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WCF GCWC Main Event
GCWC SemiFinal 2: Reg Bamford (South Africa) v Hamy Erian (Egypt), Game 4. Reg leads 2-1 by Jenny Clarke
Reg filling his water bottle. Noone looking at the hoops. It's now or never for the pitch invasion - the ref with the pointy stick has her back turned, and corner 4 is undefended!
04 Mar 2017 3:39PM (Tournament); 30 Readers
Tony Hall is scribbling all over his "Difficult" sudoku. Let's have a go while the players and referees come back
04 Mar 2017 3:39PM (Tournament); 30 Readers
Hamy is back, Reg walks behind out of the way
04 Mar 2017 3:40PM (Tournament); 28 Readers
Hamy is back, Reg walks behind out of the way
04 Mar 2017 3:40PM (Tournament); 28 Readers
Red plays... decent position, rather angled though
04 Mar 2017 3:40PM (Tournament); 31 Readers
Black plays in straight and deeper
04 Mar 2017 3:41PM (Tournament); 33 Readers
I nearly destroyed Tony's sudoku - oops!
04 Mar 2017 3:41PM (Tournament); 30 Readers
Rigth - yellow comes in - oh no - it's blocking red from the hoop!!
04 Mar 2017 3:42PM (Tournament); 31 Readers
Red is going to have to clear black, but blue is in front too - red rolls onto black- Not the best angle, but it'll do
04 Mar 2017 3:42PM (Tournament); 30 Readers
They might be touching - ref has a look... I think they are - Reg lining up a croquet stroke - Paddy Chapman would be pleased!
04 Mar 2017 3:42PM (Tournament); 31 Readers
Plays it really well - clears red and yellow!
04 Mar 2017 3:43PM (Tournament); 32 Readers
Black still in front, blue longish and angled-ish, but in front
04 Mar 2017 3:43PM (Tournament); 33 Readers
Yellow plays back in
04 Mar 2017 3:43PM (Tournament); 35 Readers
Blue clears yellow - blue now not in front, and things are a bit more even
04 Mar 2017 3:44PM (Tournament); 36 Readers
red clears black - but red has richocheted further away
04 Mar 2017 3:44PM (Tournament); 36 Readers
Black in front
04 Mar 2017 3:44PM (Tournament); 35 Readers
yellow is in corner 4 - that was a really good clearance!
04 Mar 2017 3:44PM (Tournament); 36 Readers
Yellow is back into position
04 Mar 2017 3:44PM (Tournament); 36 Readers
Dinner is scheduled to start at 7. And there's supposed to be an awards presentation then - but the finals are all tomorrow - hmmm...
04 Mar 2017 3:45PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
Blue clears yellow. red shooting at black from the middle of the south boundary.. misses!!
04 Mar 2017 3:46PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
Reg runs hoop 1 hard - well off the north boundary. Reg Bamford leads game 4 1-0
04 Mar 2017 3:46PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
yellow, blue, red play up to position
04 Mar 2017 3:47PM (Tournament); 37 Readers
Black shooting...
04 Mar 2017 3:47PM (Tournament); 36 Readers
Takes a big backswing - more body movement with that backswing - doesn't look ideal.
04 Mar 2017 3:47PM (Tournament); 37 Readers
Shoots... misses!
04 Mar 2017 3:48PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
Didn't watch to see if that one was wiped again
04 Mar 2017 3:48PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
yellow takes better position?? - Ithink it was blocked by red
04 Mar 2017 3:48PM (Tournament); 37 Readers
Blue shoots - clears red a few yards and blue is miles away now. Red wanders back into play
04 Mar 2017 3:48PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
Blue is quite near hoop 3 - not sure if Hamy wants to run this - I guess he has to
04 Mar 2017 3:49PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
Black shoots - misses
04 Mar 2017 3:49PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
Yellow runs hoop 2 - the score is 1-1
04 Mar 2017 3:49PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
Blue takes easy position - red shooting - hits!
04 Mar 2017 3:50PM (Tournament); 40 Readers
It's really good to see people like Tony Hall, and Manager Brian Reither turn up day after day in whites. Shreif Abdelwahab, out near the lawn recording, also in whites. Shows respect for the game, I think.
