Welcome to a slightly overcast Nottingham. The sun is trying to break the cloud cover up and shadows are starting to appear as the players are making there way out to start their practice. Gabrielle beat Jenny in yesterdays semi final while Miranda beat Alison in the other. This should be a high quality final with a number of triples. Having only seen a couple of days play this week and reading the commentaries from the other days, this match is very close to call but I feel Miranda is slightly more consistent and should edge it.

The lawn was timed this morning at 11.3 but the grass is slightly damp still so should speed up a bit when the sun gets on it properly.

Miranda is currently practicing approaching 2 from the corner, while Gabrielle has tried a few roquets and has rushed from the east boundary to 1 and is now approaching from various angles

Miranda is stood in the lawn with Keith Aiton while Gabrielle was still hitting various shots

Miranda is taking some short lift shots, and Gabrielle is talking to Stephen Mulliner.

The crowd is already approaching 20 and is expected to grow as the match progresses. Paddy is not here today as he is looking after Oliver, Miranda doesn't play as well when worrying about him

Both players have finished their practice and we should be off shortly

I have Burridge, Aiton, Clarkex2 stood round me and the only consensus on who is going to win is Gabrielle if she plays like yesterday.

G1T1 Gabrielle plays U to 10yds N of corner IV.
G1T2 Miranda looks at U from a baulk and then heads up to b baulk and plays Y to just S of corner 2
G1T3 Gabrielle shoots K at U, hits half ball on the right

Their head to head record is 3-3. Nothing to give a clue as to who will take the title.

G1T3 ctd Gabrielle takes off to 4yds short of Y, hits it, rolls Y to 12yds south of corner 2 and returns to U leaving a 1ft rush pointing at Y

Correction the rush points just north of hoop 1, looks like a double from a lot of a baulk

G1T4 Miranda is taking the long shot from b baulk through K/U. Hits K cutting it off 4yds south of U to a smattering of applause

Sends K most of the way to 3 gettting a rush on U to Y and rushes U off behind Y

Puts U to 2 but the rush on Y points at 4, cuts it to the end of a baulk

Roll up is short and wide, Miranda plays R to corner 3

G1T5 Gabrielle shoots K at U (14yds)

Centre ball and another small round of applause for a hit

There is a bit of nip in the air, the flags are fluttering contentedly on their poles

Gabrielle plays a good thick takeoff getting a tight rush on Y to 1 while moving U in a couple of yards

Makes 1 and has a rush to the west boundary with a great opportunity for first break. Overcuts the rush so has a big split to keep going

Yellow is sent just south of 3 but K went the wrong side of U and has to roll up from 5yds sideways

The roll is short, the clip has gone on the hoop and Gabrielle is now thinking

K is now cuddling with R/Y

G1T6 Miranda walks onto the lawn with R in corner 3, Y just south of hoop 3, K 10yds south of R and U behind hoop 2.

She shoots R at K, missing on the inlawn side to the south boundary

G1T7 Gabrielle now has an 8yd at Y to re-establish her break. Cuts it off the north boundary 3yds into b baulk. Slightly overhits the thick takeoff and is now approaching 2 from 4yds to the side

Slightly overrolls but has a hoop shot. Runs it to the boundary sliding past U to have an inlawn rush. Makes the roquet, sends U to 5ft north of 4 and gets a straight rush to 3. Has to approach from 3yds, good approach and the break is established

The crowd is now up to 60+

Having made 3, took off to R and rolls it to 5 going to U

The hoops today are set to between 1/32 and 1/64. They were set to 1/32 on one of the smaller balls

Gabrielle is making 5 with the rest of the break 3 yds west of the centre line. She groves through 5 and Brian Boutel makes his first visit on to the lawn to watch the slightly hampered shot. No problem there and the break continues

Behind me the Bowl final is in progress with AIlsa Lines playing Sarah Hayes. There seems to be some interaction in their first game

Gabrielle's pioneers are getting tighter as the break progresses. She is making 2back off U with R/Y at 3back

Makes 3back a bit well, puts Y into position NE of 3back. Sends R to within a couple of yards of the W boundary, 11yds S of corner 2 and retires to the E boundary 11yds N of corner 4 with a rush pointing at R

G1T8 Miranda doesn't think for long, lifts Y off 3back and is taking the long lift....

