After 5 full days of play, mainly dry and mainly sunny, we are into semi-finals and finals of this annual festival of (Association) Croquet. I may post a few photos on FaceBook too as I'm not sure whether there's a facility to add them here.

The tournament as a whole is - like last year - fully subscribed with a waiting list, and we have visitors from many clubs as far afield as Ramsgate and Fylde, ably amiable and efficiently managed by Peter Death, and much enhanced by excellent social atmosphere and wonderful catering from our team of volunteers.

The week has 6 events: the Robin Hood (handicap play, with 34 entrants; A, B, C and D blocks with 14, 11, 5 & 6 entrants each, and doubles knockout with 15 pairs of entrants. we have 8 lawns in play so not too much waiting around, especially as some people have requested leave for certain sessions. It makes Peter's job complicated!

The Robin Hood was played as a flexible Swiss for 4 days after which the top 9 were put into a knockout. (Top 8 plus anyone equal to the 8th). By this morning we have semis of Ian Draper vs Richard Forman, and Neil Bacon to play the winner of Sophie McGlen and Ian Vincent.

The "Open" (A block) was played as two American blocks followed by knockout for the top two from each block, and anyone equal to the second. Last night in the deepening dusk and gathering dew, Ian Vincent completed an adventurous and eventful triple against Chris Roberts to get into the semis which are being (perhaps optimistically) played as best of 3s; Ian vs John Davis and Omied Hallam vs Joel Taylor.

Michael Finnigan has looked impregnable so far in the B class and will have a final against either Charles Ostler, Barbara Young or Heather Bennett. I predict Bennett. ("Predict" is a better word than "fancy" ...)

This afternoon we will have the traditional doubles final, between Trevor Longman & Derke Buxton vs Ian Draper and Alex McIntyre. Doubles final without John Davis is a breach from tradition though.

C class playoff between Sophie McGlen and Betty Bates; D class playoff between Derek Buxton and Mark Lansdale.

Sophie on lawn 1 is out of bisques for 1-back and 4-back, with the innings and a leave.

Davis in play on lawn 2 in a game with some interactions with Ian V. Ian had first break to 4-b. John for 3 and in a break currently at 1-back.

Joel had first break against Omied, but seemed to break down after 2-back (maybe missed return roquet?) leaving two balls at hoop 1 and a short lift for Omied which he duly hit and made 9 from. Joel in pay now.

Conditions have been quite easy; ground softened by rain in recent weeks (mainly overnight) means hoops are easy and speed easy to predict, and any undulations are less relevant. Lawns 6,7 & 8 (former bowling greens) are somewhat faster. Charlie the groundsman has been mowing and preparing lawns assiduously before we arrive for a 9:30 start.

Sophie just failed into the jaws of rover in a break in which she could have pegged out blue. Neil for peg and 1, Sophie for rover and 2-back.

Bacon vs Mcglen looking interesting with yellow and blue clips on peg now. Sophie cornering with yellow, as Neil has a short roquet available.

John Davis for 3 & 4-back; Ian V for 4-b and break but hampered after 1. Makes the roquet. Possible triple on with some work

typical Vincent superlative croquet stroke gets peelee to H3 and a rush on an awkwardy placed pivot to an awkwardly placed pioneer for h2.

D class (full bisque base 10) - Derek has 3 bisques left and an innings, for 5 and 3-back. Mark has 2 bisques and rover and 2.

D class (full bisque base 10) - Derek has 3 bisques left and an innings, for 5 and 3-back. Mark has 2 bisques and rover and 2.

Other Open is on game 2; Omied won the first. Omied 4-b and 1; Joel 1 and break (for 2 next)

the good doctor (Vincent) has peelee in jaws after 3 with control

In b class, Charles Ostler (for peg and 3-back) has just failed 2-back with brown - the peg ball!!!

Sophie for peg and peg has just taken off from west boundary into corner 4 to get a rush on partner to peg. Laid up on East boundary. Neil misses. Sophie pegs out to win the Robin Hood semi. Final will be between her and Richard Foreman.

Now her C class final between her and Betty bates can commence.

