WCF AC World Championship

Good morning from West Palm Beach.

I shall be commentating on Bamford v. Mulliner, Jenny is covering Maugham v. Maloof.

The players are warming-up on a somewhat grey, overcast morning. It is bound to warm-up later.

Reg is currently looking a class above all the other players in the event, so Stephen has his work cut out today.

Reg / Stephen are on lawn 7, the Davids on lawn 12, for those who know the layout at NCC.

Reg / Stephen are on lawn 7, the Davids on lawn 12, for those who know the layout at NCC.

Good start - no clips on the lawn.

Stephen UK, Reg RY.

Stephen super shot with U.

Reg plays Y to max distance on the E boundary.

SM shooting at it from c3.

Hits, slightly overdoes the croquet stroke.

Rushes to S boundary, half way between 1 and 5.

Over approaches, and retreats to 1y N of c4.

Y is 3y WNW of 2, U is 5y N of 1.

So Reg has a 10-11 harder for an easy start.

*yarder

Shoots at partner from B baulk, hits.

Y ends up in the middle of the W bndry.

Plays a gentle square-split to get a perfect rush on U.

Makes 1, and rushes to the W bndry.

Y is 6y SW of 2.

Makes 2, and rushes Y to N bndry.

U is 5ft N of 3.

Nice croquet stroke gets the rush on U, and Y just N of 4.

The sun begins to break through, as Reg rushes U to 5y N of K, which is just N of c4.

U is sent S of 4, requests K and sends it to 5 going to Y.

Runs 4 to the bndry, and has a 4-ball break.

After 5, Y is rushed near 1, where K also lies. Takes of to U at 6, so it is to be an sxp leave.

*off

Lays a NW / SE cross wiring, with each ball 3ft from 1.

Rushes Y to 5ft S of c3.

Y sent just out of c3, R is left 4ft NE of 3.

Stephen is kicking some tiny object off the lawn.

Shoots with K, the south-easterly ball.

Hits hoop 3, and deflects to near the N bndry, NW of 3.

Perhaps a fortuitous way to miss.

Regs takes on the 8-9 yarder at K, rushing it to 7y NW of 6.

Takes-off back to partner (Y), has a 6ft Rush towards 2.

Rushes to 5ft NE of 2.

Contemplates the peel...

Peel fails, bouncing off the near wire

Apologies, partner ball is R, Reg is playing with Y.

Has a 5ft take off to 1 from NE.

Makes 1 with the rush pointing just S of 5.

Rushes to 4y SE of peg.

Sends U to 3 going to K, which is NW of 6.

Makes 2 off R, and is lining up the 1b peel, with the escape ball 3y SE.

Makes the peel, rushes K to N bndry.

Makes 3, with peelee 6y NE of 2b, and K 1y SW.

Rushes U to 7ft NNW of peelee.

Has a 6ft peel attempt...

Peelee ends up on the E wire. Reasonable rush available on K to 4 though..

Rushes to 3y WNW of 4.

Good approach, and hammers through 4, has a rush pointing towards 5.

Plays it gently, and send K to 6 approaching peelee.

Taps peelee, but it ends up angled to the NW.

Sends peelee to 4ft NW of 5, so he will be having another go at the 2b peel after 5.

Makes 5, and rushes partner to 7ft NE of 2b. Reg is visibly disappointed with that shot..

Lines up the peel nonetheless.

Plays it straight, forgoing the easy rush on K. It goes through to applause from the gallery.

(Sorry, rush on U)

But rushes it onto 5.

Has to take-off to K at 6, so has no 1b pioneer.

U is now 3y ENE of 5

Makes 6, with a rush pointing to c1.

Rushes to S boundary, due south of 1.

Peelee is 3ft SSW of 1.

Sends K 5ft S of peg, but has gone too far N of peelee, so has no rush to 3b.

Cuts it to 2ft W of c4.

Plays a pass roll. Peelee collides with the near wire of 3b, and Y is overdone, so the rush is pointing to 3, not 1b.

Cuts to 4ft NE of 1b, superb shot.

Crowd applauds.

Makes 1b with an easterly rush on U.

