Finished (or more accurately didn't finish) very late yesterday and didn't get round to report last night.

Conditions were difficult yesterday, windier than Thursday and the lawns still with faster greyish areas and big differential in speed going west compared to East because of the wind.

Dave finished of his game with Paddy with a TP in round 7 after Paddy failed 6. So far Dave's error count has been much lower than everyone else's, maybe 1 a game compared to at least 2 for everyone else.

Round 8 only started at 6:15. The courts slowed down considerably as it got dark and by the end judging where the grass was green or grey was an extra challenge.

Unlucky shot of the round goes to Mark Avery who having been TPOed by Paddy shot from C2 at Paddy's 2 balls fairly tight in C4, likely to give Paddy for 1 some work to do to get a break. Mark's ball smacked close to centre peg and bounced to 3 yards straight in front of 1 to give Paddy a lovely pioneer.

Stephen v Me and Dave v Jeff are both pegged down.

Dawson is for rover and peg against Maugham on 5 and penultimate after an incomplete triple attempt. Dave has a lift and has already lifted his hoop 5 ball ready to play it when play resumes with the other balls in normal diagonal spread position. Both this and mine and Stephen's game are likely to resume at the end of today or Sunday as time permits.

Stephen is also for rover and peg with me on 2 and 4b. I just misapproached 2 with partner west of 3 and has guarded Stephen's shot from 2 to 3 on the East boundary. Stephen is likely to take on a 25 yarder at partner with me needing to hit my 9 yard join if he misses.

At the end of the day we had

Maugham 7/7
Fulford 5/7
Chapman 5/8
Mulliner 3/7
Avery 3/8
Hopgood 3/8
Dawson 2/7
Wicks 2/8

Round 9 paired the leaders me and Dave. We played on 1, the easiest and most wind protected lawn.

Dave hit 4th turn, but having rolled to 2 from C2 only ran the hoop by an inch. From there he hit his hoop 3 pioneer centre ball, but then trying to pick up the break again cagily, sent one of my balls out a a big roll.

I hit a 9 yarder and went to 4b peeling Dave's other ball to 3. Dave layed up off the contact. I hit a 25 yarder with my 4b ball and layed up. Dave missed a 25 yarder and I finished +22TP.

Paddy has beaten Stephen +17 to keep his hopes alive.

Off to play round 10