Hello world. Jenny here. After an absolutely herioc turn by Chris to get us tied up, Sam Murray completed his perfect game, hitting a long roquet, approaching 4b from near the north boundary to straight and not too far... and ran 4back. Very well played by both competitors, and best of luck to both of them.

And here we go...

++NZ Open Championship Doubles Final - Game 1++

rats..

NZ Open Championship Doubles Final - Game 1

(better)
Right... looks like Sam Murray and Chris Shilling won the toss, and took first play. Sam is Blue (matching his shirt), and Chris is Black (bless them)

1. Chris to east boundary (I think, they did tell me, but I was sorting out places to sit)
2. Stephen Mulliner (red) to just south of corner 2
3. Sam just missed Chris (or the other way around)
4. Edward Wilson (in his very bright pink shorts, which are otherwise of excellent quality) shot at the east boundary balls. Big sweeping swing... smacks one of them.

We are now 13 mins in, a bit of missing happened, and possibly misapproaching hoop 1. We ended up with Edward's yellow near corner 2, red near hoop 1, and blue and black joined on the east boundary level with 4. (all cilps on 1 still)
(started at 12.31, not 12.46)

Stephen shoots with red... misses. Shakes his head as he wanders off suggesting it had been on most of the way. Misses.

Sam on ... stops red up a bit, rushes black to 1... makes 1.
Rushes black to near the south boundary, a bit west of the line of 3 and 4 and takes off to red.
To far... wanted to rush it to hoop 2/corner 2.. gets a rush pointing at hoop 1, and he has rushed it midway between 4,5,peg.
Sents red to hoop 3 going to..... smack in the middle of the peg!

So red now a yard north of hoop 3, and yellow a foot inlawn of corner 2. He'll be retiring to the boundary south of hoop 4.

If Tim's around, or anyone else, please remind me how to use markup on this?

Sam retires to partner. Blue now has a rush pointing at just about hoop 2 - maybe a double for yellow, but from soooo far away. Sam's clip now on 2

quick update:
1. Chris to eb
2. Stephen to c2
3. Sam missed Chris
4. Edmund hit Chris's black, failed to approach hoop 1, joined up with partner in corner 2.
5. They missed.
6. Chris and Sam hit, shuffled the balls to the position described where Stephen missed.

ok, back to live action... It turns out that red had a big double. Small issue of hoop 3 being in the way, but not a problem for.... Edward?????

Edward attempts to jump hoop 3 with red.

oops.

Doesn't get over, and red bounces helpfully to hoop 6.

right.... useful update.... it was Stephen who had a go at that rather aggressive jump stroke. I'd been playing catchup, and when we looked up Edward was standing with his head in his hands - we wondered initially if he had hurt himself. He did wander past and say he'd been warned that Stephen might do 'interesting' things.

Anyways, Sam rushes black out, gets a rush towards hoop 2... misapproaches hoop 2, retires to south boundary.

Edward (who is yellow) hits partner, takes off to black, but a bit far, and smashes it back towards red level with hoop 2. Plays a huge croquet stroke putting black back east of hoop 3 and.... goes off the south boundary 2 yards from blue.

So we've caught up. Blue on 2 (Sam), all other clips on hoop 1.

If you'd like to get in touch... [email protected].
Current commentary team is Simon Jenkins, Michael Wright and me. We are happily distracting each other.

Hi Alix, keep reading... all sorted out. Edward has removed his hands from his face (wasn't his stroke either)

Sam hits yellow, takes off to black, no rush, takes off to red, rushes it off the boundary level with hoop 2.
These lawns are probably about 12.5 at the moment. We're on lawn 5 for the final. The hoops are, well, ... TIGHT.

Tries to roll into hoop 2. He's now looking at retiring to level with hoop 3

Stephen has played into corner 1 with red. Yellow is a couple of yards north of the end of A baulk.

Chris hits partner with his hoop 1 ball... takes off to... yellow. I guess red had some furniture in the way.

doesn't have a rush on yellow anywhere there

(Simon agrees with that assessment, we're all glad one pairing has the balls that match their shirts

Puts yellow to 2, going to the corner.

(apparently partner tried to stop him, as they hadn't initially noticed that yellow was in lawn).
Hits red, tries to approach 1... not in front, back to corner 3 where partner is waiting.

Edward is a fabulous shot. shooting from two to one...hits. Has just about cut this into corner 1.

Lawns about 12.5 seconds. Sun out ...might have made it to 13.

Takes off well short... hasn't reached hoop 3. Not really a problem for him. Smacks blue. Black is about a yard along the north boundary from corner 3

Not a great rush to hoop 1 - about 6 feet from hoop 5. Takes off... a yard in front. Well played

Shows he can hit the ball smoothly as well, and runs hoop 1 nicely to get a rush on black pointing at corner 4. Rushes it off corner 4.

Looks like he's going to take off to corner 1...plays it a bit conservatively, and it rolls inwards.

Black now just off the south boundary between 4 and 5, taking croquet from partner... rolling up to hoop 2. Blue near corner 3

well short.. crowd fancies a shot from peg high...hitting the wire and joining up with blue - the balls are zinging well off the lawn when hit hard enough.