Rushes to E boundary E of 4. Peelee is on the E wire of 3b, K is 5ft S of peg.

Sends U 10 y S of 4b, going to peelee, which he taps gently.

Lines up the peel from about 10 inches.

Peel goes through by 13 yards, rush on K is good.

Rushes K to 8ft NNE of 2b, is not happy.

Hammers it though, and gets a lucky westerly bit of wire to give him a rush towards U.

Rushes to 5ft SW of U, which is 10y S of 4b.

Sends K to the W, and roquets peelee, and has a very long 4b peel attempt, which he jawses to applause. Has a rush on U to 3b.

Not too happy with the rush, which is to 8ft SE of 3b.

Good approach though, and he runs 3b with a rush on U towards penult.

Rushes U to between 4b and penult, and takes off to the jawsed peelee.

Rush-peels it to the N bndry, and splits it to 8ft NE of penult getting SE of K, which is 6y SE of 4b.

The rush is not good, he is approaching from 8ft SE.

Approaches well though, and runs 4b to the boundary.

Gently rushes K, and lines up a bombard on peelee going to U, which is ENE of penult by 3yds.

Bombard is fairly successful. U is sent 5ft ESE of penult going to peelee.

Has a straight penult peel of about 12-18 inches.

Peelee through to 7ft NW of rover, striker's ball is jawsed.

Rushes K to the N, and sends it only just S of rover, 7ft E.

Rushes U to 4ft NW of peelee.

Sends it 5ft WSW of rover, and over-rushes peelee. Has an 18 inch 35 degree peel.

Through by 3 ft, jawsed Y.

Rushes U, and takes-off to K.

Rushes R to 5ft E of peg.

+26 SXP, 1-0.

Game 2. The players have switched colours. Reg U to 8y N of c4, Stephen Y to c2.

Reg hits U.

Takes of to within 2ft of Y.

Y to just S of peg-high, 4y off W boundary. K 10 ft from U, and is placed to give U a rush to the S of Y.

SM shooting at partner from A baulk.

Misses by 2-3 inches on the right.

Reg rushes K due W of Y, sends it to 7y SSW of 2, getting a rush on Y.

The rush goes to 6ft SE of 1, and it seems Reg wants some gardening done. The referee heads his way.

Reg is asking for a fork.

A knife is offered and declined.

Give the man the cutlery he requires!

A fork is located, and the horticultural work can commence.

Good approach to 1, which he runs gently, and has a slightly to hampered rush on Y.

Y is sent to 3ft NE of 3, easy rush on K.

R is lying on the N boundary, 3y W of 3.

W of 2, sorry.

Runs 2, and collects R.

Sends R to 4, and has the 4-ball break.

I shall grab a coffee, and update you on the leave, or (rather less likely) a break-down.

I have my cup of hot brown, and can happily report that Sherif Abdelwahab beat Robert Hurst in the plate KO with a sextuple. Hats off to him, that's his first (and he says he last!).

Meanwhile, Reg is making another sextuple leave.

But rushes partner onto the peg!

The mask of immortality slips slightly.

Plays a good roll shot towards c3 to rectify the situation.

K is 7-8ft SW of c3.

Stephen heads to his balls, a rueful look on his face..

Paces between the two before choosing R, the south-easterly of the two.

Casts, then re-stalks.

Misses by some distance to 2y W of c3.

Reg had to pull out a couple of superb shots during his SXP in game 1. He will be hoping for less drama this time.

Sends R to 3y NE of 6, has a rush on U. His signature swipe of the forehead suggests he is not entirely happy with that.

Rushes to 5ft SW of 2b, so the first peel will have to wait.

No rush out of 1, so needs a big roll to get to R / 3.

Not a problem, and 2 is made off peelee, has a 2ft 30deg peel from the NW.

The peel is through by 10y, the rush on R goes to 10y E of c2.

R is sent 3y E of 2b, 7ft rush on Y to 3.

Not a great result, rushes Y to 6in SSE of 2. Calls a referee.

SSE of 3, sorry.

There are 3 kinds of croquet players. Those who can count, and those who can't.

Gets in front of 3, and is considering whether to go hard with hoop-and-roquet.