Ian Vincents triple seems to have broken down (penult and 2-back) and Davis now on a break with his backward ball.

B class - Heather hampered after penult but should retain the innings if she is clean but a miss.

Yes - clean but a miss so she has her 2 balls together by the peg. Charles has 12 yarder - possibly a double.

Meanwhile John Davis seems to be plotting a late-ish triple as he has an escape ball at 4-bac and is approaching 6 off peelee.

Rushes partner in front of 4-back - good length - slightly west of straight.

Jawsed. good control though.

Ostler hits

Joel on a TPO I think. For 5 with one peel done. Otherclip has somehow advanced to 1-back.

It's very gusty

John's break seems to have ended at 4-b and 4-bck. It was the wind

heather hits in for river and peg; she should win this 5 hour struggle now.

John D tells me he had been unable to get a rush to jawsed peelee earlier so he trickled at it when for 4-back. It was going perfectly straight then a gust of wind took it off leaving Ian with 4 balls around -4-back.

Heather missed a return roquet after rover. Has now pegged out pink with Charles' balls apart and white 10 yards from peg. 2 clips on peg, pink on box, Charles on 3-back. He gains the innings but fails 3-back.

Joel's TPO attempt failed; straight rover Irish went through very slightly and left him no shot except at deep peelee which he missed. Omied now on a potentially finishing break with no peels to do.

Sophie and Betty - c-class final. Betty for 1 & 1 has the innings; Sophie has clips on 1 & 6.

Heather pegs out second ball from the west boundary to go through to B class semi.

Sophie regains the innings

D class final - no bisques left on either side. Mark (for rover and 4) is joined up and hoop 4; Derek (for 3-back and 4-back is looking at a long shot.

Misses.

Omied is finishing the second game to get to Open final. Ian V (still first game) in a break at 2-back with partner on peg.

I shall now have to stop for lunch and pug in my computer to recharge

Buxton / Lansdale D class has a time limit - only 15 mins left, so it looks like Derek Buxton will prevail

Omied beat Joel +11, +8

Ian V stuck in penult; John D (now for 4-b and penult) hits in

Mistake - Ian hadn't stuck - that was John's pioneer

John takes a pall to peg and pegs out Ian, who is now penult and box and a life vs 4-back and peg

ian misses; John makes 4-b and gives another lift which Ian also misses

John finishes.

Lunch is -2.5; James Death.

D class - Mark must have got a break going because he won +2

Everything stopped for lunch now

Game 2 in Open semi: John Davis for 2 and break (he got hampered after 1 on his first attempt at a break, and missed). Break under control.

c class final (Betty Bates vs Sophie McGlen): : betty (for hoops 2 &4) has just taken off off the lawn near corner 4 next to Sophie's red, while leaving a ball at red's hoop (6). and there's a ball at 1-back. So 3 ball break should be on. Sophie's other clip is on 3. taking croquet due south of H4: should you go to 1-b pioneer first, or slightly offline 6 pioneer? she chooses the latter, and does it well.

B class semi between Michael Finnigan and Heather Bennett has started. Michael has made H3 with no forward rush and heather's two balls in contact in corner 4. take off goes off the lawn by an inch.. Heather for 1 & 1; M for 2 &4.

Heather made H1 but failed to approach hoop to and went to a distant boundary

Meanwhile John D is starting a delayed TP against Ian V. First peel (before 6) looks very angled

B class semi between Michael Finnigan and Heather Bennett has started. Michael has made H3 with no forward rush and heather's two balls in contact in corner 4. take off goes off the lawn by an inch.. Heather for 1 & 1; M for 2 &4.

Heather made H1 but failed to approach hoop to and went to a distant boundary

Meanwhile John D is starting a delayed TP against Ian V. First peel (before 6) looks very angled

Peel fails but rush to 6 is good

Meanwhile the doubles has started. Trevor Longman is on a 3 ball break at hoop 4; other 3 clips (his partner Derek Buxton, and oppos, Alex McIntyre and Ian Draper) all on 1

There is a bisque - we think it's for Derek Buxton and Trevor L

Trevor failed H5

(Or possibly failed to approach and took position

(Or possibly failed to approach and took position

Alex has a 13 yarder from near H6. Misses

Not sure what happened in Davis vs Vincent, but John is about to finish + 26 to win the match 2-0.