04 Mar 2017 3:51PM (Tournament); 43 Readers
Black back in front. Not sure why yellow is that far away - well well north-west of the hoop
04 Mar 2017 3:51PM (Tournament); 40 Readers
Blue plays in, and red clears black. "Clears", rather than "Smashes away", as it's that sort of more controlled clearance shot.
04 Mar 2017 3:52PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
Black's back... but it's on the back of the hoop!!! - wrong side, and an opportunity for Hamy to get well back into this hoop
04 Mar 2017 3:52PM (Tournament); 40 Readers
Yellow smashes black away. Both onto the east boundary. Blue north of halfway, yellow a yard south of corner 3.
04 Mar 2017 3:53PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
Blue plays back in.
04 Mar 2017 3:53PM (Tournament); 37 Readers
Red has an opportunity here, but it's coming from near the west boundary. It's good - runnable, and can't be cleared by black.
04 Mar 2017 3:53PM (Tournament); 37 Readers
Black tries to pop back through - sticks in the jaws!
04 Mar 2017 3:53PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
That's the hoop Felix stuck in from close quite some hours ago
04 Mar 2017 3:54PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
Yellow doesn't clear blue - plays back in. Will Reg jump???
04 Mar 2017 3:54PM (Tournament); 37 Readers
no - clearing red
04 Mar 2017 3:54PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
blue now 5 yards east of hoop 3, red near the east penalty spot
04 Mar 2017 3:54PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
red plays back - looks like it could have easily put black through!!! - doesn't
04 Mar 2017 3:55PM (Tournament); 37 Readers
black runs the hoop into yellow - gently rushing yellow off the north boundary straight
04 Mar 2017 3:55PM (Tournament); 37 Readers
yellow clearing black - black hits the hoop!!! -
04 Mar 2017 3:55PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
red can be jawsed, but black is now lurking to clear that. Reg considering his options with blue.
04 Mar 2017 3:56PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
WE have a full set of referees - all corners are guarded and there a Boss referee on the lawn
04 Mar 2017 3:56PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
Red plays back in front of blue. black plays in and seems to have nudged red away. yellow is in front of blue. Might have missed something there
04 Mar 2017 3:58PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
Yellow not fully in front of blue - Reg runs a very controlled hoop - off teh south boundary, but he hit it pretty moderately Reg leads 2 games to 1, and 2-1 in the fourth
04 Mar 2017 3:58PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
Red takes position, black plays down to level with hoop 4 but well east. Yellow in front - blue shooting
04 Mar 2017 3:59PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
And it's good morning to David Openshaw - the Brits are starting to wake up now, and will be surprised to see we're still going!
04 Mar 2017 3:59PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
6am in London - good Lord - that's still the middle of the night!
04 Mar 2017 4:00PM (Tournament); 40 Readers
Blue clear red really well, red is back, black takes tight position - is it blocked??
04 Mar 2017 4:00PM (Tournament); 40 Readers
Yellow shooting - it was VERY close to a block, but he runs hoop 4 well.
04 Mar 2017 4:01PM (Tournament); 41 Readers
Blue plays in front. Hamy has an easy clearance, and Tony fancied maybe not taking position as it was an easy clearance, however Hamy didn't middle it, and hoop 5 is anyone's again
04 Mar 2017 4:01PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
Black takes good position, yellow approaches, blue comes back - large yellow ref blocking me from seeing if blue is runnable. It is angled.
04 Mar 2017 4:02PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
Red shoots - hits!
04 Mar 2017 4:02PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
Yellow now in front of hoop 5, black on east boundary, blue not runnable
04 Mar 2017 4:02PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
Aha - David is not so crazy - it's 8am where he is in Cape Town. I hope he can be persuaded to have a round of golf with me in NZ before the next AC worlds...
04 Mar 2017 4:03PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
Black shoots ... misses
04 Mar 2017 4:03PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
Hamy runs hoop 5.. up to hoop 6!! - it's angled, but a good chance to have a go at it. Reg leads 3-2
04 Mar 2017 4:04PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
Reg plays blue up to 4 feet to the side of 6. It's very clearable... but red comes up short - a poor shot!