Not that hard in the end, a Y is rushed to 7y WSW of the hoop.

Sends Y almost next to R, roquets K, and rolls it just NNE of 2b. All the balls in a cluster now.

Rushes R to 4. The lack of a rush out of 3 has delayed the 2b peel.

Runs 4, and rushes R to 3y NNE of peg. Takes-off to within 2ft of peelee.

Has a straight 1ft 2b peel, escape ball (Y) is 3y E.

Peel is through gently, and Y is rushed to 2ft NW of 5. Reg's displeasure is obvious.

Takes off in front of the hoop, runs it with a rush back to peelee.

Rushes to S bndry, 3y E of 1. Sends Y 1ft E on 1b, getting a rush on peelee pointing at S bndry between 5 and 4.

Rushes to 5ft SW of 3b, and takes off to R, which is 4-5y SSE of 6.

Doesn't rush well, and is approaching 6 from 4y SSE.

Runs 6 to the N boundary, and has a rush on R pointing towards c4.

Rushes to peg-high on the E boundary. Peelee is 2ft in front of 3b after the take-off to 6.

Sends R to 6y SE of peg. That might be in the way off the death-roll peel to 1b.

Stephen is reading in the shade of the gazebo to the north of the lawn, only occasionally looking up

The death-roll peel is through by a foot, and the striker's ball only narrowly evades R.

Makes 1b, rushes to 6ft W of 4b. Takes-off to peelee, and sends it toward 4b whilst getting the rush on R to 2b.

A kindly lady has declared her love for me, based on my commentary. Having been informed that donations of cold beer are welcome, she tells me her husband will pay for that.

On the lawn, Reg runs 2b to the boundary, and has a 3y rush pointing towards penult.

Rushes R to 3y S of penult, pass rolls to peelee, which is tapped in front of 4b.

The escape ball is about 7ft WNW.

The peel is through, with a good rush to 3b.

The rush is to 2ft E of the hoop. Not ideal, but OK.

Plays a nice delicate approach shot, and gets a forward rush.

My cold beer has arrived. there is also one for my expert sidekick, 'Pistol' Pete Trimmer.

Meanwhile, Reg rushes peelee to 4ft NW of penult, so has an angle peel going to R, which is between penult and 4b.

Plays the peel straight, jawsing U, has a 10ft rush on R, which he makes to 2y SSW of 4b.

Runs 4b with a rush pointing to the N of penult.

Studies peelee in the jaws.

Rushes to a couple of feet N of penult. Y is 5ft S.

Rush peels too gently, and will need the subsequent croquet shot to be referreed.

Colin Irwin declares it clean. Peelee is 3y NNE of rover, Y is rushed to the N of penult.

Stick in penult!!

Is appealing for a wedge.

Colin is back on the lawn, testing the hoop.

I'm of the opinion that the player should leave the lawn at this point.

Instead, Reg is leaning over the spot, no doubt having a word in Colin's ear.

The testing has gone on for a couple of minutes now.

Still the burly Ulsterman is crouched over the hoop.

No wedge, and Stephen has his chance.

Stephen is shooting at K in the jaws of penult, so Colin is on once more.

Hits, and should have an easy break, with Reg for penult and rover.

Stephen is underway, and in control, playing with R. He is for 2 now.

The choice of leave, should he complete the break, will be interesting to see.

Stephen is making trouble-free progress, and is on his way to hoop 4.

Stephen, rushing to 4, characteristically points to the spot on lawn with a gloved hand.

Just one hand is gloved, Michael Jackson-style.

Stephen makes 5, and sends K to 4ft ESE of 1, then rushes Y all the way to a position 6y SW of 3. Sends it back to 1, so it's a sextuple leave.

A tight crosswire at 1 is payed, the balls about 3 ft from the hoop.

The subsequent rush is not great, to the N boundary, 5ft W of 6.

Rolls Y to 5ft WSW of c3.

He is now back at hoop 1, studying Reg's choice of shot before playing his final stroke.

Taps R to a position 5y NNE of 3.

Black, for penult, is the south-easterly ball.

So Reg will play with that.

Misses Y into c3.

Stephen has made 1 with no rush, so rolls up to K nears 6.