Davis wins +3, + 26, to go through to final with Omied Hallam

Handicap doubles is handicap doubles ...

Alex fails to approach H1 off partner while oppo are joined up, so he retreats to corner 4

Sophie meanwhile in C class takes off to oppo balls but goes a bit short and misses.

Betty has just approached H4 fro near Corner 4 sening a ball to the beg. If she runs it sh'll have a 6 yarder at partner on est boundary for a possible break.

Stops in jaws. sophie joins partner on N boundary behind H2

the manager is trying to find Omied for the Opens final. Omied has a train to catch and has to leave about 5 pm

Betty runs H4, hits partner and takes off to the distant balls. 5 yard shot

misses
Sophie is for 3 & 4-back; betty for 5 and rover

the lawn pace may e difficult to gauge as there is strong gusty wind, West to East

Sophie gets a rush to 4 yards west of hoop 3. Approacxh goes short too but runs angled hoop.

Sophie gets a rush to 4 yards west of hoop 3. Approacxh goes short too but runs angled hoop.

Great rush back to ball behind H2

take-off behind it (going east to west) goes short, cut rushes to peg

take off to blue, about 1 yard west and 2 yards north of C4

very short
hits it into C4

Rain has arrived, along with Omied

John and Omied agree to pay final as a single game

Innings keeps changing in C class

Tipping it down now. Watching from afar in a very crowded paviolion

Someone in white waterproofs has just made hoop 1 on lawn 2 (open finals)

Seems to be Omied

He's in a sort of break

James D says it's the wrong stature for John!!! :-)

Omied fails Hoop 3

Another man in white waterproofs has come onto lawn 2 - presumably John

Irmgard has an umbrella. Sensible woman

John could have a 3 ball break f this split shot goes well

awkward approach to Hoop 1

John makes H 1 with a 3 ball break. 4th ball is on north boundary behind H3 so it could soon be 4 balls

Meanwhile Derek Buxton (hcp 18) seems to has a hit in and innings

John D's break has got to 6 ...

doubles final making slow progress with cornering, wide joins etc

clip on 4-back, OSL

Omeid shoot from peg to corner 4

hits

Omied is for 3 and rushes to 3. no forward rush (it points due east) and a ball still close to corner 4 and another south west of hoop 2, so no easy to see how to make a break. Take off to ball near hoop 2 doesn't yield a useful rush

take-off to ball near corner 4 yields only a slightly useful rush, to 3 yrds west of corner 4

take off to hoop goes short. Joins partner west of hoop 2

C class looked like Betty's (rover and peg with rush to rover) but Sophie's just hit a 20 yarder in corner 2. Now a take off to boundary balls 36 yards away

6 yard shot

hits

shes for 4 back and 5
got a poor rush to 4-back

John D has got in and setting up for a triple

Meanwhile in the doubles Alex is on a break having run hoop 5

John's triple no looking good. Peels 4-back by a few inches. Useful rush to east of Hoop 4 pioneer

Looks on target to get second peel after 6

jaws after 6

Not sure how John got in from Omied's leave. There were only log shots

Sophie just failed a difficult hoop 6 to cede the innings. Black (for peg) hits it. Blue still for rover.

John attempting peel before 3 back, to a rather difficult pioneer, east of 3-back.

Almost jaws, but far from central

splits to peelee after 3-back and gets rush peel

take-off to 4-b pioneer rather over-exuberant

Looks like it's all over. And also looks like there might have been time for a best of 3.

