend the NZ Open title