Rushes it to 5y SW of peelee / 2.

A little gentle on the short apprach shot, is through with a very short angled peel to come.

It's through. The rush is fairly long, and goes to the N bndry, 2y E of 2.

A light aircraft passes low overhead, through a now bright blue sky.

Stephen has needed to play a short take-off to 3, and it looks horribly angled.

He lies down to line it up.

Jumps shot...

Bobbles through to applause.

Rushes U to W bndry, a little S of c2.

Peelee is 15y N of 2b, K is 8ft ENE.

U is sent 8ft ESE of 3b, R is rushed to 9ft Ne of the hoop.

Doesn't attempt the peel, settling for position, and a rush on k to 4.

More press-ups for a slightly angled hoop 4 stroke.

Through, and rushes K to 7y N of 3b.

*2b

It is sent to 3b, and peelee is rushed to 2ft and 20deg of 2b.

Peel is through, and U is rushed to 8ft SE of 5.

Another angled hoop, and Stephen is on the ground again.

U is the ball for rover. He needs this.

Sticks, and appeals.

Tony Hall is the referee on this occasion.

My mistake. He is through, and the ref is on for the hampered return roquets.

*Roquet.

Takes off to peelee, which is 5y S of R.

Plays it bravely to get the rush towards 3b, flirting with going off the lawn.

Rushes nicely, and has a straight 3y peel attempt.

Bounces off the E wire.

Stephen has mis-approached 6. Looks impossible.

Calls a ref.

I'm guessing his chosen point of retreat entails a hampered stroke.

Hen shoots off the S boundary, S of 4. Partner is 3ft NE of 4.

U (for rover) is in the middle of the lawn. K (for penult) is nearly on the boundary N of 6.

So penult and rover plays 6 and 3b after two failed sextuples.

Reg shoots at partner with U, misses.

So he is joined up near the middle of the N boundary.

Stephen plays with Y (6), rushing partner to 5y NE of peg. Sends it to 1b, approaching the enemy balls.

Roquets U, and has a slightly angled rush on K to 6.

Backward take-off to the hoop, angled, and Mulliner hesitates.

Sticks in the hoop. That's a disappointing effort given the location of the balls at the start of that turn.

Reg doesn't have the shot at the jaws end ball refereed. He claims the hit.

I am 35 yards away, so can't question Reg's actions there.

I'm sure Stephen would have insisted on a ref if there was any doubt.

The roquet was made with Reg's penult ball, so he makes the hoop, and then rolls past R, which is just N of 2.

Rushes R to 2y S of U, near the middle of the N boundary.

Has a tricky take-off if he wants the rush.

He doesn't risk it, and sends R towards c3, staying S of U.

Will be a long roll south. Does he try for position?

He does. K ends up 6ft NNE of rover, U 5y S.

Creams it though to the S boundary.

Crowd applauds.

Roquets U gently.

Stephen's balls are c. 22 yards apart, near corners 2 and 3.

Reg ponders for some time.

Rolls up to 2y ENE of c1, and lays the rush to rover, having checked that R (near c3), has a shot. Y clearly does.

Stepehn's tuen to ponder at length.

*turn

*Stephen's

Shooting with R, near c3 at partner.

Misses.

Reg rushes to rover, makes the hoop, and has a short rush pointing at c3.

Rushes to 10ft E of the peg.

+13, 2-0.

off to get lunch now
Love tubs xx

My thanks to Christian 'Beaker' Carter for the last comment. It is indeed time for lunch, back soon.

Game 3.

Stephen U super shot, Reg Y to max distance E boundary.

Stephen hits from c3.

8ft rush on partner to 1.

Rushes to 3ft WSW of 1.

Makes 1, rushes U to the middle of the lawn, splits it to , Christs Y.

Short angled hoop 2.

*splits to 3

Runs 2 to the boundary, rushes Y in lawn, and has a controlled 3-ball break.

Stephen is currently approaching 2b.

Reg rarely TPOs, so Stephen can go to 4b with impunity.

His leave has partner, on the W boundary, 14y N, with a rush on Y pointing at K, which is max distance on the W boundary.

A more defensive option than three ducks.