Some record rejections for you...

Felix Webby... failed hoop 6 off the south boundary.

Nelson Morrow ... failed hoop 2 off into corner 4 (this from Simon, report of Felix's short by Felix)

Red and yellow are joined on the west boundary level with hoop 2. Chris and Sam are checking that out

Blue plays down to a yard along from corner 4. Oldfashioned wide join

Decent crowd here - Gordon and Marlene Smith, lots of United members, my parents :), Jim Wardle and Andy Myers (UK) have joined us for the singles.

Stephen strides on... rushes yellow into corner 1 (why?), croquets yellow to south of hoop 3 going to black mid-ish south boundary.
Tries to get a rush on blue in corner 4....nope.

Plays a huge roll, putting blue west of hoop 2... and gets position!!!

Runs hoop 1 hard...up to blue. Hits blue. rolls it to hoop 3... has to yard it back in on east boundary level with hoop 3 getting an excellent rush on partner to hoop 2.

Rushes to 2, approaches to slightly to the left... sticks!

Question from the lawns: what is a "mulliner"? - answers to [email protected] please

Chris and Sam are standing over red and yellow having another natter.

Result from the plate semifinal... quickest game of the tournament, at 62 minutes, first 26-0 of the tournament. Single peel finish. Ian Burridge and Alain Giraud vs Kathie Grant and Peter Filbee Plate final will happen when Greg and Felix vs John Arney and David Wise have finished, and when lawn 4 becomes free.

Sam shooting from east boundary. Hits. Again.

Yellow to hoop 3, and Andy Myers makes himself useful as Sam has to hit red through hoop 2. Success. Approaches hoop 2, nearly putting red off.

Rushes red too close to yellow - that was poor judgement, but he has played a nice croquet stroke, and red is now 6 yards north of hoop 4, hits yellow well, and approaching from 5 feet.

Approaches... this is bad... he's fairly close, but has a bad angle. Plays it gently, along the ground - pulled his mallet entirely across blue and drags it across the face of hoop 3. Gets a very lucky rejection to wired from yellow.

We are entering our second hour. Times: 3hrs, 5.5hrs, 8 hrs, with leftover time accumulating.

It looks like blue is right in front of hoop 3, however Edward plays off the east boundary level with hoop 5... joining up with red... in front of Sam's break.

Sam walks up... and runs a very straightforward hoop 3 - getting a nice wick, for a two yarder on yellow. I wonder if Edward need to take control in this partnership??

Sam's hitting the ball very straight - it's just his approaches to hoops that are a struggle, and one poor tactical decision in our match. Joining up in front of that break was nuts.

Yellow to 5, rushes red to 4. Approaches from a wee way back and a wee bit east - nicely approached. Probably a bit confused at his luck, but doesn't seem ungrateful.

Makes 4, hits black, croquets it carefully to... right next to hoop 4. Not sure what he's thinking there. Blue going to 6 as he goes to yellow which is 2 yards east of hoop 5. He's short, but can cut it in front. Red is nice.

Hits the wrong side of yellow!!! it's hard to express clearly enough how difficult backwards takeoffs are on these very pale lawns... nowhere near in front - John Yarrall behind me was watching and expressed surprise how quickly blue pulled up.

Hands on hips again as they contemplate their next move. Scattering black has some appeal.. but missing it could potentially cross wire you from it. But he does hit everything, so he's going for the scatter. Hits it well. Blue into corner 4, black 10 yards up the east boundary from there.

AT least it's Edward shooting - from 5 to 6.. rushes it off the north boundary

Hello readers from Simon. It's really hot here now. The cicadas are going nuts (they have been all day), gorgeous day for croquet.

So... Edward takes off - to black .. getting a cut towards corner 4.. hits it perfectly... blue is a bit out of the corner - lucky for the kiwi/scottish pair. Wee croquet stroke gets a rush pointing south of hoop2. Rushes it... and it just doesn't stop ... off the west boundary.

Rolls in - it's a bit long, and a slight angle. Creams it through

Not sure Edward has missed anything this match. Sam has only missed 3rd turn. The difference is Edward's hoop approaches are giving him a chance generally - albeit long hoops. And a reminder that these really are very tight.

Blue to hoop 4, doesn't get a rush on red, so approaching from north boundary. Approaches sending red very close to blue, longish hoop... runs it beautifully ... to the corner 4 side of black - that was a huge angle to run it to. We're going to work on those hoops between games.

And now Edward has a 4 ball break

Through hoop 4, all the balls. Sam's blue clip is on 5 still, Stephen on 2, Chris still on 1.

The chaps here have pointed out that Edward is going for the Australasian double.. he has the Australian Open Doubles title (with Greg Fletcher), and is making a strong statement in the NZ Open Doubles. He is a very talented player, and it will be fun to watch him in the next couple of years.

Not sure I should be sitting here with my feet up - ankles in the sun... it's very hot out there, and there have been some pink legs the last few days. Edward roasted his neck on the practice day, but seems to be ok now.

