Morning everyone. We are currently watching (and waiting) for the quarter final to finish between Goacher & Avery,

On the same lawn (lawn 1) the first semi-final begins: Maugham v Giraud

The internet connection is fairly poor, so commentary could be interesting, and there will definitely not be any live streaming unless I do a little from my phone tomorrow.

Situation so far, Goacher v Avery: 1 Game all, Avery is currently in play with red. Clip positions are Blue on 4b, Black on peg, Yellow in box (after a TPO from Goacher yesterday.

Avery hit from corner 2 to two balls near corner 4, had a rush pointing to 1 and cut to within a yard of 2... brilliant shot to start the turn. Avery has now won. The other semi-final will start shortly then between Avery and Suter.

Back to Maugham v Giraud:
Maugham has not made hoop 1 twice, so Giraud is now Green for 3 and Brown for 1 back. Maugham is for 1 & 1, and just missed his lift shot. White ball is by the peg, Brown will play with pink and green now both next to it on the east boundary.

Suter is currently warming up on lawn 1, whilst Avery sits in the warm and chats to Goacher about roll shots.

Maugham chips in to the conversation with the difference a metal face will make to a roll shot.

As usual, if anyone has any questions for me, the players or the manager, I may be able to sneak a couple of quick interviews out. So please forward your comments and questions to [email protected].

Just clocked Giraud's return roquet from 1 back... it was a smooth 10 yards. And he's missed. Whoops.

Maugham getting ready to battle with the rain, gloves jacket but not yet a hat.

So, white and pink (Maugham) are for 1 & 1. Brown is now for 2 back and green is for 3.

White is three feet south of hoop 2, green is 2 feet north of hoop 1, brown is north of hoop 2 on the boundary, and white is shooting at pink near east boundary by hoop 4.

White is three feet south of hoop 2, green is 2 feet north of hoop 1, brown is north of hoop 2 on the boundary, and white is shooting at pink near east boundary by hoop 4.White hits pink.... and has the green ball waiting at hoop 1 to start a break.

White takes off to green at hoop 1. Has a take off to get to the hoop.

White takes off to green at hoop 1. Has a take off to get to the hoop.No sorry, little split.

.

.Another angled hoop 1... and it's through.

Third time lucky it was.

Maugham is now through hoop 2 with White, and has a four ball break in front of him.

Avery and Suter are now about to start their Semi-Final. Avery in first with Black...

Avery hit third turn, Suter missed 4th turn, Avery now in play with Blue... waiting for his double banker ...

Double banker being Maugham, who is just setting his contact leave after running 3 back.

Maugham contact leave is Pink ball in corner 2, brown 8 yards north of corner 1, Green in corner 4 and White in corner 3. Clips: White 4b, Pink 1, Green 3 and Brown 2b.

Giraud took croquet from white, rolled white to north east of hoop 4, shoots at brown and misses. Brown and Green 8 ish yards north of corner 1 both on the boudary, pink in corner 2.

Maugham has jacket, gloves and now hat!

Maugham plays white and shoots at pink...

Hits the hoop, bounces off to south of pink on west boundary.

Meanwhile, Avery is running 2 back with blue, he has placed black in corner 2 ready for the contact leave.

Black clip is for 1, blue will be for 4 back at the end of this turn, red is also for 1 and yellow ... I have no idea. The clips is not on any hoop...

Giraud is playing with brown and taking off to white and pink. Is short.

Sorry folks, manager has informed me I need to play... back soon.

Maugham has won the first game. Second game has started. Maugham hit in forth turn and took off the lawn.

Apparently the lawn is "too quick" says Maugham.

Sorry, internet blip. Maugham is on 4 back with pink and set a contact leave. Giraud puts pink toward hoop 1 and joins up in corner 4. Maugham to play, pink on 4 back, all other clips on 1.

The rain is now a little heavier and most of the players are huddles in the club house.

Maugham V Giraud: Maugham with Pink (4b) & White (1). Giraud 1&1. Maugham just hits pink with white from near hoop 1 to corner 4. Green and brown are laid up by hoop 2 with a dolly rush into the lawn.

Oops... White took off toward green and brown, was a little short, but missed to west boudary near corner 2.

Giraud hasn't made it out of the club house yet... I think he might be waiting for double banking Avery.

As you can tell by the fact that I'm back typing, Ian Lines is showing fabulous ability to play croquet in the rain and is setting off on a TP against me.

Chapman is currently playing Williams in a plate game on lawn 2. Chapman seems to have had lots of play but I can't see the clips from here.

Giraud has hit white on the boundary and it now looks like it's in the jaws of 2. Rushed green toward hoop 1, taking off to hoop 1 with brown. It's short!

Pink is in corner 4 so Brown will be laying up near green at hoop 1. This means white can't be in the jaws otherwise it would be getting a list... with two balls at his hoop.

This is a scatter

White is in fact in the jaws of hoop 2.

Brown scatters green to the middle of the lawn between hoop 1 and 2. Brown is 9 yards north of south boundary.

Maugham takes his lift with White. It's only 9 yards to brown, or 13 yards to pink in corner 4.... for a break with potential delayed TP

Hits!

Now he's hit pink in corner 4 this will be a standard TP.

Maugham made a leave and didn't get going, Giraud took on the 12 yarder at his own ball from the middle of the lawn to his other ball near hoop 2 and hits... is about to take off to white and pink in corner 4....

Walks over to look at the standing water and decides it's lunch time. Play has stopped for both Semi Finals.

Whilst we all wait for a break in the rain, I have had a question from Elmyr Hughes, Chester Croquet Club:
"David M, re his comment on how a metal face will affect rolls, as opposed to a composite face."

Maughas says he thinks metal faces are worse for roll shots, but still playable. The reason they are worse is because they are harder, so the balls 'ping' off them.

Maugham says that he hasn't played with a metal face mallet very much, so he has limited knowledge, but the times he has played with them this is the experience he has had.

Giraud is commenting that he wouldn't have a metal face mallet for this particular reason, so agrees with Dave.

In the spirit of creating interesting commentary whilst we wait for the rain to stop, Hopgood is discussing GDPR.

Referring to a class picture at a university, where the students took home a declaration form to fill in so the university could publish the class photograph.... what should happen at croquet clubs?

Whilst here at Bowdon some club members are taking photographs of the players, Hopgood was wondering if he will be asked to sign a declaration to confirm that his picture may be used on the Bowdon CC website.

This of course is quite interesting, from my point of view (Alison Jones) I beleive that as sports people, playing at a certain level, we should expect that our pictures would be taken and used for publicity of the sport. Almost 'part of the job'. If you have any thoughts, please do e-mail your comments to me to join in the discussion. [email protected]

Sorry folks, it is still raining and the crows have started to search for the worms.

I have created a little video of the club, please do have a little look. 'Like' the CA facebook page and see regular croquet updates.https://www.facebook.com/TheCroquetAssociation/