Reg takes R towards c3 to take the long lift.

(Not technically a lift, of course)

Center balls U.

Rushes Y to K, working out if he has a cannon.

He doesn't, and croquet so Y out just a few feet, getting the rush on K to 1.

Rushes to 3ft NE of 1. Has some work to do, with Y just of the boundary, and U just 6ft out of c4.

Takes off in front of 1, hoop shot is too short to get a straight rush to c4.

Rushes K to 10y N of c4, and takes-off short, rush on U is pointing at c1.

The cut rush hits 4, and U ends up 5y WNW of 1.

He is about 13y S of yellow.

Christs Y, U to 3y NE of 3.

So he is approaching 2 from 10 y SW.

Looks pretty good.

Runs 2 to the boundary.

Rushes Y to the middle of the lawn.

Pass rolls Y to 4, is a little short on K.

Cut rushes to N boundary, 3y W of c3.

Sends K in-lawn, gets the rush on U. Makes 3 and has a 4-ball break.

Reg is making another sxp leave.

U is sent 4y WSW of 1, so SM will have a marginally shorter tea-lady.

Reg is content with the crosswiring, and rushes Y to c3.

I should correct my previous remark. The shorter shot would be with Stephen's 4b ball, so in all likelihood, he will have a longer tea-lady.

This Reg chap knows what he's doing...

SM no hesitation in shooting with blue.

Hits to R to loud applause.

R is the forward ball, nearer 3.

Takes off to Y, big split-roll coming up.

Plays it well. U a little long if one is being hyper-critical.

Makes 1 with no forward rush, so another big roll to come.

The lovely Jane Morrison is the latest to buy me a beer, couriered to me by husband Campbell.

The favored brew here is Yuengling (pronounced 'ying-a-ling'

Produced by America's oldest brewery, laughably young at 1829 to us Briton's.

Stephen's roll is successful, and he is now approaching 3 off the peelee.

Runs 3 well, and can gently cut K to peeling position to commence a standard TP.

Jawses partner, and rushes the escape ball 5y ESE of 4, then sends it to 5 getting the rush on Y to 4.

Makes 4, and rushes the reception ball (Y) to 6y ESE of 4b.

Plays a half-rolls ending Y NE of 6, and rush-peels K.

Walks down to 5 to pick his spot for the take-off.

Makes 5, but the rush is to the E boundary, 11y N of c4.

The latest big split roll goes well, and K is played to a peelable position, with a rush on Y to 6.

Makes 6, but has to nudge peelee a little further away.

Peel is through by about 1ft, Y is rushed to the N boundary, and sent to 2b approaching R, which is 5ft E of 1b.

Runs a controlled 1b, and rushes R N of penult, then sends it to 3b, getting the roquet on partner.

R ends up quite far south of 3b, but shouldn't be a problem for the veteran croquet player.

Stephen has 898 ranking triples (or higher-order peeling turns), and that doesn't include anything before 1985. He's been here many times before.

Plays an exquisite croquet stroke after 2b, loading 4b and getting a dolly rush on partner. Now has a very short, straight rover peel going to R.

Jawses it, getting a short cut-rush on R. Makes 3b, with a rush pointing SW.

Sends R to 3y SSE of penult, and rush-peels K.

All peels done, so barring a Maugham error, this should be 1-2.

Takes-off to Y at 4b, makes an easy hoop, and rushes past rover.

Splits it N of rover, getting a rush on K. Rushes K S of R, which he then rushes to just E of penult.

Makes penult, roquets partner after having R, and takes off to Y at rover.

Makes rover with a rush back to partner.

+20 TP, 1-2.

That was a 'perfect' game. Hit-in turn 3, 4b leave, hit-in turn 4, sextuple leave, hit in turn five, triple peel.

Good stuff from these two stalwarts of the game.

It's hot out there, it must be tough.

Game 4

Reg R to 9y N c4. Stephen shoots from A bulk with U, narrowly misses to the right.

It comes back on about 15 inches N of R.

Reg is shooting from A baulk.

Goes through the middle.

Stephen squints in the bright sunlight as Reg places Y, 15 inches N of U. The balls in a neat row now.

