Hello from Wellington Municipal Croquet Club. The sun is shining, we're in beautiful surroundings and there are 6 1st round matches about to start.

These are our matches:
Death v Richards (lawn 1)
Webby v Riva (lawn 2)
Bryant v Morrow (lawn 2)
Hogan v Carter (lawn 1)
Hakes v Lawrence (lawn 3)
Moberly v Mulliner (lawn 3)

Hogan yet to arrive. Possibly caught in the first proper rush-hour traffic we've had - yesterday was the Waitangi Day holiday, and people may have taken Monday off to get a 4-day weekend.
Death v Richards underway. Death supershot 2y NW 5.

Hogan is here. Mangler should deny him practice.
Richards Red 3y NE 5. Death looks at target from 1st corner, decides to take shortest shot at Black. Hits. Through hoop 1, Blue near peg.

Riva plays Pink 1st turn, to 15y N of 4th corner.

I should say I have an excellent view of lawns 1 and 2, but lawn 3 is up a slope behind me so will need to take occasional visits to see what's going on.
Death failed a long hoop 2.

On lawn 2 Bryant is in play.
Webby plays Green 2nd turn to near 2nd corner.
Richards hits 7-yarder 4th turn, has a 4-yard take-off approach to hoop 1, short, runs away to 3rd corner.
Riva misses Pink from B-baulk, to maybe 4y S of Pink.
Death shoots Black at Blue, misses by 1', nearly runs hoop 2! Death might have a unidecimal peel next go!
Webby shoots from B-baulk, hits Pink to 3y S of White.
Richards misses 9-yarder into 3rd corenr.

Webby stops Pink towards hoop 3, tries to rush White to Green but hoop 6 intervenes. Croquets White nr hoop 1. Hits 9-yarder at Green, leaves rush to Pink.

Death plays Blue, rush-peels Black, rush to 1 from 3rd corner well short, take-off short, back to mother.

Sorry bit out of practice at this commentary, i'll try to make it easier to follow.

Riva plays White, hits Green (25-yarder)

Richards hits 20-yarder.

Bryant has 4-ball break.

Carter has the innings.

Richards has 5-yard roll-up to hoop 1, overhits it. Joins up nr 3rd corner.

Riva has 4' hoop 1, fails it (off partner).

Death misses 17-yarder.

Webby misses 22-yarder into A-baulk.
Riva can make 1 with White, then rushes over to East boundary where Brown is. Except he's 7 yards S of Brown. Croquet stroke trying to get Rush on Brown, goes off lawn (maybe hill, but it was overhit).

Carter has made long hoop 2, Hogan's balls defensively placed, Green is 5yS of 3rd corner, Brown in 4th corner.
Carter now approaching 3 from 3rd corner, nice strength, wrong line.

Webby Brown rushes Pink nr Green, makes 1 off Green, rushes back to Pink.

Richards has break.

Bryant has reached 1-back.

Webby has long (12y?) approach to 2, copes. Has pioneer at 3, Green nr end of A-baulk. Fails 3 off Pink.

Richards has ball in 3rd corner, which some would have dug out before 3. Rushes to it after 3.

Hogan has 11-yarder at partner in 4th corner. (Carter retired to E bdry). Hogan misses.

Riva Pink hits Brown out of 3.

I'll now wander up to lawn 3.

Not much progress on lawn 3. Moberly was 1-0 (in hoops!) up v Mulliner, but Mulliner has made hoop 1 with chance of a break. The other match appears to be one hoop each.

Bryant to 4-back, with defensive OSL.

Richards has reached hoop 6, still a ball near 3rd corner!

Carter approaching 4 from 3y, makes it.

Riva has break with Pink.

Morrow lifts Blue from near W bdry to end of A-baulk. Hits Red (13y).

Richards finally digs ball out of 3rd corner.

Carter also has all the balls.

Morrow rushing Black to 1, hoop 5 gets in way. Rolling to 1 from 7y, not bad. Makes hoop. Hits 5-yard return. Red is nr 4th corner, Yellow 5y S of hoop 3.

Lawns are running at about 11 Plummers. Matches are untimed.

Richards up to 3-back.
Carter up to 1-back.
Riva up to 6.

Morrow rolling to 2 from near 6. Again not bad. 1y hoop, slightly angled. Makes it.