Swaps pivot after hoop 5... has just run 6 with very little wire.. has a 6ish yarder - no problem there.

Apparently it's snowing in some parts of the world.. hard to imagine that.

27 deg at the moment. The forecast for the week keeps changing. From bit-of-rain to warmish (low 20s) to actually-rather-hot-all-week (28-29). Bring it on! The experience of playing the Mac in 41 deg has benefited a lot of players in being able to more comfortably psychologically cope with the warm temperatures here.

For those of you who haven't met Edward Wilson, he's a tall lanky 19 year old, plays Solomon grip (with a bit of modification of his grip when his hands are close together to have his bottom finger at the back of the mallet), rather long mallet. Huge amount of power (as is common with Solomon grip), but also able to play some very smooth strokes.

Oops... completely cursed him. They have a quick discussion about leaves... blue is next to the peg, taking croquet with red with black 8 inches north of 3b.

Approaches 3b... and it's unrunnable! Clip is on and Simon off to find Stephen and there's one more shot to play

It's scatter time, and the hills at United have claimed another victim.

Scatters red... red to the West boundary level with hoop 2, yellow 2 yards west-north-west of hoop 6 - decent shot that

Recap:

Edward Wiison (yellow) on 3back
Stephen Mulliner (red) on 2

Sam Murray (blue) on 5
Chris Shilling (black) on hoop 1

After much discussion, black lifted and will shoot at yellow from the north boundary

Hits!!!

Takes off from yellow... had a rush on red - pointing at hoop 1... might cut this to partner
??

Tries to - but rushes it 2 yards north of 5, has a slightly nasty takeoff to partner a yard east of the peg.

Over in the remaining plate doubles semi final I thought it would be plain sailing for Webby and Bryant, but there appears to have been a bit of a disaster, as someone stuck in hoop3 giving yellow the universe (yellow also for 3). David Wise seems grateful and has sailed through three, but hit the return roquet

(well, hit the pivot)

And Chris has "a little teaser" off partner. Got a good rush to 1, but it just kept going an extra couple of yards. Has come up a little short and angled. Jenny called on to Umpire hampered stroke at 1
3 yarder.....

Hit!

Was a really nice shot - had a clear shot through the hoop, but played it nicely. ... but has failed hoop 2, and Edward has about an 8th of yellow to shoot at

Some commentary team concern about why didn't he take on his 10 yarder at blue... because he was all over his shot at black! - hits all he can see (it was short). Stephen now pointing at various parts of the lawn

Edward has put red and black south west of hoop 3, and has a nice looking rush pointing at 3b. Has rushed it a few yards (4.5) past ... approaches the hoop sending blue deep... and he has lost it again!

Good spot Michael - Edward is still alive on red (which is next to black). Not sure what they're thinking about, but it's a very very angled hoop - not runnable.

Seems to be shooting at Red, but has missed it by acres.

So Chris has a 4 footer, blue between 3 and 4, yellow on the north boundary between 3 and 6. He's for hoop 2.

Starts the turn by cutting red nicely off the boundary about 5 feet west of yellow

Greg in play up on the plate lawn

We are getting towards 2 hours into this match. Chris has taken off to yellow, rushed it a bit far south, takes off past partner... it limps past it... to give a perfect rush on partner to hoop 2.. Chris is through hoop 2 and has a break!! (he also has a 4 yard return...)

maybe three.

ok, maybe 2.5. Hits it anyway. Yellow is quite north of 4, but good enough. Blue has been rushed back to the peg in the way of any meaningful croquet stoke going t yellow -so he takes off... short... has to approach 3 from distance. About 5 feet.

These distances sound trivial, but it's definitely speeding up out there. The hoops are very non-trivial, and the approaches are very difficult

Distracted by the sight of Stuart Lawrence (USA) strolling across hagley park - that sounded unfortunate... and he has failed 3 and bounced back

Can't be parked - red is shooting at blue.. 12 yarder. misses.

Black looks like it's just running

News from the USA as Chris runs hoop 3... Sherif Abdelwahab won the Desert Classic!!

Black has run 3, and his shuffling some balls. Apparently it rained last night. disappointing - there are tinges of green.

Sorted drinks, Simon has found someone to play with (Stuart), and Chris is rolling in to hoop 4 off partner... short. They're laying up in corner 4, but it's Edward to shoot ... from north of hoop 5 at red north west of hoop 2. Misses!!! He has hit hoop 2 and bounces into corner 4.

Simon gone, Alain replaces him. Pretty even swap - both gorgeous chaps.

Pete Trimmer can't be far away either - he'll inject some fun into proceedings.

Chris rushes north of hoop 4. Approaches... he has a short and very angled hoop. Hoop 4 has some victims - and still appears to have a green tinge around it.

Running... wibbles through again - this one looks really really difficult. Michael Wright on to umpire.

Chris had hands on hips. Doesn't seem totally pleased with this lawn. He played a really excellent turn against us this morning.

Maybe not too hard... swings... hits it really well.