Stephen is lining-up the pawnbroker from B baulk.

Hits the southernmost ball.

That's the best ball to hit, gives him room to send Y a decent distance. Ends up 4y SE of 6.

Nudges U in lawn, rushes R to 1. He is playing with K.

Runs 1 too hard, and has no useful rush. Taps R, and split rolls it to 3, getting a northerly rush on K, to applause.

Rushes K in lawn, takes off to Y. A lengthy rush to 2 here.

Plays it well to 3y SW.

Makes 2, Y goes to 4, and U is rushed to the N boundary, sent in lawn going to R at 3.

Through 3, and it's a controlled 4-ball break. I shall update you when the next interesting thing happens.

Stephen is making a 1b leave.

Reg saunters to 1, assesses the situation.

Adjusts his cap, before choosing to play Y, the NW ball.

Misses.

Stephen play Y, leaving it near 3. Rushes partner to the S boundary, and send it to 2 approaching R at 1.

Has a forward rush, and so can make 2 off peelee, with escape ball in situ.

Makes 2, and is lining-up a short peel.

Peels well, to 8y N of 2b. Rushes the escape ball (R) to the N boundary, and splits it to 2b going 3.

Makes 3 and rushes Y to peg high, 5y off the W boundary.

Y is croqueted to 5y ESE of 1b, gets the rush on partner.

Rushes well, but the peel is dribbly, and it ends up just out of the jaws, and the striker's ball is perilously close to peelee, such that his rush on R to 4 is badly hampered.

Referee declares the rush clean, and SM has an easy hoop 4.

Rushes R W of 2b, and sends it to 3b getting on peelee.

Taps peelee, and has a short angled peel, with his escape ball 5-6y ESE.

Fails the peel, but has a good rush on Y to 5.

Makes 5, and stops to think.

Rushes Y to c1, then sends it to the SE of 1b. Just about rush-peels K. Hard to see if it is through. He is taking-off from the N side of it to R.

Peel is definitely through now, but the rush on R, near 3b to 6, is a tough one.

Over-cuts it, and needs to approach 6 from 10ft E of the peg. Plays a very good approach shot, and runs 6 to the N boundary.

Cut rushes R to a few feet off the middle of S boundary, sends it near the poet getting on peelee.

Rushes peelee towards 3b, but it's short. Long-take off to Y near 1b.

Stephen plays too quickly for me to have time to think up comedy quips, so apologies if the commentary is rather dry right now.

Thick take off, and rushes Y to a good position N of 1b.

This is two points better than his last sxp attempt already, Duncan Reeve remarks.

Rushes Y S after 1b, and is taking on a big shot now - peeling 3b going to a 2b reception ball that is 4ft W of the peg.

Reeve complains that the beer is too cold.

Jawses it, and has a good rush to 2b.

Has an angled hoop no though despite a good rush.

Through, with a fist-pump.

Rushes R to 4ft SW of 3b, which is perplexing, or a mistake.

Sends R 3y ENE of 3b, then rush peels K hard to the NW of 4b.

Has 20 yard angled rush on Y to make 3b.

Rushes Y to 5ft W of c4.

Very nice approach shot, and Y is nice and long.

Runs the hoop softly to get a north-easterly rush on R.

Peelee is 3ft west of 4b ahead of the straight triple. Y is 5y SSE.

Sends R 3y WNW of 4b, then send Y 4ft NE of 4b.

Rushes peelee into position.

Peel is through, with SB jawsed.

The crowd remark that SM likes a bombard in this situation, which he does take on, and plays it very well.

Peelee is 2ft NE of penult.

Sends R 3y SE of penult, and rushes peelee to a slightly angled position.

Peels K to 5y NNW of rover, jawsing U.

Rushes R to c3 after the hoop. Y is lying 8ft NW of 4b.

R into the middle of the lawn, gets a useful rush on Y.

Rushes to near K, has a good rush, but no ball S of rover.

Has a 2ft slightly angled straight rover peel.

Through, jawsing SB.

Another bombard?

No.

Plays Y, rushes K to 6ft W of peg.

+26 sxp. Superb.

2-2.

Game 5.