04 Mar 2017 4:04PM (Tournament); 40 Readers
Black comes up, offering yellow an easy clearance. C.Clarke "It's very easy, all you've gotta do is put it on the eastern side of the lawn". Good point
04 Mar 2017 4:05PM (Tournament); 41 Readers
Blue takes tight position, but blocking nothing. Red has a long hoop...
04 Mar 2017 4:05PM (Tournament); 41 Readers
Takes the safer option and hits blue away getting the in-off. 3-3 in game 4
04 Mar 2017 4:06PM (Tournament); 40 Readers
argh - 4-2 to Hamy - sorry world!!!
04 Mar 2017 4:06PM (Tournament); 42 Readers
Black takes position. Yellow clears that to corner 2. Masochistically, I want a decider!
04 Mar 2017 4:07PM (Tournament); 41 Readers
looks like Reg is taking this on - from where red cleared blue to - it's long, and it's angled... 6 yards, 30 degree
04 Mar 2017 4:07PM (Tournament); 40 Readers
25 degrees?
04 Mar 2017 4:07PM (Tournament); 40 Readers
Excellent hoop shot - Hamy leads 4-3 runs hoop 7 down to 7 yards from hoop 8
04 Mar 2017 4:07PM (Tournament); 40 Readers
Tony Hall "This is where Reg lifts his game". Indeed!
04 Mar 2017 4:08PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
Lovely - we have James Death back online now - I think he is indeed in the UK, so has also had a power name
04 Mar 2017 4:08PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
nap. Power nap
04 Mar 2017 4:08PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
red plays in, then black very nicely, then yellow north of that.
04 Mar 2017 4:08PM (Tournament); 38 Readers
Blue clears red - points determinedly to the spot it went off on the south boundary
04 Mar 2017 4:09PM (Tournament); 37 Readers
it's wire from black!!!
04 Mar 2017 4:09PM (Tournament); 36 Readers
Hamy dribbles back in and Reg has an easy hoop to level game 4. I dno't nkow where I lost track of the score there - sorry!!
04 Mar 2017 4:09PM (Tournament); 36 Readers
4-4 in game 4
04 Mar 2017 4:09PM (Tournament); 36 Readers
("all the 4's James...")
04 Mar 2017 4:09PM (Tournament); 37 Readers
We've had eight hours of play so far!!
04 Mar 2017 4:10PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
Yellow takes good position - about 2 yards back and a bit angled, but all good
04 Mar 2017 4:10PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
Blue plays in 4 yards deep
04 Mar 2017 4:10PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
Red is in not blocking, but a bit short, 2.5 yards back
04 Mar 2017 4:10PM (Tournament); 40 Readers
Reg shooting at yellow.... bonk!.
04 Mar 2017 4:11PM (Tournament); 40 Readers
Yellow needs to clear blue.
04 Mar 2017 4:11PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
Great shot - clears blue to the middle of the south boundary. Great power, great accuracy
04 Mar 2017 4:11PM (Tournament); 40 Readers
Blue shooting at red... clears... and runs the hoop!!! Reg waggles a celebratory finger!
04 Mar 2017 4:12PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
From 4-2 down, Reg leads game 4 5-4
04 Mar 2017 4:12PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
Red plays up - it's a bit short, but on a nice line
04 Mar 2017 4:12PM (Tournament); 40 Readers
blue went through by about 6 yards
04 Mar 2017 4:12PM (Tournament); 41 Readers
Black plays up - nudges red on the way, is decent position, if again a little short
04 Mar 2017 4:13PM (Tournament); 41 Readers
(well, long - it's back a bit from the hoop)
04 Mar 2017 4:13PM (Tournament); 41 Readers
Yellow comes up - it can clear black going to 11 if Reg misses
04 Mar 2017 4:13PM (Tournament); 42 Readers
Chris "I called both of them" - the in-off. and ...Reg rush- peels red - 5-5 and Hamy has first play to hoop 11!!
