The President's Cup
Day 1 by Rita Skeeter
So here we are in Hunstanton, Norfolk with the first day of The President's Cup well underway. Calves are on show despite the clouds now having taken up residence and balls are being whacked in all directions from my seat with a 360 view of croquet.
07 Sep 2017 2:23PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
With two games down and all players fed and watered by the lovely team up here, things are starting to get serious as the tournament hots up with the third game.
07 Sep 2017 2:24PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
On lawn one we have Christian Carter and David Maugham. Carter is currently hitting a yellow ball
07 Sep 2017 2:25PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
On lawn two Jose Riva and Robert Fulford battle it out. Both on two wins...who will be victorious.
07 Sep 2017 2:27PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
Lawn four sees Stephen Mulliner and Samir Patel fight for victory. Samir has just given leave to Stephen
07 Sep 2017 2:29PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
And on lawn 5 Gavin Carter is currently giving James Hopgood some time to digest lunch....
07 Sep 2017 2:29PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
The yellow ball is proving lucky for Christian as he continues to hit it into a red ball...
07 Sep 2017 2:31PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
As I sit and watch all around me I can't help but feel the real competition is who has better calves; Jose or Stephen
07 Sep 2017 2:32PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Both very shapely, Jose's slightly more tanned...
07 Sep 2017 2:33PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
I've actually just noticed Robert is also wearing shorts
07 Sep 2017 2:34PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
I feel this might be a tough call. Lock up your wives and daughters, the ladies in Hunstanton are really being given a treat this weekend.
07 Sep 2017 2:36PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
Gavin has just asked for someone to "go and look at a hoop thing" for Hopgood. Must be a serious
07 Sep 2017 2:37PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
meanwhile carter continues to hit the yellow ball
07 Sep 2017 2:37PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
Stephen is eyeing up hoop 1 with the black ball..
07 Sep 2017 2:38PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
and through it goes.
07 Sep 2017 2:38PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
Hey, what happens if you play the wrong ball in this game?
07 Sep 2017 2:39PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
I think Jose and Robert have gone to the pub. Lawn 2 looks a bit lonely
07 Sep 2017 2:39PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
Hopgood has gone over his "hoop thing" obviously and is now giving Gavin some time to digest
07 Sep 2017 2:40PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
Carter is now holding the yellow ball and carrying it across the lawn. Is that allowed?
07 Sep 2017 2:40PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
Christian Carter that is. This could get confusing
07 Sep 2017 2:42PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Hose is staring down the balls
07 Sep 2017 2:42PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
maybe its a Spanish thing
07 Sep 2017 2:42PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
ah! he goes to hit....
07 Sep 2017 2:42PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
no, more staring
07 Sep 2017 2:43PM (Tournament); 4 Readers
now some walking
07 Sep 2017 2:43PM (Tournament); 4 Readers
now some walking
07 Sep 2017 2:43PM (Tournament); 4 Readers
more walking
07 Sep 2017 2:43PM (Tournament); 4 Readers
a bit more staring and walking
07 Sep 2017 2:44PM (Tournament); 4 Readers
and finally he hits red into black
07 Sep 2017 2:44PM (Tournament); 4 Readers
ooo looks like red is going through hoop 4
07 Sep 2017 2:45PM (Tournament); 4 Readers
or the other name hoops 4 has
07 Sep 2017 2:45PM (Tournament); 4 Readers
Samir has taken over on lawn 4 and is putting yellow through hoop 2
07 Sep 2017 2:47PM (Tournament); 4 Readers
Hopgood is now taking the yellow ball through a hoop and a big smile suggests he is happy with the result
07 Sep 2017 2:49PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Jose looks nervous as he leaves Lawn 2
07 Sep 2017 2:51PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
But Robert fails to hit in and is back on #wastedemotions
07 Sep 2017 2:51PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Hopsgood walks toward the commentary box with a smile on his face
07 Sep 2017 2:52PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Gavin decides his move. Yellow is in corner 3. Blue in corner 2. Black and red facing each other a few meters from corners 1 and red respectively. Is this going to work?
07 Sep 2017 2:53PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
What will he do?
07 Sep 2017 2:54PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
BREAKING NEWS
07 Sep 2017 2:54PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
EXPLETIVES HEARD ON CROQUET LAWN
07 Sep 2017 2:55PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
i looked away from Gavin and somehow blue is now in corner 1
07 Sep 2017 2:55PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Christian is doing some sort of croquet yoga
07 Sep 2017 2:56PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
and was that a press up too.