Hits U to a larger round of applause

Puts U peg high 3yds in lawn. Rushes K solidly into the peg. Takes off to R but comes up short.

Miranda is now taking off for hoop 1

Finishes 2 yds E of 1

Retires back to the w boundary joined up guarding the 10yd shot that Gabrielle has for a triple

G1T9 Gabrielle ponders whether to take the shot for the first game or be a little more defensive

She takes the 10 yarder but misses

Miranda hadn't guarded Gabrielle's shot but was joined up.

G1T10 Miranda rushes R towards 2, takes off to K and gets a rush pointing at 1. Cuts it off 1 yd N of U

Pops K into the lawn and rushes U to 1. From good position gets a little angled at the hoop but runs it without any problems

Sends U to the middle and rushes K up the lawn.

K goes to 3 and gets a very tight rush on R that is slightly over rushed to 2

Jenny is just returning from a coffee run. Thanks Jenny

The parity is there for a TPO but there is no thought of it.

U is put to 6 after hoop 3, takes off back to K and rushes it south.

The forecast for today is 16-19 degrees with a chance of showers from about 4pm

The crowd is now over 70

Miranda having made 6 is sending R to just W of 2back, and ran into U in the shot. Rolls across to K at 1back and rushes it to almost due south of 1back. Takes off and runs the hoop hard rushing K 5yds SW of 1back

Takes off from K to U, rushes U south a bit and now splits it to 3back going to R

Sends R to 5yds east of the peg going back to K, takes off to U, goes skating past and stays on by a matter of inches. Rushes U 4yds past the hoop, plays a good takeoff and makes the hoop.

Puts U 6yds south of 3, rushes K to just south of corner 2 and takes off past R.

Rolls R off in corner 4 and Y level with hoop 4 on the E boundary

G1T11

1 and 4back plays 1 and 4back
Gabrielle lifts U (hoop 1) and takes the short lift at R in the corner...

First refusal as a large lorry rumbles past on the boulevard

Missed right

In the Bowl final Ailsa is 4 and 2back and Sarah Hayes is 1 and 4back making a leave

G1T12 Miranda sends U halfway up the lawn and has rushed Y most of the way to corner 3, takes off to 2yds short of K

Sends K thudding off the south boundary in front of 1 and ends up 11yds short of Y

G1T13 Gabrielle shoots U at K....

Centre ball

Rolls up to 1, runs it to nearly peg high past K.

Rushed K back to 2yds N of 1 and is plays a big pass roll putting K near 4 and just stays on the north boundary getting a 3yd at Y. Applause from Hugh Carlisle who was sat by corner 2. Rolls Y to 3 and gets a good rush to 2

Choice of standard TPO or delayed TP. No TPO as R went to the middle after hoop 2

K is sent to within 2yds of 4back after 4, rushes R south of 5 and is now sending it to join K. Peels a layer off first as the sun makes a welcome appearance. Y is in good position at 5

Not a good shot R is 8ft N of 4back, the delayed tp is getting a little bit tricky

Gabrielle failed to rush K in front of 4back and is peeling from 45degrees to the w. K bounces off 2yds east of 4back but gets a rush on R to 6.

Slightly over approaches and gets through by a couple of inches. Can't hit R and rushes K off the boundary instead

K goes to 2back and the break is brought back under control

Gabrielle has made 2back with a rush to the w boundary, sends K to 1yd past 4back going to Y in the middle and R as a good 3back pioneer

Crowd is now approaching 100

No peel at 4back, K goes to the middle, Y to west of rover

After rover a cross peg is set with R/Y about 2yds from the peg on opposite sides on a WNW/ESE line

Rolls K to 7yds N of corner 4 and points the rush at R/Y

G1T14 Miranda is lying on the lawn looking from R on the west side of the peg and just hits Y half ball to off the East boundary

R takes off to K/U, puts K in lawn getting a rush on U to 1

Plays a good rush, makes 1 but doesn't get a rush back to the other balls near the east boundary.