Apparently John got in with a 26 yard hit-in, from near Hoop 4 to the north boundary near corner 3

John Davis wins the Opens, +23

Sophie is back taking croquet in the C class

Meanwhile I'm B class final, GB

In the doubles. Longman is for hoop 6 but appears to be creating a leave

Meanwhile in the B class final, Heather Bennett is for penult on a break and 4-back, while Michael Finnigan is for 3-back and 4-back.

something went wrong. Michael is on the lawn now and it's not a leave

apparently she blobbed penult. Michael is rushing to 4-back

Michael is for peg with a reasonably adequate leave

Final of the Robin Hood starts on lawn 2: Sophie McGlen (Hcp 11) vs Richard Forman (Hcp 9). Sophie wins the opening and is first to take croquet, 6 yards borth of corner 4, with oppo balls in corner 2 and middle of east boundary.

Busy woman. She comes with excellent croquet pedigree. I wonder whether Beatrice might be reading this?

Richard cornering. Sophie makes Hoop 1 with Richard in corners 2 & 3

Michael Finnigan wins the B class

Finnigan +7

interesting hiatus in Robin Hood. Richard has missed a shot and stopped touching the peg. Sophie failed hoop 2 into the jaws with partner a foot north of hoop. Richard wanted to choot at sophobe's balls, but called a ref as it was slightly hampered. Somehow ref starts to measure whether the ball was entitled to a wiring lift, without first asking who was responsible for it. Sophie kew to challenge this if was awarded. In the end, He took the shot and hit.

Richard turned it into a break by rushing backwards through hoop 2 to the south boundary near where his partner ball was. Currently making hoop 3

sorry for the break (if anyone is reading)

Richard broke down at 4; Sophie went to 3-back with 1 bisque; Richard now has a break as far as one-back but it's looking flakey now

the doubles final rumbles on

24 minutes left on doubles

Trevor seems to have recovered his flakey break (rough hoop 2 pioneer and a ball left behind near hoop 3) and now made 3-back

Longman and Buxton (for rover and penult) are cornering, and conceding the innings to draper and MacinTyre, who are for 2 and penult with about 15 minutes left. but the backward ball is Draper who is capable of going round ...

Sorry - wrong way round. Draper and Macintyre are for penult and rover. It was they who cornered and separated. And then later joined up!

Macintyre has made penult; oppo (Derek Buxton) has progressed to hoop 3. It looks like a won game with few minutes left. Macintyre has now run rover but hampered on everything.

they miss; draper hits and is approaching rover

this looks like it might finish before time. He'd rushed to partner

Meanwhile o lawn 3, Sophie blobs 5 and Richard has an easy hit with his hoop 1 ball

his other ball is for penult so it could be a finishing break

it's showery

He seems to have missed her in the jaws of a hoop. Sophe in again with her break back (except hoop 6 pioneer has been moved to hoop 2

take-off to that ball goes short
Lonong backward take-off to Hoop 6 leaves a long hoop - 3 yards plus

Sticks in jaws.

Brief hiatus for prize giving

Robin Hood final resumes. after a coupe of misses, Richard is back in and has a rush to 1
Makes 1 but hampered. Goes to join partner north of hoop 4. Misses

Sophie shoots at his approximate hoop 2 pioneer before the clip is put on hoop 2. Misses.

Richard hits 7 yarder with hoop 2 ball. He's for 2 & penult vs 1back nd 3 back

very angled hoop 2 ...
off sophie's 1-back ball

sticks in jaws

she hits him well through jaws, backward take-off is rather angled, makes a difficult hoop then misses a simple roquet to the middle of the south boundary. Richard attempts hoop 2 but blobs bady. Sophie's blue (for 3-back I think) has a 5 yarder from the west boundary. Hits.Nice take-off to ball at hoop 3 which she can rush either to 3-back or to her partner just off the middle of south boundary. Rushes to 3-back, blobs hoop.

Richard does a wide join; north boundary near Corners 2. Partner is 10 yards east.

Sophie misses partner. Richard isses into corner 2

Sophie hits partner and has 27 yard takeoff

looks like it might be off just

yes - a few inches off the lawn

Richard does an eccentric but effective approach to H2 getting CB most f the way to H3

Looks like a possible break with one or two more well executed strokes.

Makes #hoop3. Break looks easy enough now

Wonder if he'll try organising a penult peel after 6. All the balls are there

No - not even thiking of it

Left himself a 15 yard take-off to misplaced H6 pioneer to do accurately

goes a yard short. Roqueting pioneer already north of the hoop further north. L

hoops easy enough for it to be no problem.