Take off from south boundary to corner 2. It's travelling....travelling... but it's green and is under the wonderful shade tree..and... just in. He hit the ball in corner in the middle, rushing it south.

Has a rush on red towards hoop 5, but hoop 2 might be in the way

Yellow now north of hoop 6.

Rushes well to hoop 5... goes north of it... but copes. Now approaching 6 with control

Puts an early 3b pioneer out, taking off from 2b to 1b, has approached it well.

Through 1b. Really calm and focussed. Playing at a pretty reasonable speed.

2b is rather angled. He's taking a long stalk, a press-up. Stalking...

tries to run it smoothly, reasonably firmly, standing over it - mostly through... shaking... falls back into the jaws. Bit unlucky.

The hoop gaps are wearing a bit with balls sticking and spinning a little.

Stephen strides on, takes is lift, shoots probably at the double... hits black in the hoop, pretty centrally

Gets a rush on partner to hoop 2. rolls up from a bit of distance (we didn't see the croquet stroke, to be honest), has a longish straight hoop. Rejected! - red bounces nearly halfway to hoop 6.

They're about 8 yards apart, but that's more than in Edward's range. The chaps are contemplating their options.

Blue in corner 3

Red shoots at yellow and is taking off to black which is 7 yards north of h1

3 yard rush on black and hits it off the north boundary in line with hoop 3

rolls black in field slightly and gets a rush on blue which was in the corner to the middle of the west boundary

sends blue to corner 4 (2/3 yards south of 3 back)

sends red off the north boundary leaving a rush for red in the direction of hoop 2

Sam and Chris discussing options

Black moves into corner 1

red rushes yellow just to the side of hoop 2 and plays a good approach

runs the hoop and then gets a rush into corner 4

knocks yellow in field slightly and gets an almost straight rush on blue to hoop 3

Rushes blue into the back of hoop 4 and it looks to have rebounded into an okay position

stop shots blue to hoop 3 and goes back to partner leaving them 2 yards apart

blue has a wide join with black on the west boundary

roughly 15 yards apart

yellow plays and runs 3 back, rushes red back off the south boundary below hoop 4, and he's taking off to corner 1.

oops... yards yellow back on two feet north of corner 1.

Edward (yellow) 4back and Stephen (red) on hoop 3.
Chris is on 2back, and has a rush up the boundary to partner, and red south of 3back - good chance to finish is break here. Rushes yellow to almost on top of blue. Sam still parked on hoop 5 from a long time ago

By my reckoning, 13 minutes to go.

Many thanks to Edmund Fordyce taking over the commentary while Michael Wright and I saw to the rather wide hoops on lawn 4. Plate final on lawn 4 as soon as the chaps on lawn 2 finish. Sounds like Greg and Felix's opponents haven't made much progress.

And Chris is... in front of 2back... stalking...

Wibbles through ANOTHER hoop. I'd have gone at that nuclear pace, but Chris has a bit more finesse than that.
He won't be hitting blue. Might be able to get to corner 1

Reader's competition... "worst format ever dreamt up by man" ... [email protected] with your answers - which tournament format was Peter Filbee talking about? I won't add his following comment, as I would only get grumpy with anyone's responses to that.

Anyways, Chris gets to corner 1, clip onto 3back

Edward shooting at black from mid west boundary, black is a little east of the corner spot, misses badly.

Confirmation... we have approx 8 minutes to go - can Chris and Sam grind out a win here. Edward the real class player here, but Sam and Chris have played well - this is the Chris we had the pleasure of playing with in the Mac.

Chris rushes partner, which was, to be fair, in lawn, and it's now 3.5 yards north of the boundary. Taking off back to red and will have a stoppo approach. Bit tentative on the green bit, as he actually had a chance of a rush.

Approaches 3b.. he has hit this far too hard - bounces of the wire of 3back to unrunnable. Red is well up the lawn

Chris and Sam are two points ahead. Edward shooting from hoop 1 to corner 4 - misses by about a ball's width.

Chris can run the last 4 minutes (just announced by Stephen) down taking this ball around. Stephen's ball was left at 4back. i fancied him shooting - I know you want the best shot to shoot, but this seems to have given Chris the chance to put a bunch of points on the board.

Approaches 3b... he's got an angly hoop - this could be telling!!! ... runs it well.

Hasn't managed to get a penult pioneer out, and approached 4b from a wee way, had a bit of distance on this hoop - want to run it well... cleanly through to the boundary.

Rushes red back to yellow – bit far… no… red hits yellow bouncing away to give a perfect position to rush to penult.

Rushes really well to penult… no… curves an absolute mile to be south of penult.. plays an ok approach though. Runs penult too cleanly and has a 5-6 yarder. People here feeling a bit wimpy on Chris’s behalf – wanting him to take a slightly safer (???) 10 yarder at red, or go into corner 2.

Chris hits his 5.5 yarder.

sorry - internet break. Now has taken off to red, yellow north of hoop 2, has a rush on red (after a lot of hill) to pretty much blue, which is 4 feet south of rover. Rushes it down as a deepish ball

Another really good clutch turn by Chris Shilling. Time went a wee while ago.