07 Sep 2017 2:57PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
MORE BREAKING NEWS
07 Sep 2017 2:57PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
David Maugham has just entered the calve competition
07 Sep 2017 2:58PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
this is going to be a very hard decision
07 Sep 2017 2:58PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Still, I feel Jose and Mulliner have the competitive edge over the other two. I think baby oil has been used to improve their chances
07 Sep 2017 2:59PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Christian is back on the ground
07 Sep 2017 3:00PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
How will his wife get those grass stains off of his t-shirt?
07 Sep 2017 3:00PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
CHRISTIAN CARTER BEATS DAVID MAUGHAM
07 Sep 2017 3:00PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Stephen is on a finishing turn....
07 Sep 2017 3:01PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Jose looks in a strong position versus Robert
07 Sep 2017 3:04PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Jose looks in a strong position versus Robert
07 Sep 2017 3:04PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Jose looks in a strong position versus Robert
07 Sep 2017 3:04PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Jose looks in a strong position versus Robert
07 Sep 2017 3:04PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
yes, 4 times over
07 Sep 2017 3:04PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Jose now also takes up a yoga position
07 Sep 2017 3:06PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
looks like he's on for a TP
07 Sep 2017 3:06PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Hopgood is back on the lawn
07 Sep 2017 3:09PM (Tournament); 4 Readers
Carters wife has just noticed the green stains #doghouse
07 Sep 2017 3:12PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Jose has just been described as "insane"
07 Sep 2017 3:12PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
no quite sure why...
07 Sep 2017 3:12PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
death rolled going to three back apparently
07 Sep 2017 3:13PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
this is causing some heated debate
07 Sep 2017 3:14PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
for what its worth, my idea of a death roll is a bacon sandwich with HP instead of Tomato Ketchup
07 Sep 2017 3:15PM (Tournament); 5 Readers
Even Jose's yoga poses make his claves look good
07 Sep 2017 3:18PM (Tournament); 4 Readers
Jose's red and yellow balls both went through Rover
07 Sep 2017 3:18PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
I was misinformed about Mulliner's final turn earlier. Is is back on again
07 Sep 2017 3:19PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
JOSE RIVE BEATS ROBERT FULFORD
07 Sep 2017 3:20PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
STEPHEN MULLINER BEATS SAMIR PATEL
07 Sep 2017 3:29PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
STEPHEN MULLINER BEATS SAMIR PATEL
07 Sep 2017 3:29PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
he seems happy
07 Sep 2017 3:29PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Both Hopgood and Gavin Carter are still battling out on lawn 5
07 Sep 2017 3:37PM (Tournament); 4 Readers
....still going....
07 Sep 2017 3:51PM (Tournament); 4 Readers
well now it gets confusing
07 Sep 2017 3:54PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
round 4 has started on lawn 1 - Jose versus Samir
07 Sep 2017 3:54PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
JAMES HOPGOOD BEATS GAVIN CARTER
07 Sep 2017 3:55PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
fistycuffs in the changing room
07 Sep 2017 3:55PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Maugham and Hopgood debate the merits of a three game versus a four game lawn rotation
07 Sep 2017 3:57PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
answers on a postcard to Hopgood's address
07 Sep 2017 3:57PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
"have you found a reason for justifying your question yet"
07 Sep 2017 3:57PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
THE SASS FROM MAUGHAM
07 Sep 2017 3:58PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
someone throw some jelly on this fight
07 Sep 2017 3:59PM (Tournament); 4 Readers
JOSES BALLS ARE EVERYWHERE
07 Sep 2017 4:17PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
but he get one of them in the hole
07 Sep 2017 4:18PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
Gavin Carter is making good progress on lawn 2 against David Maugham
07 Sep 2017 4:19PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
James Hopgood is showing Christian his stuff at the moment. Apparently after his spat with Maugham, he has found his mojo
07 Sep 2017 4:20PM (Tournament); 2 Readers
Jose makes it 4 out of 4
07 Sep 2017 5:48PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Beginners luck?
07 Sep 2017 5:49PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Time to go home and dream of calves....
07 Sep 2017 5:49PM (Tournament); 3 Readers
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