Richards may be thinking of a spread. Blue (for 1) is 5y WSW of hoop 2. Black (for 3) is croqueted from 2y of peg short, maybe 2' from peg. Richards now rolling both Red and yellow off the lawn near 4th corner.

Morrow has earned a break.

Richards Red and Yellow 4 or 5 yards apart on E bdry. Death thinking. Plays Black as it lies, misses Yellow into 4th corner.

Carter is taking my approach to making a leave: gather all 4 balls at 3-back and maybe get an NSL.

Riva has reached 3-back. Partner ball already 5yS of 2nd corner.

Hakes visits the hut. "How's it going Aiken?" "Great. Had laid break, went for wrong hoop. Now he [Lawrence] has a laid break."

Riva leaves Green2y N of 4th corner. Now rolling Brown from 5y N of 1st corner to middle of W bdry. Brown falls off lawn, next to Pink.

Richards has 5' hoop 1, runs it to N bdry. Has 8-yarder, hits.

Webby calls on umpire to judge where Brown's rushing Pink to. With justification - gets cannon with Green.

Morrow makes 3-back, looking at spread.

Carter gets NSL. Hogan hits something, then fails hoop 1.

Webby's hoop 3 attempt rejects to N bdry.
Riva joins up.
Webby finesses into 1st corner.

Morrow's diagonal spread looks sound.

My runner's been upto lawn 3.
Mulliner's had a ball round, Moberly on equalising break.
Lawrence on a break.

Richards has made lawn 2. Standard TP available if he fancies it.

Carter has innings back.

Bryant lifts Red (for 1) from W bdry to B-baulk. Misses 23-yarder to just W of 4th corner.

Not sure how Webby got the innings back, but he's just made 4 with Brown. Now digging Green out of 1st corner.

Hogan misses 22-yarder.

Moberly broke down having been hampered after 5.

Richards attempting 4-back peel after 3. Peel fails into front of hoop, should be rush-peelable later. But wait! he's wired himself from escape ball! Now hits 20-yarder at hoop 4 pioneer, rushing it nr 4th corner. Takes off to Black. Has he wired himself again?!! He's lying down. Glances off wire to 3yE of end of A-baulk.

Death Black is forced to rush-peel Red thru 4-back, but Black is for hoop 3 so he's happy. After 3 cut-rushes Red 2 or 3 yards N of 4th corner.

Carter can now attempt to pick up break for White. He had been held up by Richards' shenanigans at hoop 3.

Webby has reached 3-back.

Bryant has innings.

Carter "played a series of poor strokes" and missed a cut rush. Hogan fails to approach 1 from 5y to the side.

Death is on a TPO. Fails penult peel after 6. From here it doesn't look like it can be rush-peeled.

Webby had defensive leave, Riva missed 15-yarder. Webby hits 6-yarder. Can he pick up break?

Bryant is approaching hoop 2.

Carter corners.

Death tries death roll of penult going to 2-back. Fails, but might now be rush-peelable.

Bryant has balls for standard TP

Webby has made 1. His hoop 2 pionerer is on W bdry 10y from hoop.

Death rush peels penult well through.before 3-back. May be able to set up rush after 3-back for peeling attempt at rover.

Death Black rushes Red short of rover, so it will have to be straight rover peel to complete TPO.

Bryant fails hoop 4. He failed to get peel after 3.

Hogan has the innings, but is yet to make a hoop.

Morrow is in with his 4-back ball.

Death's deep ball at rover finishes in yard-line area.

Webby has break, setting up for delayed TP.

In approaching 4, Webby sends croqueted ball off lawn.

Death's irish peel goes well. He rushes partner off W-bdry. His take-off to Yellow hits hoop 1! Has 12-yarder at Yellow. Missing probably coats the game. Hits!

Death has 4-yard peg-out attempt. The ref is on. Red solidly hits. Black is running on to desperate cries of "Sit" from Death. Stops a good inch short of peg. Black into 3rd corner. Blue is 8y N of 1st corner. Yellow clip is on hoop 4.

Hogan fails hoop 3. There was a break had he run it well.

Morrow has made 2 hoops and had a spread. Bryant misses long lift.