Doubles plate final: Ian Burridge and Alain Giraud v Greg Bryant and Felix Webby starting soon on lawn 4

Chris takes off well, rushes a foot in front of rover.

Black will be leaving this game. He approaches.. black doesn't go very far, pretty straight though. Chris off on a wide stalk, and runs rover down to have a rush on red to the middle of the east boundary.

red can stay in the middle of the lawn - it needs to play

Rushes blue off the west boundary into standard nsl position (but off the lawn), takes off really well, to get a rush on yellow pointing mid-ish east boundary. Chris doesn't like hitting things hard, but he has a great position

Hits it well - yellow is on the east boundary a couple of yards north of hoop 4. Black will be leaving.

Shilling and Murray well odds on to take the first game. Let's have a flashback to the first morning of the competition... Chris and Sam came back looking sheepish."did you win?". "Yes, but noone got double figures...and noone conceded a lift!" They've really dug in.

Chris takes off longish... pegs out!!

Stephen has to channel Chris Clarke here ... he's 7 points behind. Shooting with red at blue maximum-length shot. Virtually no applause - bit harsh, as he nudges blue.

Plays the huge croquet stroke to concern from some spectators ... looking to have only a couple of big strokes for a break... plays it... magnificently.. has a rush on yellow from the east boundary pointing dead at hoop 3. There have been some classy finishing turns already in this tournament.

Rushes yellow up - decent line, but it's level with 3 - he'd want that back from the rush he had. Blue is about 2 yards off the south boundary and a few in from the east. He looks at smashing through to the south boundary - I reckon Edward would. Stalks... no, it's going to be short.

Runs 3 really smoothly... but it rolls on to level with yellow. Ian Burridge points out to Sam he must feel a bit unlucky to have two people embark on massive final turns against him.

Stephen rolls yellow to 5... he's short of blue. Not horribly unhittably, short, but short such that he's taking off to the hoop from the south boundary.

Takes off ... has a 5 foot slightly angled hoop. Maybe 4 feet. Worth a pressup.

If he gest through this he should win

bounces off. Sam and Chris take the first 17-12.

Ellen all nervous and shakey (Sam's other half. Very sweet)

Game 1: 17-12 to Chris Shilling and Sam Murray

Game 2: Shilling and Murray lead Mulliner and Wilson 1-0

1. Stephen plays red to 5 feet north-west of hoop 5. Yes, a supershot on these challenging lawns.

2. Chris S to just south of corner 2.

3. Edward lining up the shot... he has hit shooting boots back on. Hits

This game started about 3.50. Hope they've remembered they only get 2.5 hours now

We welcome more croquet royalty to United... Duncan Dixon has arrived, and Pete Trimmer rocked up a wee while ago and is getting acquainted with the pale grass and firm hoops of lawn 1.

Edward rolls black between 1 and 2, has a rush to 1, rushes to 1, he's through hoop 1. Can he get Stephen over the line here?

Approaching hoop 2, third turn, red nicely at three. Smoothly through, hoop and roquet. Impressive stuff on a lawn that is only going to have slowed down very slightly

Plays a shocker... black is well south east of hoop 4 and he makes very little effort to get a rush out of 3...and doesn't get a rush.

plays a decent croquet stroke... but he's short.

Takes off to 4... bit long... rejected!!! Bounces off to partner near hoop 5

Sam Murray playing 4th turn...shoots at partner... hits!!

Croquets partner towards hoop 2... ends up almost in corner 2!! - nothing here has slowed down!

Rushes yellow to hoop 1 - approaches... it's gone again - he won't be running that!!

Puts blue off towards the middle of the north boundary (a bit short of half-width).

Edward hits a 12 yarder at partner.

Bit of discussion at teh commentary area - very australian accent summoning Stephen... sounded exactly like he said "David"! - multiple people commenting on that.

red towards east boundary, going to blue. Doesn't have a rush this time. Will be smashing this...

Cuts blue into corner 2... excellent shot

Rushes black to a foot from hoop 4!!!

New kiwi Trans Tasman manager Steve Wardle is here in spirit, though only his dad is here in person (and promoted on arrival to deputy TR).
Frmo Steve: "Chris [Shilling] is calmness personified", followed by a very parochial "That a boy Chris, nice turn"

Anyways, Edward runs hoop 4, rushes black back to red. Black to 6, gets a rush on red towards blue, smashes it... into hoop 6, and puts red towards the middle of the north boundary.

Lovely croquet stroke... puts red towards corner 2, getting a cut to hoop 5. Cuts it... it's about 3 yards NW of hoop 5 - this will be challenging.

Stephen is on to ??? help??

Takes off from inside blue... (I hate doing that).... parks it on the back of hoop 5's west wire. Has an umpire on, but plays it well - has a 10 yard join on the north boundary.

Blue to corner four. Bloody good battery on this computer - thank you UC!

Edward hits (of course), rolls red to the middle of the north boundary... yellow goes 3 yards too far, and he has a rush back to hoop 2 - he's for hoop 5

croquets black towards the west boundary north of hoop 1... longish and angled at hoop 5... just the hoops he has been smashing through.