Sends U to 3 going to K, (should of gone to Y first for the standard tp)

Organises a good rush to 2. Makes 2 and takes Y over to 3. After 3 gets the first peel and the standard tp is all in place

Having made 4 rushes back up the lawn to retrieve Y

Having made 4 rushes back up the lawn to retrieve Y

Y is a couple of yards N of 6, K is w of 6 and is makes 5 with hoop and roquet. Looks hampered for the roll, should have run the hoop harder

Rolls U to short of 1back and has a 3yd at K. Clubs it to near the north boundary

Puts K to 1 back. Rushes Y past 6, approaches putting Y deep and sticks in the hoop

G1T15 Gabrielle has a 5yd for an easy break to finish, hits it

Rolls U to penult and rush peels Y to R

Rushes Y to 4back and everything is there for an easy finish

Nice break from Gabrielle to win 26-16. I'm thinking 3-0 is looking more likely now, as Gabrielle is looking very solid and Miranda is struggling a little both physically and tactically, but it is very early days now.

Game 2, Gabrielle leads 1-0

Miranda - yellow to east boundary to start Game 2, and James is back with refreshments...

G2T2 Gabrielle puts K just north of corner 4
G2T3 Miranda hits K from a baulk, sends K to south of 2 but rolls past Y inside the yardline, sets a rush 10yds north of the corner pointing at K

G2T4 Gabrielle takes the short shot with U at R/Y......

Hits R to a round of applause

R goes to north of 4 and Y is rushed to 1yd south of K

The sun is out again and I think my coat might be able to come off soon as it is warming up

Slides past K well and rushes into the back of hoop 1. Sufficiently in the jaws, there is no problem making hoop 1 with a forward rush

K goes to 3 and a break is all set up

In the Bowl Sarah Hayes is 4back and peg and Ailsa Lines is 3back and box as Sarah has just pegged her out. They are playing best of 3.
The plate final is also best of 3 but is down on lawn 5 between Wendy Dickson and Elaine Coverdale and the Shield semis are on lawns 3+4 between Beatrice McGlen and Kathie Grant and Caroline Denny and Pat Long

Gabrielle has made 5 and put partner to 2back

All the balls have been taken to 3back for an NSL

Y is left so that half ball is visible from a baulk, R is just past peg high 5yds in from the west boundary and K/U are 10yds north of corner 4 with a rush to R

G2T5 Miranda lifts R and is taking the short shot at K and hits

Punts K in lawn, rushes U to corner 4, sends U towards 2 but over rolls on Y and only has a rush south

rushes to the south boundary and is now trying to roll a yard sideways to get a wire from K

K can see a little bit of R but at 11yds it won't be attractive

G2T6 Gabrielle plays U to corner 3

G2T7 Miranda takes her rush to hoop 1. Approached to 8inches 40degrees and bounces off to 3inches straight in front

G2T8 Gabrielle has a 15yd shot with K at 2 balls by hoop 1 with partner in corner 3.....

Just misses Y, she can't believe it didn't hit

G2T9 Miranda turns down the 6yd for the easy break, plays Y and rushes R to just north of corner 1. Sends R most of the way to 2 but goes the wrong side of K, has to roll up from the side boundary and goes skating past

Y retires to corner 2

G2T10 Gabrielle shoots K at U....

Missed into the corner

G2T11 Miranda has a 13yd shot R at Y....

Hits to applause

Takes off to 4yd short of K/U, hits and gets a corner 3 cannon. Plays the cannon with K near the end of b baulk and U within 5 yds of 1 to the east of the hoop. Nails the approach and is away

Rushes U to 2, takes off into Y. Tries to approach putting Y past 3, comes up well short of 2. Fires off just south of corner 3

Miranda rearranges her layers of clothing, her England shirt is still the top layer but there are now less layers underneath

G2T12 Gabrielle plays U to just west of corner 4

G2T13 R shoots at K missing to corner 2
G2T14 K misses U

G2T15 Miranda lines up to shoot Y at R, waiting for spectator movement as the main gate is in the background of the shot. Misses

G2T16 Gabrielle is in contact just west of corner 4 with 2 balls in contact in corner 2. Takes off to 2yds east of hoop 2, nicks Y doesn't get a cannon. Plays Y across the corner getting a rush to 1, rushed to 2yds NE of 1, plays a good takeoff and makes 1.