04 Mar 2017 4:14PM (Tournament); 45 Readers
Excellent shot from red to in front of hoop 11
04 Mar 2017 4:14PM (Tournament); 46 Readers
Black has a hampered stance, but plays into hoop position. Yellow nails black. Blue needs to hit this - about 11 yards. Maybe 12
04 Mar 2017 4:15PM (Tournament); 48 Readers
It's a miss! Adjusts his hat, swipes his chin - and wipes that miss away from his forehead with his hand and a flick of his wrist to get rid of it
04 Mar 2017 4:15PM (Tournament); 47 Readers
Hamy is dead in front. JP has well and truly woken up, and even Tony is distracted from his newspaper to watch Hamy run hoop 11
04 Mar 2017 4:16PM (Tournament); 47 Readers
Hamy leads 6-5
04 Mar 2017 4:16PM (Tournament); 47 Readers
Just misses the peg on the way down and is disappointed to roll past hoop 12.
04 Mar 2017 4:16PM (Tournament); 46 Readers
Red takes position - it's really bad - past the hoop.
04 Mar 2017 4:17PM (Tournament); 45 Readers
Red's all over black... but yellow comes in - too far!!
04 Mar 2017 4:17PM (Tournament); 45 Readers
blue is in front - red needs to clear black, or it's going to get to 13 off yellow!!! Check out http://ClarkeCroquet.com under GC tactics for the 'Triangle of Danger'
04 Mar 2017 4:17PM (Tournament); 49 Readers
He has chosen to clear blue. But black can clear yellow taking position. At least it's not getting to hoop 13
04 Mar 2017 4:18PM (Tournament); 50 Readers
Bonks yellow away and black is in front
04 Mar 2017 4:18PM (Tournament); 50 Readers
Red went up to corner 2, so Hamy isn't strong here. But he doesn't want to concede a clearance to let Reg get to hoop 13
04 Mar 2017 4:18PM (Tournament); 50 Readers
Plays in to deep and west
04 Mar 2017 4:18PM (Tournament); 51 Readers
Red plays blue in - it's very angled. Black is very very runnable though, so Hamy will shoot at something here
04 Mar 2017 4:19PM (Tournament); 50 Readers
I think yellow might be in play here - but probably not for a decent shot
04 Mar 2017 4:19PM (Tournament); 52 Readers
goes between blue an black. Red finishes safely on the boundary east of the line to hoop 13
04 Mar 2017 4:20PM (Tournament); 51 Readers
Red runs hoop 12 with black. Chris pondering the interference from the peg for Hamy to get to hoop 13
04 Mar 2017 4:20PM (Tournament); 54 Readers
6-6 in game 4!!!
04 Mar 2017 4:20PM (Tournament); 54 Readers
Yellow - off the north boundary - a scary distance back. JP "It's a clearing ball". Blue rolls dead in front. Yellow has a fairly safe clearance available here
04 Mar 2017 4:21PM (Tournament); 57 Readers
Red coming up from the south boundary - hits the leg of the hoop and bounces to the side.
04 Mar 2017 4:21PM (Tournament); 56 Readers
Black coming up - it might be amazing - it looks like yellow has a shot at the hoop. CC "shocking yellow, absolutely shocking yellow"
04 Mar 2017 4:22PM (Tournament); 56 Readers
But concedes "he only had one go at 13 against me (last worlds) and he ran it!"
04 Mar 2017 4:22PM (Tournament); 55 Readers
To stay in the championship... Bounces off
04 Mar 2017 4:22PM (Tournament); 55 Readers
It's all over. Blue is right in front and very short.
04 Mar 2017 4:23PM (Tournament); 56 Readers
Reg wins the second semi final 3-1
04 Mar 2017 4:23PM (Tournament); 55 Readers
Reg Bamford will play Ahmed Nasr in the World Championship final tomorrow
04 Mar 2017 4:24PM (Tournament); 50 Readers
Tony Hall tells me the final is starting tomorrow at 12.00. 3 v 4 starts at 9am.
04 Mar 2017 4:24PM (Tournament); 42 Readers
10am the Bowl, Shield at some point too.
04 Mar 2017 4:24PM (Tournament); 41 Readers
Thanks for your company all day today Tony. Been a really interesting day and I'll catch you all online tomorrow, hopefully back with Tony and JP
04 Mar 2017 4:25PM (Tournament); 39 Readers
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