Stephen's on... Edward is not allowed to run his hoop - shoots off the north boundary

Chris plays black to corner 3. They've not got corners 3 and 4 covered

Edward has a 2 yard rush pointing from the north boundary at hoop 5... hits it really well

Bounces tamely off hoop 5(!!)

Clip update: Edward's yellow on hoop 5, all other on hoop 1.

Sam shooting from corner 4. At yellow. shoots... goes past... hits hoop 5... bounces back to centre-ball the other side of yellow!

No shame at all.. croquets yellow to 2, rushing to 1 - needs to cut it a bit... not great - 2.5 yards NW of 1

Plays a splitty thing.. he's in front... but very angled.

Pairs up along the east boundary - Chris in corner 3, Sam 8 yards south

Stephen... hits from 1 to 2.

Take off to black in the corner, no rush, but hits it comfortably.

Has a rush on blue south, looking at rushing it to 1 - points a bit... he needs power here.

Decent effort - rushes it off the middle of the south boundary (little west of that)

Approaches ... gone. He'll be joining up on the north boundary

Dont check your connection... they are conferring. Echos of MacRob 2017
They go into corner 3.
Stephen rushes yellow to black on the middle of the east boundary, yellow to hoop 6, getting a rush on black (that was a bit inlawn – rushes it 5 yards south of hoop 1 – plays an excellent approach – Stephen Mulliner is on the board!

Mis hits the rush on yellow to hoop 2, approaches well, and is now through 2, with a rush back down the lawn

Croquets yellow to hoop 4. They are contemplating the rush into corner 3. Need to get it right if you're going to take it

Has a bit of a cut - plays it really well, and it smoothly goes off a yard to the west of the corner (I thought it was closer, but there you go)

Take off uses all the space of the corner area, but now he has a rush to hoop 3

Approaching 3 from dead in front... runs 3...

Another wibbles through... mallet in the air. Probably has a straight shot, but it's long... 6 yards?

Hits enough of blue

Racing around now - made 4, through 5. Playing a 3bb, with black in corner 3. Going up to it after hoop 5. 6 pioneer is a bit south-west of hoop 6, but he should cope. He is the world champ, after all

Nice croquet stroke sends blue to 2, hits black in the corner.

Approaches 6 from side, but close. grovels through, but he's all good. Black is next to 5, he taps yellow, will roll down.. short of black. ok 2b pioneer - bit west but playable

3b pioneer well short, but he has rushed black to corner 1, so all in control
Gets an excellent 3b pioneer. Lovely position at 2b…
Fails 2b into the front of the hoop – he really walked through that one!
Black and blue are probably wired. I’m sending Sam the Shooter out for this one!

Not wired, Chris hits blue, puts it to between hoops 1 and 2. hits yellow, puts it to hoop 2, rush peels red, runs hoop 1, has a 4bb ahead of him.

Rushes red south of 1. It's awful...

Red hits the peg en route to hoop 3, black bounces off hoop 1 - not many marks for that.

But hits the middle of blue, and can put that to three going to yellow and get back in control

Makes 2, yellow between 3 and 4 and... rushes red onto the wire of hoop 6 - won't be having a hoop 4 pioneer - that's a bit challenging on these lawns!

And there we go - the sausage sizzle has begun - hurrah!

Chris is through 3 - by quite a long way - shooting back - 3.5 yards - no problem at all. Red still next to 6, yellow between 3 and 4, north of the peg though

rushes well to 4...dead in front...hit it smoothly Chris...gets lots of wire, but hoop and roquet...all good

This break now fully under control. Approaches 5 to nice and close, good pioneer at 6. Will put out an early 2b pioneer. Would take a false shot for something to go wrong here, but he has good concentration here.

Making 6, good pioneers at 1b and 2b. A reminder oppos are on 5 (Edward) and 3b (Stephen having been rushpeeled through 2b after failing it). Quick count, that's... 4+8 = 12

Oh dear... Brian Cumming has just returned from Fendalton... lawns playing at... wait for it.... 9 seconds. Very disappointing. I have a day there with critical matches

Approaches 1b from a bit of distance - red very deep. Runs 1b cleanly so has all the balls. This would make it 12-9. remember we started about 3.50, so are a bit under 1.5 hours through - an hour (and a couple of minutes) to go

Sausage sizzle in full swing

3b pioneer is south and well east, but yellow put south of hoop 5, so he should be all over it

we're going to have a pressup at 2b - it's a wee bit angled, but his reception ball is only just south of 2b... pokes it into the wire.

Stephen and Edward checking it out. Stephen has his computer with him - this must be serious!!

Yellow is south of its hoop (5), red SE of its hoop (3b). black parked just in the front of 2b, and blue next to it.