Rolls to Y and 3. U is still just outside corner 4

Rolls off 2 from the corner and has a 4yd roquet after. Hits it and the break is coming together

Smashes the croquet stroke and Y flies off by U and K finished 5yd south of R

G2T17 Miranda sends U towards 2, rushed K towards R and gets a rush to 1

Miranda has now made 3 with a break in front of her

She makes 1back and is putting U on 2 for an MSL

Runs 3back sliding past K and roquets R, leave could be awkward now as K is W of 3back

Stops R 2yds short of the boundary, hits K gently and stops it to a good MSL spot. Plays Y short of R to set the rush

Recap K 3 U 4back R 2 Y 4back

G2T18 Gabrielle lifts K off 3back and is taking the long lift "Absolutely wacky" is heard from my right.

Hits anyway

In the Bowl Ailsa has hit several long shots and is currently penult against peg and peg

Rolls R to 4, rushes Y to U and has a sight cut rush on U to 3. Rush hits 2 and finishes SE of 6. Rolls up to 3 but is short

Gabrielle had put U most of the way to the boundary and plays off behind it

G2T19 Miranda shoots R at Y 23yds hates it off the mallet

In the Bowl Ailsa steals the first +2

A number of the spectators are paying less attention at the moment as lunch is in full swing

G2T20 Gabrielle rushes U to infront of 4back, takesoff to R. A couple of good shots for a standard triple

Gets the peel after 3

In the shield semis Pat Long beat Caroline Denny and Beatrice McGlen beat Kathie Grant

Full control coming up to 6 for Gabrielle

Failed to put U in peeling position when approaching 6 so leaves it in position after 6 but cannons it a yard to the side when rushing R to the north boundary

Penult peel is still to be done and Gabrielle has made 3back without a forward rush

Rolled up to penult, tried the peel going to a deep ball for the rush to 4back. Peel bounced off and failed to get the rush. Had to roll up from by penult and recovered well.

Made 4back but the rush is pointing east. U is near penult and Y is 3yds west

Splits R to halfway between peg and rover, rushes Y past U, gets a good rush on U. Peels U to 3yds SW of rover and K just trickles through penult. Has the ref on to watch the hampered shot but misses.

G2T21 Miranda has a 5yd for her hoop 2 ball and a triple is available to equalise, hits U sends it to 3 going to K, sends K towards 3 as well getting a rush on Y to 2. Accurate rush to 2 is played and the triple is all there.

Rushes to peeling position after 2 rushes K north, sends it to 4 getting the rush on U to 3

Fails to keep Y in position after 3 so leaves it there and will have to come back to it.

In the Plate final Wendy is game up on Elaine and is break all in the second but Elaine has missed the lift as they came past for lunch

Miranda jawsed the 4back peel before 6. Rush peeled after 6 and pass rolls it to penult going to 1back. The 2back pioneer is 4yds WSW of the peg

No peel before 2back as it wasn't rushed in front of penult. After 2back K is sent 3yds NE of penult, Y is adjusted and a take off to U at 3back is made

Rushed back into the jaws of 3back after the hoop and is having to takeoff to get up the lawn

Referee is paying close attention while Miranda attemts to put the ball in contact. Miranda gets them in contact but U has moved slightly. Ian Vincent as the referee corrects U and Miranda readjusts, plays the take off hitting the peg. Snicks Y which glues to the side of penult and wicks off to clip K further north

Gets Y off the wire while getting the rush on K. U is still in the middle of 3back. 3 ball straight double to finish the game. No she rushes K to the south boundary. Sends it back to 2yds in front of rover, and rushes U north

Penult peel is declined so it should be penult and peg v rover and rover

Miranda reaches the peg and has a cross peg of K/U and lays up 9yds N of corner 4. There is only 45 minutes left for this game

G2T22 The cross pegging looks solid as Gabrielle is not contemplating it. Shoots with K (the closer ball) at R/Y...

Casts for a while and feathers K. Now's the time to hit the crosspegged ball

Replaces K and starts again still shooting at R/Y...