Richards Yellow takes contact from Black in 3rd corner. Not sure what big roll he was attempting but the player gives himself an ironic "Good shot". Black is 3y S of 5. Yellow is 7y S of 5 - maybe wired from Blue?? Double-banker adjusts Yellow, luckily Richards has had a look. He is thinking.

Carter crashes through hoop 1, having hit a 10-yarder at start of turn. Has 8-yard return roquet. Misses it. Could have had standard TP had he hit.

Richards Yellow to W bdry roughyl level with hoop 6.

Hogan hits 10-yarder

Death Black retires to 2y W of 3rd corner.
Richards Yellow misses Blue to near 1st corner. Maybe wired from Black.

Hogan has chance of break with hoop 4 ball.

Missed some interaction in Bryant v Morrow. Morrow has innings with ball for rover.

Death Blue to 3rd corner. "I now have control", says he.
Richards 40-yarder flicks the peg and finishes near end of B-baulk.

Up top, Hakes decided to concede contact as he wasn't getting good leave. Then failed rover. Lawrence has been POPped to 3 and 4-back.

Hogan's clip is on 5. Carter has chance of standard TP.

Webby on a delayed TP but fails 6. Riva misses (8 - 10 yards? sorry not sure) Webby hits 6-yarder and can resume break.

Death's croquet shot short on Yellow, cuts Yellow to just S of peg high on W bdry. Croquets yellow S of hoop 4, fails to get in front of 1, joins near hoop 2.

Carter lining uo 8' peel of 4-back after 3.

Webby fails 6 again, this time conceding innings. Except Riva fancies 7-yarder with White (may have been a target). Gets it
Clips: Riva White 3, Pink 4-back; Webby Green 6 Brown 4-back.

Richards Yellow to 4th corner. Death rushes well to 1, sticks in hoop.

Carter's peel failed. Now looking at delayed TP. For soem reason Pink (peelee) is somewhere near peg. Good rush to in front of 4-back.

Richards thinking. Hitting Blue would be good! Yellow to 1yW of 3rd corner.

Riva fails 4.

Death makes 1, rushes to 4y shy of 2, 4' hoop, bounces back in front.

Carter's peel failed. Rush-peel tricky at best. Doesn't get it, but may have another peel attempt going to 1-back pioneer. Fails, but should rush-peel.

Webby makes 6, has a break.

Richards waiting for double-banker, as is Morrow.

Quick sneak up to lawn 3. 2hrs 15 and still no game has finished here at Wellington!

Mulliner's clips are 2-back and 4-back, Moberly 2 and 6, sadly failing 6 as I watched.

Richards Yellow missed Blue. Death makes 2, approach to 3 not good enough, defends shot.

Carter's clip off 4-back at last.

Death has Black wired from Yellow, Blue almost wired. Richards Yellow to 2nd corner.

Carter is making 4-back off peelee.

Hoop 2 on lawn 2: refs out with bucket.

Death Blue rushes Black to end of B-baulk. Rolls to Yellow. Approaches 3 putting Yellow 3yW of 4. Retires to partner

Carter has rush from 5-yards to put peelee in position at penult. 2y peel attempt. Onto wire. Still has another ball to roquet. Now looking to bombard peelee. Gets it into jaws! Tries half-jump. Peelee through, ball isn't. "Wee bit ambitious."

Hoops have been moved and made tighter since the block phase. May get easier as the day wears on.

Hogan has break with hoop 5 ball.

Morrow looking at 7' hoop 4. Decides against.

Richards Yellow misses Blue (30y ish)

Riva has innings.

Bryant has 15-yarder Not close.

Riva has rush to 4, oppo's balls in 1st and 2nd corners. Webby adjusts the 1st corner ball 10y North.

Death stops Yellow well into lawn, rushes to 3. 1y hoop, makes it. Rushes near end of B-baulk, takes off for rush on Yellow, has to pause because....

Hogan has reached 3-back.

Morrow rolling to 4 from 10 yards. Not in front. Decides not to join up Goes to W bdry defending Red (for 4) at Yellow (for 4-back). (Morrow 4 and rover).

Riva makes 4. Puts Green halfway between hoops 3 and 4, leaves Brown in 2nd corner, has leave nr 1st corner.

Hogan having reasonable spread.