Richard has another long backward takeoff to 1-back. sticks in hoop.

Or maybe just thrugh but hampered.
Asking ref if it's through.

Now asking for hampered sot to be refereed

ChANGED HIS MIND - SHOOTING AT HIS HOOP 2-BACK PIONEER

Whoops - Caps lock - apologies

misses to south boundary. sophie has 6 yarder with ball at 5 to 2-back pioneer, btu chooses to shoot at partner near 1-back and miss

leaving herself with a 10 yarder. Richard to Corner 1

Sophie misses from 1-back to partner on nort boundary

Richard hits 11 yarder along south yard line centre ball

take off from near corner 4 to near corner 2

has a 3 to 4 yard roquet at a near double

This is his penult ball

gets a 3 ball group and rushes well to penult

no forward rush

rolls Sophie's 3-back ball to north boundar are near corner 2, splits her other towards East boundary. Nearly rolls off.Joins partner near corner 4

leavf rush for partner (pointing at 3-back though it's actually for 2-back)

Sophie hits from near corner 2 to East boundary level with penult

Sophie hits from near corner 2 to East boundary level with penult!!!

takes off short and and misses! 4 to 5 yarder

leaving Richard and easy start to 3 ball break

he overrolls stroke from corner 4 to 3-back and yellow, leaving poor rush. nother backward takeoff for hop pos coming up

plays it as a weird split roll but it works, so long as he doesn't miss retsurn roquet

runs to yard line

misses 6 yarder

not hard hit so he has a 7 yarder back if Sophie doesn't hit in (19 yards)

misses from 3-back to corner 3

Richard snicks his 2-back poneer with the ball that missed it previously

Awkward take-offs for either of Sophie's balls. He avoids 4-back but leaves himself a 7 yarder at ball near corner 3

misses
Seems that both these players could improve if they had better pace on take-offs

Sophie did a couple of good strokes and an excellent take off to get a rush on the 2-back pioneer to get a rush to 3-back. Blobs 3-back off Richard's rover ball.

Richard splits sophie's balls wide and rolls towards corner 4.

about 18 yards for the shortest shot

she shots and misses into corner 4. It's only 4 yards from Richard if he wants that ball too

Richard ignores the 4 ayrder so it looks like a 1 hoop break for his 3-back ball

rolls both balls to 4-back

Sophie misses to near hoop 2. Richard hits partner with his 40back ball and takes off to 2 balls near hoop 2.
Makes 4-back and splits up Sophie to 20 yards : near 4-back to near corner 2

She misses to near corner 2

misses his partner (4 yards) into the middle of the lawn (near H 6)

Sophie rushes, roquets partner and sends to near Rover (!) getting to the vball near penult, takes off to ball on south boundary near 2-back and takes off to 2-back. attempts to run 3 yard hoop but misses altogheter to near the oppo ball on south boundary

Wrong - she ran the hoop!!! taking croquet now

A couple of strokes later she tried some weird kind of croquet stroke to 3 back and it went horribly wrong.

Richard misses & Sophie hits again. Approaches 3-back off partner but fails it. Richard is joine up though.

Richard wasn;t joined up but hit, taking an odd choice of stroke

rolls partner to rover getting to sophie's balls at 3-back.

fails to get a rush. tries an amazing split roll from 3-back to penult which almost comes off. Declines join at rover and goes off in moiddle of north boundary.

Ian hits fro rover to 3-back

Richard I mean, not Ian
He's now made rover with control

he's joined partner with a fair ruch to penult. Looks like sophie needs to hit soon. Misses another long one this time. the game seems to involve lots of splitting up so there are noo short shts

bad rush to penult while Sophie joined in the middle of south boundary. He's attempting approach though

very angled penult but he makes it
the hoops are far too easy here

takig off to blue and black

gets a 3 ball group and good rush to rover.

this game may end ...
runs rover, rushes vaguely to red near penult, take-off
rush to peg - , no grievous, so it's all over

2the crowd goes wild" according to James d

Hope that gave a flavour at least.