Missed

G1T23 Miranda finishes +4

1 game all

Players are taking lunch and I will return when they do

Gabrielle has looked ready for the last few minutes and Miranda has just returned so play should recommence shortly. They have 2hr35minutes for game 3

G3T1 Gabrielle played U to 10yds N of corner 4
G3T2 Miranda Y to just outside corner 2
G3T3 Gabrielle missed partner from a baulk
G3T4 Miranda missed U on the left and comes back on in contact on the north side of K

G3T5 Gabrielle rushes K promoting R a bit north, puts K in lawn and gets a good rush to 1

Makes 1 getting a rush to corner 4

The crowd is still a little low compared to this morning, still digesting lunch or eating it elsewhere but I'm sure they will return later

Gabrielle sends R to 5yds south of 3 and has a ong rush on K which is cut off the east boundary level with 3. Take off to Y and roll off the hoop is needed

Rolls out to 8ft fairly straight, fails 2

G3T6 Miranda hits Y at U 6yds

Took off to K, took off to R, rushed to 1, rolled up and runs 1 by 5yds, hits the return roquet

The break is not easy by any means yet. She leaves R on the south boundary in front of 1 taking off to U, and rolls past hoop 2 from the middle of the west boundary. K is a couple of yards south of corner 3 and Y plays back to the west of R on the boundary

G3T7 Gabrielle plays U to corner 2

G3T8 Miranda rushes r to 1yd north of corner 4, takes off round the lawn and will b rolling up to 2 from the corner

Overrolls, has a 3yd 30degree hoop. Fails

G3T9 Gabrielle has a 6yd shot with her hoop 2 ball at Y at 2, misses, runs 1back by 5yds

G3T10 Miranda clubs U most of the way to 1, takes off to R near corner 4.

takes off to K, hits it and then takes off back towards R moving K 7yds W of corner 3.

In the plate Wendy has beaten Elaine 2-0

26-13 26-10

Miranda sets a rush pointing in the general direction of U.

G3T11 Gabrielle shoots U at R/Y and hits

Having hit R, gets a rush on Y which goes to corner 3 cannoning R to 4yds south of 4

rolls Y to 3 getting a rush on K to 2

rushes 8ft past, approaches well and should now go round

In the Bowl Ailsa is 1 and 1back and Sarah is 1 and 6. Ailsa has the innings with the hoop 1 ball

Gabrielle has made 1back and is still going

Gabrielle is having a spread but it looks like K might be in the way of getting to 3back

Copes with it, Approached 3back from too close so no rush out of 3back

Rolls y to 5yds south and 1yd west of 2, not getting close enough to R. rushes it just past the peg, rolls it to 3inches from the peg and rushes K away, laying up 10yds north of corner 4.

Applause for a break to 4back

G3T12 Miranda lifts Y(2) and takes the long lift at K. Does R rush to 2?

Misses through the middle

While we wait for Gabrielle to appear for her turn, I look around and can see at least a couple asleep after lunch

G3T13 U goes to 2 and R is rushed past 1

1 is made and Gabrielle is away again

Taking off from three to yellow in corner four, hits blue on the way. Now has to take off behind yellow. Hits yellow, no rush to four. Perfect stoppo approach.

Puts blue to 4b going to yellow at 5 - short on yellow and blue goes past 4b

Backward take-off from 2 yard behind 5

Good approach. Runs 5 past yellow. Big roll from beside hoop 5 down to blue

No thought of any peels now, U is floating between peg and 4back. Y at 1back and R at 2back

This should now be just a break to the peg

Gabrielle has reached the peg and is putting a spread together. Y just east of the peg, R 7yds west of the peg and lays up 13yds north of corner 4 with a rush pointing at R/Y

G3T14 Miranda lifts Y and takes the long lift again.....

Clips U off where it lay

U goes peg high near the boundary, K is rushed a bit close to Y so can only get near 6, rushes R to 2 and is away with 1 good rush to 3

Fails 3 from nowhere

G3T15 Gabrielle checks which ball she wants to play with before hitting her short shot that was left. She is 4back and peg with a ball in the jaws of 4back

She is approaching penult with all the balls

Gabrielle finishes +23

Gabrielle leads 2-1

In the Bowl Ailsa is 3back and 4back and Sarah is 2 and 2back

G4T1 Miranda plays Y to 10yds north of corner 4
G4T2 Gabrielle plays K into corner 2
G4T3 Miranda shoots R at Y from a baulk, missing left

G4T4 Gabrielle shoots at R from a baulk, missing just right coming back on a ft north of R

G4T5 Y roquets R into U, no cannon, takes off behind U and rushes to 1

Makes 1 and rushes off peg high west boundary. Splits to 3 and behind K in corner 2!! Applause from the crowd

Miranda is now on a 4ball break

The rain has just started so I've moved more under the marquee. The BBC forecast said 430 so not far off

The eights selections have been made public. Easterns champion Ian Burridge says he is 3 places too low.