Death attempting 4' hoop 4 off Yellow (also for 4). Runs it to boundary, has 4-yard return, rushes it to N bdry.

Death has backward take-off approach to 5. Short. Yellow is 3y NE of hoop 2. Black is 3y N of 5. Blue retires to S bdry, presumably wired from Yellow.
Richards Yellow triangulates to 1y E of 1st corner.

Carter is in. I guess he hit the lift. Makes penult off partner, has pioneer at rover.

Bryant fails 4.

Riva makes 6, hits 6-yard return.

Death misses Blue at Black (13y).

Carter now rover and peg, looking to crosswire Hogan at rover.

My runner reports Mulliner is rover and peg, Moberly on lawn.
Hakes on finishing turn.

Richards Yellow hits Black (17y) rushing it 5y SSW of 3rd corner. Blue is 3y from end of B-baulk. Approaches 4. Long hoop (4y?). Fails.

Hogan has 22-yarder to stay in the game. Hits! This is hoop 1 ball, but Green at rover does not rush to 1.

Death Black hits Yellow (5y). Splits Yellow near 4th corner going to Blue.

Mulliner has won game 1 v Moberly +20. Apparently had 2 peels of an STP. Hakes should be finishing.

Riva makes 1-back with a break.

Richards Yellow to 3rd corner.
Death Blue rushes Black to 5.

Hogan fails 1.

Bryant has innings.

Carter Pink misses 18-yarder for game to near 1st corner.

Bryant makes 4 with a break.

Death has attempted to leave wired rush behind 5, but Richards thinks he can see something. Close! Ball was bouncing a bit.
Death calls on ref for hampered 2-yarder at Yellow. Gets it.

Riva has made 3-back.

Hogan now approaching 2 from 13 yards. Short, but keeps innings.
Carter misses long shot.

Death rushing to 6 from by peg. 6-yard return - rushes it nr end of A-baulk (maybe 1y in-lawn). Take-off to 1-b pioneer.

Death makes 1-b without forward rush. Rushes partner 1'S of 2nd corner. Takes off to Yellow. Brilliant! Has rush to 2-back.

Death hoop and roquet at 2-back. Yellow 2yW of end of A-baulk. Approaches 3-back sending Yellow to 4-back. Rejects to 3yE of end of A-baulk.

Richards lifts Yellow. It's nearer 2y than 3 at Blue. Cuts it. Take-off approach to 4. Overhits. Fails 5' hoop to in fornt, but Blue can see most of it.

Hakes has won Game 1 v Lawrence.

Death Blue misses Yellow. Blue is just N of peg high, 2y in from E bdry.

Richards Yellow runs 4 to S bdry. Hits Blue (17y), rushing it 3y SW of 3rd corner. Takes off to 5, runs it 4' SE peg.

Carter wins game 1 v Hogan +16.

Richards tanking. (By which I mean thinking for a long time, expression I heard in context of bridge.)
Richards yellow misses Black (18y). Death wandering whether to peg Black out. (Blue clip 3-back, Yellow 6).

Bryant wins Game 1, +12 i think.

Death Black hits Yellow, takes off to Blue, stays on lawn by 1'. Rushes Blue 2y E of peg. Croquets Blue near 3-back, and Black is pegged out.

3-back is just about runnable for Blue.
Richards Yellow shooting at Blue from near 2nd corner (33-yarder). Hits! Rushing it 7yW of 4th corner.

Riva has pegged out Webby. Clips are now Riva on penult and peg, Webby on rover alone with a lift. Riva's balls close to middles of E and W boundaries.
Webby hits W bdry ball fro 1st corner.

Richards rolls to 6, fails long hoop.
Death takes longish posi.
Richards misses.
Death hits 5-yarder.

Webby takes off to White, short, hits it. Rolls to rover, fails it. Riva hits.

Death approaches 3-back, fails it.
Richards takes wiring lift to A-baulk.

Richards misses.
Death runs 3-back, fails long 4-back.
Richards has 17-yarder. Hits it! Even cuts it towards 6!

Richards approaching 6 from 4y NE of hoop. Has 4' hoop. Runs it to boundary.

Webby misses long shot.

Richards misses 7-yard return roquet.

Riva should finish.