Edward lifts yellow - hits blue

Stephen confirms the presence of the computer was of no use, but he seems to be productive as an outplayer

oops - takes off from blue near hoop 2 and... he doesn't have a huge amount of black to hit - has enough, and hits it, but black just rocks and stays there

Needs a thick takeoff, but actually there is a good line to red

Takes off to partner, he's a tad north of it, but nicely past, cuts it well to south of hoop 5, blue is actually closer to 6 than 2.

approaches with a big drive putting red to black... bounces off badly, and he is clearly very unhappy with this. Showed his unhappiness with a droopy head and then places his clip and walks sedately off. He has matured into an excellent player in the last few years, and is a lovely house guest too.

ok, Sam hits in - black is 2 feet in front of hoop 1. He leaves red west of the peg, rushes yellow south, puts that to hoop 2 and rushes well to 1. Excellent chance to really control of this match

Smoothly through 1 -made sure of that, but only a 6 foot return.

Black now south-west of 3,but has all the balls

Pokes blue through hoop 2... looked like he was looking for an alternative ball to roquet... but no - it was all good.

Good 4 pioneer. Tries to cut to hoop 3.. ends up next to 3.. sidey approach

Through 3. currently 12-10 to Mulliner and Wilson

Lawns significantly slower.. manager reckons maybe 1.2 secs slower. Sam through 4. Playing a nice tidy break

Bit messy - 6 pioneer is well short, but he has a pivot, and red only really 4 yards south of 6

Makes 5, sends black 2.5 yards east of 1b. Rushes yellow to red. Doesn't double load, as it's handy to have a pivot when pioneering that naughty 2b hoop. I'd have been very keen to get an early 2b pioneer to ensure a good approach

After the shenanigans at 2b, I'd also be trying very hard to have hoop and roquet - that hoop could do wih being run hard.

13-12 to Sam and Chris

All tidy - good ball to 2b

14-12.

About 50 mins to go. Michael contemplating stopping before the peg - a Riggall (i.e. oppo getting going and pegging your ball out) is probably the most likely way to lose from here - still, hanging back and not making points when you can has provide disastrous to others in this tournament

Here's Chris... 'I would be tempted to take it to the peg. Rover is an option"

rushes red to... next to 2b!!

takes off - doesn't want to run it too far, and he has a slight angle - we've seen this go wrong here!!...

Smoothly through - has a 4 yard return to hit... middles it.

Checks the time - about 35 mins to go

Yellow is well short of 4b, but he puts out a good penult ball, rushes red across, will take off to yellow

Takes off well. But wibbly rush half-balls it. needs a decent approach...

Sam about 4 feet south of 4b, with a little angle ... runs it with a lovely shot. Ellen is getting pretty nervous as she has emerged (having stopped shaking from earlier) - excellent support person.

Didn't get a rush south from 4b, but ran it firmly and smoothly - good shot from there

Yellow to the peg, short of partner, roquets it gently, but it's another backwards takeoff - plays it really well... runs it really smoothly - might have got really unlucky... no... he can see yellow at the peg, and has a 4 footer on it. That return roquet wasn't too appealing looking

Meanwhile on lawn 4 we have teh plate final: 3 and 2b vs 3 and 2b. Bryant and Giraud on 2b. Greg has just run 1b and missed the return roquet to near the end of B baulk. Giraud hits - has a break

Runs rover... that's a clip on the peg, and a decent lead. About 30 mins to go.

Michael reckons 27 mins

Having some sort of reverse diagonal

Reverse OSL.

Edward lifts yellow... shoots into corner 2... hits... has to cut blue to red... too much cut, but gets it a long way down there. Needs to take off, and red is well in lawn.

Sam looks like he's striding towards teh clock. Still a lot of life in this game.

nope - striding to the little boys' room more likely

*Worlds Qualifier info starting to appear on croquetscores.com. Would I be naughty to suggest the format of 3 blocks is awful? - need to order people, particularly 5-8 in case of people withdrawing - I fancy a format that gives absolutely maximum games (my preferred format gave everyone 9 or 10 games (depending if there were 18.19 or 20 competitors), and gave a complete ordering -can't see anyone beating that.)

Anyways, after that wee minor rant..

Yellow takes off, rushes red to 5, runs 5 well. rushes back, red left at 2b, blue rushed across, put to 1b, has a huge cut to get black to 6... it's still well closer to hoop 2. Approaches sending blue essentially north of hoop 3. Longish 6, but looks like he has done really well given his abilities with these hoops...

Bounces out of hoop 6 to a couple of yards NW of the peg.

Red is WNW of hoop 1, so shooting at partner doesn't look too bad - and it's Sam the Shooter (who has admitted to feeling a few nerves now)

And we're back online on Chris's computer... unfamiliar keyboard, but thankfully back...

Blue shoots at black... misses - leaving them 7 yards apart.

Edward shoots yellow at red... misses into corner 1

Chris shooting into corner 3... hits... this is huge!!! - red is very close to 2b - Chris's hoop

Chris shooting into corner 3... hits... this is huge!!! - red is very close to 2b - Chris's hoop

Not sure if he'll fancy the corner to corner take-off - I'm mixed - scary, however need a decent rush to 2b... takes off.... halfway between them... and slightly closer to the northish ball red

Fabulous time for internet to drop out. Back on, on my phone... Chris shooting at the corner ball... hits it in the middle!!