Miranda has made 3back and is having a spread

K is near the peg, U is 4yds off the west boundary and R/Y are 10yds north of corner 4 with a rush pointing at the other balls.

G4T6 Gabrielle lifts U, takes the long lift and hates it. Misses to the boundary

Miranda is now making 4 off partner with K still at 4back and U at 5

Delayed tp to force a fifth is all set up

Failed the 4b peel before six, peelee bounced out of jaws into red but no damage done - cut rush to six and break continues.

Makes 2back off partner with U already at 4back so a good rush could get a free peel after 2back

No rushes to 3yds west of 4back but the break is safe

In the bowl Ailsa has hit another 30+ yarder and is penult and peg against 2 and 4back

No peel at 4back, so 4back and peg with a leave coming

Miranda sets a spread with K at the peg, U 3yds off the west boundary and lays up 10yds north of corner 4 with an in lawn rush

As Gabrielle assesses her options a quantity of the crowd head for tea

G4T7 Gabrielle lifts K and is taking the short lift.....

The wind is getting up a bit

Misses to the right

G4T8 Miranda finishes +26

2-2

G5T1 Gabrielle U to 11yds north of corner 4
G5T2 Miranda Y to corner 2
G5T3 Gabrielle takes the short shot at partner, hitting

takes off to Y, hits it and then rolls it peg high a couple of yards in from the boundary

Returns to partner 9yds north of corner 4 leaving a rush

G5T4 Miranda takes the short shot at K on the boundary, centre ball

Miranda makes 1 with a rush east

In the bowl Ailsa has a potential finish from rover and peg against 4 and 4 back

Ailsa does indeed finish +2 +14

Miranda is up to 4

She makes 2back off partner with U near rover and K near 3back

Debbie Lines is whinging it is getting colder as the breeze gets up again

A spread is being set up but no rush after 3back. Sends K to 4yds off the west boundary and needs to put U in place from 5ft to the side, stops it nicely and is now rushing way

Y is 11yds north of corner 4 with a rush pointing at K/U

This afternoon there has been applause for each ball round

G5T5 Gabrielle lifts U from by the peg and takes the long lift...

Missed down the boundary side

In the Shield Beatrice McGlen has beaten Pat Long in the final

G5T6 Miranda has played the pickup well and has K 2ft from 3, a tight rush on R to 2 and U still in corner 4

Will we see a delayed triple to finish the final?

K is left by 3 and she takes off to the corner 4 ball, 4yarder required

No problem

Makes 4 and has a rush back to 4back

Rush is a little wide but is short enough that she can commit to a straight peel attempt

R solid right wire but close enough to K the break is fine

Sends U to 1back hitting the hoop and Y sat 4inches from R

Peels R from close splitting east of 4back, nails the rush to 6

After 6 rushes K to 1yd south of corner 3. K goes to 2back, rushes R to 5yds north of penult, splits it near penult going to U

Makes 1back with a rush east

Sending U to 3back, splits slightly wide and is the wrong side of R, so just takes off to 2back

K goes to 4back after 2back so death roll to 3back is coming

Peels R by a couple of yards and gets within a couple of feet of U

Applause for the death roll peel was started from the south boundary spectators and then echoed by the north boundary spectators

Rolled up to penult after 3back but then rushed R into U, moving the pioneer 3yds from the hoop

R went to rover before 4back. Miranda comes down to R after 4back to tidy the peelee up and is taking off back to U.

Slightly short but is approaching from 8ft straight

Runs penult well and all is infront of her

Peel is being done straight from 4inches. Safely through

If you're coming Paddy, now's the time to appear

And he does appear at the gate

Miranda finishes from 3yds +26tp

Miranda Chapman is the World Champion

That's all folks

Good night