We are at Ramsgate this year. The lawns were only medium paced first thing, but with some brown patches and going to be sunny and warm forecast for next couple of days.

Ramsgate club is situated very close to the coast near the top of a cliff (guess it is classed as the North Sea rather than the Channel here) and alway watch the forecast here for wind, but only breezy so far today and forecast to be lighter over the weekend.

The selection for last England Mac place is looming large, with Avery, Hopgood, Dawson and Wicks in with a shout though Wicks might need to win the event to make it happen.

I will try to add commentary when I get the chance between games.

Round 1

Robert Fulford v Stephen Mulliner

This game had a reasonable start until I over rolled 2b from nowhere with 2 peels of a QPO done.

After that there was a diabolical period of play where Stephen missed a 5 yard return after 1, I failed 2b from a yard straight and then more unusually Stephen attempting to approach 3 from near 1 with a big defensive roll and sending 1 of my balls off near C2.

After that I missed a couple of shots and Stephen finished taking his penultimate ball to the peg first.

Dave Maugham v Jeff Dawson

I first caught up with this game with Dave having stuck in 5 trying to get a delayed TP started.

Jeff for 2b and 4b then played a croquet stroke from the east boundary trying to go to the ball in 5, sailed through a brown area and then missed a tricky 3 yarder at a fraction of the ball.

Dave took his hoop 5 ball to peg. Jeff hit the lift but having established a break missed a short roquet and Dave finished.

Paddy Chapman v Mark Avery

Mark got the first break after shooting at one of Paddy's balls near 1, missing, going through 2b and hitting another!

Paddy completed a TPO. The peg out game was fairly cagey. Eventually after making 4&5 Paddy gave a Mark for 4 a lift shot with Paddy's hoop 6 ball in C2 and his peg ball 12 yards up the W boundary. Mark missed his short lift shot on the right. Paddy croqueted Mark's ball down to 4 and without playing for it got a rush to 6. He finished from there.

James Hopgood v Jack Wicks

Not a perfect game but 26TP to James with a good finishing turn.