Death fails to take posi at 4-back.
Richards (from near 1st corner) to N bdry in front of 1-back.
Death takes 1' posi at 4-back.

Richards Yellow hits Blue (15y), rushing it to E bdry. Rolls Blue midway between hoops 1 and 2, has 4-yard straightish hoop.

Riva misses 4-yarder after rover.

Webby hits 4-yarder. Takes off to other ball. Good cut to rover.

Richards fails hoop. Death hits 11-yarder.

Webby makes hoop and roquet at rover. Has ball at peg.

Death rolls to 4-back, runs hoop.

Webby decides not to reduce the score, wins Game 1 +2.

Death approaches penult from near 3rd corner, putting Yellow 6y S of rover. Runs penult to boundary.

Death runs rover to boundary. Death wins Game 1 +7tpo.

Lunchtime.

Still no play on lawns 1 and 2. Referees are taking the opportunity to fettle the hoops.

Sorry Carter has played his 1st turn. 12 yards N of 4th corner.

On lawn 3 Mulliner has had a ball to 4-back, Moberly is on a 3-ball break at around hoop 4 (other clip on 1).
No hoops scored in the other game.

Sorry, there should have been a comma after "Sorry" in the last comment.

Missed the opening in Carter v Hogan, but the latter won it. He then made 1 but failed a long approach to 2.
Carter hits a 17-yarder.

Richards Red 10y N of 4th corner.
Death Blue 1yW of 4th corner.
Richards Yellow misses Blue, presumably to the South as...
Death Black shoots from near 3rd corner. Misses to between Yellow and Blue.

Morrow has first break v Bryant. Needs to dig out the ball in 4th corner.

I now have info on the opening of Carter v Hogan:

Carter played 1st turn. 12 yards N of 4th corner.
Hogan to just N of 4th corner.
Carter missed Hogan from A-baulk.
Hogan hit the target.

Richards Yellow played rush on Black, promoting Blue to S bdry in front of 1. Croquets Black to 2 going to Red, takes off to Blue, approaches 1, fails it.

Death Blue misses Black badly (13y).

Carter has 4-ball break, up to hoop 5.

Morrow is approaching 6. There's still a ball in 4th corner, and his 1-back pioneer is 4y W of hoop 5.

Riva has made 1, some work to do before you'd call it a break.

Richards goes back to mother. Death misses 10-yarder.

Morrow sticks in 1-back.

Morrow must have bounced back from the hoop a bit, as Bryant isn't looking too happy. Umpire is on. He's about 7' away. Makes the roquet - didn't have to run the hoop to do so.
Bryant Black makes 1. Blue is still in 4th corner.

Riva makes hoop 2, it is a break now.

My runner reports:
Lawn 3; Moberly's clip is on 1-back. Mulliner has had first peel of standard TP.
Hakes has had ball to 4-back.

Bryant unhappy at 2. Approaching from behind. Copes.

Richards will probably be having another go at approaching 1 from the S bdry.

Carter making 3-back with all 4 balls in attendance.

Richards has 1' angled hoop - maybe 30'? Runs it for the break.

At last Blue on lawn 2 is in the game. Bryant should now go round.

Carter having an NSL Calling ref on as has hampered himself somehow. Leaves himself rush to... 3rd corner.

Riva has reached 1-back.

Hogan lifts ball at hoop 4 to B-baulk. Makes double of Carter's balls. Misses to outside 4th corner.

Richards sticks in hoop 3. Death ends up with angled hoop 1, decides against.

Riva Pink has left Brown on or near W bdry level with 2. Makes 3-back with no wire. Rushes White into 4th corner. Green is near hoop 4. Takes off to Green. Green is croqueted peg high on E bdry, maybe in a bit. Calls umpire on to judge where Pink goes off. It's 5' N of White which is 18" N of 4th corner.

Carter is picking up break. He has vouchsafed to the crowd that there will not be a TP this turn.

Bryant has made 3-back. Some sort of OSL coming up.

Webby Brown misses from A-baulk to 8" N of White.

Riva White rushes Brown, promoting Pink close to Green.

Death Blue is on a break, he's just made 3.

Carter is extracting Green from 4th corner.

Bryant is waiting for double-banker.

Death has just made 6.

Riva White has made 1 off Pink. Chance of a standard TP.