A variation. Stephen U supershot, Reg plays R to c2, having seen Stephen hit both max distance shots so far.

Stephen center balls R.

Rolls R 7ft N of 1, longish rush on U.

Rushes well to 4ft SE of 1.

Makes 1 with two reception balls.

Didn't go hard at that, so has no rush S to give him room for the next croquet stroke.

Gentle rush, and R is left 8ft NNW of 1 as he rushes partner (U) to 2.

Runs 2 to the boundary, and has a rush SW.

Cut rushes to 9y N of 1, so it will need a backward take-off to get the rush on R to 3.

Reg does not look relaxed, remarks the recently defeated Duncan Reeve.

SM rushes R 4y NNE of 3.

Rushes R to 3y W of U, rushes U nicely to 4, and runs the hoop to the boundary.

Is Stephen now the favorite, muses the crowd?

Well in control after 5.

1991 is the last time the final guaranteed a new champion, James Hopgood informs me. Will that be the situation here?

Perhaps we are getting ahead of ourselves....

SM has run 2b with full control.

Takes partner to 3b, so it's the same leave as game 3, backward ball with a rush on enemy, 10y N of c4, to his partner ball, which is max distance on the W boundary.

Absolutely critical lift shot.

Taking the long lift shot.

('Lift')

Narrowly misses the boundary ball to the right.

Stephen needs to pick-up a tricky TP to make the final.

Rushes R to 4ft N of K on the W boundary.

Doesn't play the croquet stroke well, and his rush on K is pointing 10y N of c4, rather than at 1.

Are nerves getting to him, Pete Trimmer asks?

Rushes to a ft W of c4. Stephen runs to mark it on, and looks to see if he has a cannon with Y.

No cannon, a few inches W of Y.

Now has a very short cut rush from c4 to 1.

4ft ESE of 1.

Gets a good position, hesitates though.

Not playing at his usual bustling pace.

Rushes Y 6y N of c1. Red is just in-lawn, a little N of the middle of W boundary.

Y is rather deep on the croquet stroke, 5y NE of 3. Rushes R well to 2.

Runs 2, and rushes the reception ball to the middle of the S boundary.

Split rolls R to N of 4 going to partner (K) near c4.

Y is not good, so a roll up to get peelee near 4b is risky.

K goes past 4b, and the roquet on Y is 6y.

Snicks it, long appraich to 3...

Plays it very well, and is through.

The last time Reg lost a Bo5 from 2-0 up is at the Coles in 2001, against.....Stephen Mulliner.

Stats supplied by C Clarke / J Hopgood.

Stephen is taking off from partner 6ft E of 4b to the pioneer, R, at 4.

Sends red up to 4b after 4, going to Y at 5.

Makes 5 and rushes Y to the E boundary, 3y S of c3.

Peelee is 5ft E of 4b, R is 8ft WNW

Y is sent to 1b, peelee rushed to a somewhat angled position.

The peel is through, good rush on R to 6.

Makes 6, and rushes R to c3.

Stephen would finish this TP 90%+ of the time from here in normal circumstances. These aren't normal circumstances, however...

K and R both sent to 2b, as SM goes to Y at 1b.

Makes 1b with no rush, so it's a split roll to come.

Executed well, R is rushed to the W of K, then sent toward Y, W of 3b. Makes 2b off peelee, which is then sent to penult.

R sent to 4b, makes 3b off Y.

No rush, so another big roll.

Played well, rushes K to peeling position at penult. His 4b pioneer (R), is 6y SW of 4b.

Peels by 2y, gets a good rush on R.

Reg is packing his bags. Psychological tricks?

SM makes 4b, rushes R SW, send it to rover, rushes peelee N.

Has a split drive to send K to rover getting on Y, which is 5ft W of penult.

K hits rover.

Makes penult with no forward rush.

Christian Carter points out that Reg has not taken croquet since game 3.

Good roll sending Y deep, sends R E, and has a short, slightly angled peel.

Peel is through, roquets R.

Takes of to Y (nearly goes off!)

Rushes towards K.

K is rushed to 4ft Ne of peg.

+26 TP, 3-2 to Stephen.

Tremendous performance, excellent match.

Thanks for your company.