Yellow as a reasonably average 3b pioneer (well west of it), but gets a good rush to 2b (critical), rushes well... runs it!!!

12.5 mins to go

Red up as a good 4b pioneer, blue still hanging out in corner 3

Rushes south of 3b. Couple of yards to come in, but he's looking determined

That must be down hill - he didn't seem to give it too much, but it just kept going - still back a bit ... but angled!!

Going flat...

I've found these hoops a bit challenging to run angled on the ground.. he sticks in 3b!!

Edward on, shooting at black. Most of it is sticking out, and he hits it. Not sure how comfortable he is now. but he is among the balls

Takes off a bit short of the ball in corner 3 - hits the middle of it

9.5 mins left... a ball around and pegged out gives them the lead.

Plays the croquet stroke poorly - needed to get from corner 3 to 1b and a rush on a ball a bit south west of 4b to rush it to 6... sails past it. It'll have to be another thrash at hoop 6

Takes off - it's very long... and he hits it well - through to the boundary with a loud "c'mon".

Hits his 4ish yarder at red. He has a really good 1b pioneer, slight favourite now.

Pretty rubbish 2b pioneer well WSW of 2b, but gets a good rush out of 1b and can put this to 3b going on the rushline of black which is waiting near corner 4 to now rush to red.

Skips down to the corner. Has sped up a fair bit now, but is looking pretty chipper
Rushes black to a nice position to get behind red. I quite fancy putting black off the south boundary, given the problems people have had here. Seem to have confused Michael by suggesting this, but Chris convinced when advised they've failed 2b about three times this match.

.

Anyway, he copes. Gets a very nice 4b pioneer, blue is good at 3b, cuts black nicely to it. Keeping things tidy is really important here - the others have had poor 4b pioneers and, while the bite is gone, the lawns still have something to offer.

Nice split grip Solomon roll to put out the pivot, will be approaching 3b from 6 inches dead in front.

Approaches 3b safely - tries for hoop-and-roquet. Gets hoop - fortunately black was northish - but he has a 5 yarder, and it bounced a bit when he shot... hits it in the middle - smoothly - but still rushes it off the south boundary

He's now through 4b, penult pioneer is south of penult, but looks all ok

Rushes partner off the lawn south of hoop 4.

Wee conversation - red rolled to rover - I thought he was interested in the peel, but keeping going on the break. Doesn't get a rush on blue to black - that looked careless. Takes off - just past black - that's just bad - very gentle croquet stroke... limps past penult... right in front - nice touch!

Time long gone. This is to stay alive. Need to peg out to be a point ahead. Stephen and Chris on 3b, Sam on the peg, Edward in play and on rover, with full control

Edward and Stephen conferring. After penult Edward rushed black to the middle of the east boundary. has red (partner) in front of rover, and blue somewhere nicely nearby.

Leaves black a little lower than peg high on the east boundary. Takes off to blue. Croquets blue to the middle of the west boundary getting a rush on partner at rover. Played that really nicely - got blue quite deep. (that's the peg ball - I expect Sam to shoot with it, as he has hit nearly everything all day). Deja vu from about 8
hours ago!

Approaches rover from right in front. Runs rover to get a rush to blue - might as well swap them over, as blue is in l
awn a bit.

another conference

Rolls red up a little. Looks like he has moved it in lawn a bit. Rushes blue to corner 2. Has to take off from the corner to peg out - that's never a fun shot

Copes well, and hits his 3.5 yard pegout.
Applause as Edward finishes a fairly straightforward, but hugely stressful turn.

Chris and Sam in corner 1 having a pretty important conversation.

If Chris plays, he has a 13 yarder, and can take off down the boundary, but has to rush to 3b, and not making the hoop loses.

If Sam plays he has a longer shot, but he has shot incredibly well, and can just pegout to tie, and leave us up all night playing the deciding hoop.

Well that was a very annoying time to lose internet.

ok... conversation over... Sam shooting from corner 2 at red halfway down the west boundary... hits all of it!!! Rushes it South-west of hoop 1.

Takes off to black - 2.5 yards short - no problem. Now putting black towards 3b... it's fairly short, but he is right near the peg.

21-all.

Black is ENE of 3b.
Does Stephen have a wiring??
Probably no - he goes in the middle of the south boundary.

If it comes to it, we'll be using the ILC recommendation for impasses.

Check out page 147 of the full CNZ yearbook - a very handy doc, with the commentary and some ILC stuff embedded.

Chris looks like he fancies shooting - nothing like that to remove any danger of an impass

Disappointing - that would have been fun. Instead we have Chris shooting...I didn't hear anything - but lots of applause - he nicked it!

Approaches the hoop... red to a few yards south of 4b. Black... decent length, but he's well angled. About 45 deg. Virginia Arney points out being in the jaws here would be quite fun.

Strokes it through gently by about 8 yards ++Chris Shilling and Sam Murray have won the New Zealand Open Doubles Final 22-21!!!++ Very well played chaps!

Burridge & Giraud win the Plate 19-13