After 1, Riva rushes Pink to Green nr E bdry.

Bryant finishing leave. Similar leave to Riva's just now, except there's a ball S of hoop 2., which Morrow has just lifted.
Morrow shooting from A-baulk. Misses (13y) into 4th corner.

Death has made 9, overtaking Carter, Reverse spread, with Red (for 1) at peg, Yellow (for 3) 5y ENE of 4.

Mulliner beats Moberly 2-0, +20tp in the second.

Carter has reached 1-back.

Richards lifts Red to A-baulk, centre-balls his 24-yarder at Black.

Riva peels 4-back after 3.

Bryant Blue sticks in 1. Morrow fails to hit said ball.

Richards rushes Yellow to 1, and does it well. Red sticks in 1.

Death has 16-yarder, might finish if he hits. He does not.
Richards Red makes 1, rushes Yellow back to Black on S bdry.

Carter is up to 4-back. No thought of a peel this turn.

Bryant makes 1, turns round to hit Morrow's ball.

Bryant is waiting to play a big cut rush on partner to 2 from nr mid of E bdry. He's waiting for ....

Riva, attempting penult peel after 6. It bounces off to the side.

Carter has reached peg (and 4-back). Fairly horizontal spread coming up.

Richards' clips are now 3 and 3. Death is in with his hoop 1 ball (Black). Yellow is in A-baulk.

Carter's spread more diagonal than I anticipated. Hogan lifts ball by peg (Brown, for hoop 2) to A-baulk. Misses 17-yarder.

Death has a standard TP ahead.

Riva looks to have peeled penult going to 2-back.

Bryant's cut rush is not bad, especially given the wait. Has 4' hoop 2. Makes it, chance of standard TP.

Bryant considers his hoop 4 pioneer, which is 4 or 5 yards SSE of hoop, not good enough to attempt standard TP. So partner ball is coming to 4.

Death is waiting for....

Carter, who should finish.

Riva has to negotiate a straight rover peel.

Death peels 4-back before 6. (not sure why it didn't happen after 3)

Bryant makes 4 off partner, but roquets partner in the hoop stroke. He was hoping for a delayed TP.

Riva wins game 2 with a TP. 1-1 with Webby.

Riva's TP was sixth turn, I'm told.

Death sticks in 6. Peelee is a nice hoop 3 pioneer for Richards.

Commentator is relieved as Riva had a longer peg-out than I anticipated. But he did cope, so we're into the deciding game now. After a 10 minute break.

Bryant fails hoop 5.

Richards has 4-ball break.

Bryant fails hoop 6.

Game 3: Riva Pink 12y N of 4th corner
Webby Brown just S of 2nd corner

Richards has only just 6, but hampered shot is trivial.

That should be..
Richards has only just run hoop 6 (needed a ref to make sure). He's still going.

Morrow has stuck in 1.

Riva White hits Pink 3rd turn, takes off to Brown.

Clips on lawn 1
Death: Blue penult, Black 6; Richards Yellow 3, Red 4-back.

Riva has croqueted Brown about 13y S of 2nd corner, left a rush pointing the right way, but the balls are 5y apart!
Webby Green shoots at White from A-baulk, missing, too far away for Riva to pick up.
Riva's rush ends up behind hoop 6. Take off to Brown. Short, cuts it to 12y N of 1st corner. Roll approach is short.

Morrow is on break, just made 4 (just!)

Riva retired 2y W of B-baulk.
Webby into 4th corner.

Richards made sort of OSL.

Morrow fails hoop 5.

Riva misses White at Pink (8y). Webby misses Green at White and Pink.(20y target).

Death lifts Black (vaguely South of hoop 3) to B-baulk, misses Blue (6y S of 3) to 8y N of 1st corner.
Richards rushes Red into 2nd corner.

Bryant in with forward ball. Makes 4-back.

Richards rolls Red to 4, hits Black. Takes off to Blue, but ends up approaching 3 from by peg. Roll doesn't quite make it, retires to S bdry.

Riva makes 1 off Green, croquets Green to 3 going to Brown in 4th corner, takes off to White, take-off approach, 4' hoop. Makes 2.

Death Blue misses Black (28 y)
Richards Yellow hits Red (10y), rolls Red to 4, hits Blue to near 1st corner. This time gets a good rush to hoop 3. Short angled hoop. Restalks. Copes, and has ideal rush for break.

