Round 5

A windier morning than yesterday and generally tough conditions now.

Fulford v Maugham (a 2 hour 45 epic!)

Dave picked up his first break well but then stuck in 3b after which there was a poor passage of play particularly by me, failing a couple of short hoops and missing a 7 yarder.

We reached a position where Dave appeared to have a big advantage, now for 1 and 4b layed up with a cross wire of his balls and one of mine which was now for 4, with my other ball still for 1 near C3. However Dave hadn't checked the wiring on the third ball giving away a lift.

I went to 1b and then to 4b. Dave hit his second lift and had a TP fairly well under control until getting some hill on his hoop approach at 5, running the angled hoop to the peg and missing.

My TP was going well but then I made a mess of getting the balls in the right place for a rover peel and with both escape balls slightly north of rover opted to play the rover peel deliberately so the back ball finished in rover. The peelee only went through a few inches and I had no option but to hit it immediately.

I pegged out 1 ball. Left my other ball 3 yards SE of peg - so not to pioneer 6 too well, put Dave's penultimate ball in C2 and his hoop 6 ball near the middle of the W boundary.

Dave then played a fantastic turn, taking his chance to try to go round with the hoop 6 ball while there was a ball in the middle of lawn. He hit partner in c2, failed to get a rush on my ball in the middle and sucessfully rolled up to 6 and then managed to make 1b after a ten yard backward take off to establish a 3 ball break. Dave ended up in a position where he could have plausibly tried a straight double peel as he had managed to put that ball out as a few inch straight pioneer, but decided to have a rover pioneer rather than try a hard Irish.

I missed a shot at the peg from corner 3 and Dave finished +1.

The surprise of this round was James Hopgood beating Paddy +10. They are both in play will try to get more details later.

Mulliner had a TP against Dawson who failed to get going from the couple of chances he had. Avery won a close one against Wicks where Wixy's last error for 6 and peg v peg alone was to go out next to Mark's ball.

Round 6

Maugham v Mulliner

Stephen had the first break but failed 3. Dave missed but then hit a 25 yarder next turn after Stephen had made 3 but couldn't get going.

Dave went to 4b giving contact and then hit another 25 yarder after Stephen had made a leave.

Dave failed to make 3 trying to get his TP started.

Stephen went for a TPO but with all the peels done failed 4b and Dave finished with a 4 ball break to the peg +14.

Rob beat Jeff +20TP and Paddy beat Wixy +24TP

Hopgood v Avery is still in progress. James is about to lay up for 4b and peg, possibly against either rover and peg or rover and box.

Paddy and Dave have already started round 7. Paddy put down the first break over approaching 4 and Dave is now about to make 3b on his first break.

Mark has just hit his last shot close to the middle, still being for rover and peg. 13 yard lift shot which was very likely to decide the game either way.
Has over rushed to rover though and has 4 yard sideways take off with James peg ball as a deep ball. Opts instead to send partner defensively back towards the east boundary. Back ball is perfect, front ball partner has finished inside the yard line. Very unlikely to peg out now. Doesn't get a rush to towards partner and has to lay up.

Dave is on 4b and Paddy has layed up guarding C1 with Dave's 4b ball near the boundary by 4 and the 4b ball in C2. Dave corners his 4b ball in C4

James has missed but Mark rushes poorly to the peg. Misses from 4.5 yards! Poor from only rush from the side boundary.

James has half chance to get a rush to 4b but doesn't get it ends up lagging back to partner by ending up 8 yards apart.

Paddy makes another leave giving Dave a 20 Yarder for his hoop 1 ball but Dave misses.

Mark has just hit the peg.

Time for me to go play. Might not get through 4 rounds today.