On behalf of the North Toronto Open (AC) tournament director, Paul Emmett....this is K. Jane Beharriell reporting from her backyard, stiff and sore from her first tournament of the season. I am enjoying a pleasant late afternoon, wine glass in hand, listening to the water burble from the rock wall and pond. Unfortunately, it has started to cloud over a little, but the rain that our weather-people had threatened seems not to have materialized and will likely end up passing south of Toronto over Lake Ontario. But I am keeping an eye on the sky in case the radar is wrong!

After a little attrition due to a couple of players having to withdraw, we ended up in two Championship (or close thereto) blocks of five. Match times were set at 2 hours and 15 minutes. The format was double round robin (both blocks) over two and a half days, on two courts....with a little time on Monday afternoon in case anything went awry. Which it almost did in Block A.

In said block, Brian Cumming of the Aboyne Croquet Club went undefeated with 8 wins, including 5 TP's. No guesswork here...he took home a very nice bottle of wine. The almost awry part was down to the last game of that block which would affect the remaining 4 players.

Louis and Paul both finished having won 3 games, and Brian's relatively quick dispatch of Paul in the 1st round this morning meant all eyes that weren't playing were checking out the last game of that block. FYI, David had won 3, Nick had won 2 and guess who were in that last game....David and Nick. As I was busy with my own game on the other court, I cannot provide specific details. But suffice it to say that if Nick prevailed over David, the TD would have a lot more calculations to do because the remaining 4 people in that block would be tied with 3 wins. Don't ask me exactly what the mathematics would have been at that point, as I said, I was busy. The bad news for Nick was that he lost 14-12, but both David and our TD were quite relieved! Results were Brian 1st, David 2nd and Paul (TD) in 3rd.

Over in Block B, Bill Rowat from Bayfield (the east side of Lake Huron) was busy cutting a swathe through the rest of us, and was standing at 4 wins (2 byes) going into round 7.....where he met up with Patrick Little from the Royal St. Catharines Club who was also at 4 wins (1 bye). Our resident "Round Mound of Sound"...if you have ever met Patrick you will understand the moniker, had succumbed to Bill's level of play in the 1st game on Sunday, but due to the round robin format, they met up again after lunch...where Bill suffered his first defeat....26-12.

Going into round 8 at the end of Sunday, the standings showed Patrick with 5 wins and Bill with 4. In other news, Ken Shipley despite very valiant play, some lovely long hit-ins, a very dry wit - much at his own expense - and a close game against Chris (14-11) was still winless. That left Chris Loat and I in the middle of the mix. Chris had squeaked past me in round 3 (21-18), but was fading badly by the end of Sunday where I was able to prevail 25 to 6. Most annoying to have the peg-out, as they say, "on my mallet" and miss pegging out the front ball from about 5 feet! Having re-pulled a sore left hamstring during a failed angled jump shot, and having to limp through the rest of that game, I was not in the mood, or physical condition, to get down and put my face on the ground to check the alignment! That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

With 3 minutes left on the game clock, a total score of 6, and therefore needing to run both balls around much of the court, Chris conceded...despite my objection that I wanted the chance to peg out my remaining ball! This fell on deaf ears both from my opponent and all the spectators!

FYI, this game was being watched by most of the "non-playing" players and was easy to follow as Bill had already dispatched Ken. And as Mr. Cumming quipped...."oh good....entertainment!" Nothing like the back and forth interactive games of the Championship wannabes! Note to self....ignore the occasional comments from the sidelines, even when they were proffered "sotto voce".

At the end of play on Sunday, with only 4 games to go, Block B stood thusly....Patrick and Bill with the aforementioned 5 and 4 wins respectively, then Jane at 3 along with Chris. Monday morning brought myself, Patrick and Bill with 2 games each left to play and Ken with 1. In the first round, one of those games was very lopsided, Patrick overcoming Ken 26 - 0. But in the other game of myself vs Bill, a rather different story. Despite several "do all the hard work and misjudge the hoop approach" attempts, I finally was able to get going. At the same time, Bill seemed to lose his usually brilliant ability to hit in and so for the 2nd time, Bill lost...commenting at one point that he was in the middle of "having his head handed to him on a platter!" I like that analogy. With about 20 minutes left on the clock the result was a reaffirming 26 to 7 for yours truly.

When the dust settled with all other games completed in both blocks, that left Patrick and me with all eyes upon us, approximately 1/2 hour of play left, 3 clips on 4 back and one of Patrick's balls several hoops behind.

Let the games begin. For those of you still reading I have to explain that I don't remember much....and certainly can't recreate most of the sequences accurately. Suffice it to say that with my Pink ball on Rover, White still on 4-back, one of Patrick's balls on 3 back, he lined up to run 4-back with his front ball and his partner as an escape ball just a few inches in front of him. My Pink was on the East boundary, north of the baulk line almost even with that hoop....in other words, lurking. Patrick stuffed the hoop. I now had a "1 + a bit" ball target.

I crashed against the stanchion and left Pink right there as escape ball number 2. As Charlie Brown would say....Rats! For those of you not familiar with this reference, just Google Charles Shultz.

Game time is called when the official clock, my watch, starts beeping.

Patrick lightly runs the hoop....and then thinks...and thinks....and thinks some more.

Chris comes over to ask me if there's still time so I explain he's in last turn.

Patrick confirms the score with me, I'm up two....after he miscounted because he hadn't yet picked up his clip!

He lightly roquets his partner and then sets up a rush to penult with Pink. But it's not a great one and his approach shot is long.

He stuffs again.

Final result, 20 to 18 for your reporter!

The final lunch was waiting for those of us still there....Louis and Ken had ordered a cab earlier as they had a bus to catch back to Ottawa. But where's Patrick? Bemoaning his loss to me? No, he needed a drink. And I don't mean alcoholic (though I'm sure he had one or two of those once he got home!).....a "soft-drink", aka pop or soda. So he had jumped (and I say that figuratively) into his car to go get one. We were all very surprised at this given that Patrick is not one to pass up food! Speaking of food....all the meals were organized by Mary Sutton of the home club....delicious and many thanks to you Mary for your hard work! It is much appreciated...as is the assistance of the rest of the players acting as clean up crew both on and off the courts. This includes David's sister-in-law Ann(e)...not sure the right spelling...who arrived in time for the last round and then assisted in the kitchen wash-up!

Prizes were then awarded to Block A players. Nick please provide the amusing photo gallery!

For Block B, apparently there was a bunch more math required to sort everything out. There was a consensus amongst those players who felt a "you snooze - you lose" penalty should be imposed on winners who disappear without informing the TD. Patrick did return, much to the relief of Chris who didn't feel up to being stranded in Toronto with no ride home. Patrick was very surprised to discover he had ended up winning, Bill in second and yours truly in third.

The rain has continued to hold off...the sun is actually out and my wine glass needs a refill! Note to self, stand up slowly.....

This is KJB signing off....hope to see many of you on the courts in the future!