Riva has 4-ball break.

Clip update;
Bryant Blue 6, Black penult; Morrow Yellow 5, Red 2-back.

Richards up to 6 with his second ball.

Riva up to 1-back on first break.

Bryant making penult and rover.

I've sent a different runner to lawn 3 (thanks Felix). Didn't need to, the players are back.
Hakes did a single peel finish after Lawrence cornered. Hakes wins 2-0.

Bryant having powerful leave (there's no lift). Morrow "last shot" coming up.

Riva having usual defensive OSL.

Richards has just made 2-back. Still under reasonable control. Partner ball is at 3-back so peeling unlikely.

Morrow must have hit. Has now made 2-back. Chance of a break. Riggall attractive option with Bryant on 6 and peg. Angled 3-back... gets it. Has all the balls.

Webby lifts W bdry ball, misses from A-baulk.
Riva rushing Pink to 1.

Richards has lost his reasonable control. 4-back not a gimme...

Richards bullies Yellow thru 4-back. His penult pioneer is nearer the peg.

Riva makes 1, croquets Pink to 3 going to Brown. Now needs take-off to Green near 4th corner for a rush to 2. Good shot.

Morrow's rover pioneer nearer peg than hoop. Should cope.

Riva's rush to 2 has ended up 6y E of hoop. Roll approach is short. This looks impossible. Fails.

Bryant's Black is about to leave the lawn. Morrow 5 and peg v Bryant 6. Thsi may take a while...

Richards grovels thru penult. Hits hampered 4-yarder. Lucky man.

Webby has run hoop 1.

Morrow left Yellow 10y N of 4th corner, Red in 2nd corner.
Bryant missed Red from B-baulk.

Richards has reached peg (and 4-back).

Webby has 4-ball break.

Morrow is crawling around near 4th corner looking for wired spots.

Richards is thinking about his leave.

Bryant Blue to 1st corner.
Morrow's rush to 5 is undercut and overhit, ending up midway between hoops 1 and 2. Looking at rolling toward 3rd corner.

Let's call Richards' leave a B+ reverse spread. Shortest shot is 13 yards.
Blue (for penult) was near peg, Death has lifted it to B-baulk, and hit Red (13y).

OK I'm guessing but I think Morrow's Red must have gone off the lawn in the croquet stroke.
Bryant triangulates.
Morrow moves the in-lawn ball to A-baulk.
Bryant misses 10-yarder.

Webby has reached 2-back in his (almost) equalising break.

Death has made penult and is making a potent leave.

Correction: Death also made rover. Blink and you miss it.
From the horse's mouth: Death was going to Riggall but didn't run rover well enough.
Richards corners.

Morrow took off from Blue and lagged to 4y from partner.
Bryant lurks 6y from end A-baulk.
Morrow hits, approaches to 4', fails hoop 5.

Bryant misses 10-yarder.
Morrow

Death has ref on. Backswing on rush to 6 (or maybe to Yellow in 3rd corner) hampered by fence.
That cornering could prove to be Richards'last shot...
Except Death's rush ends up W of B-baulk.
Red is croqueted to 4, Black hits Yellow.
Roll approach to 6, leaves 3y straight hoop....

Death runs 6 to boundary.

Morrow had leave.
Bryant to 2 or 3y E of 1st corner.
Morrow sticks in middle of 5.

Death fails 1-back.

Bryant hits Red (15y).

Webby's clip is on 3-back, Riva is making a leave.

Richards Red misses Yellow (15y).

Bryant takes-off, rush-peels Yellow thru 5 to 6, makes 6, rushes back to Red, rush to 1-back slightly short...

Webby misses 25-yarder badly.

Bryant makes 1-back. 2-back pioneer is 4 or 5y NW of 5. Good croquet stroke.

Death has swapped balls round and is now rolling to 1-back from W bdry. Makes it, should finish.

All 3 matches have potentially finishing turns. Riva has most work to do: his clips are 2 and 4-back.

Poor approach to 3-back from Bryant Good hoop.

Death has 4-ball break.

Riva delayed by double-banker,

Death hampered after 3-back.

Another good croquet stroke from Bryant.

Riva has 5' rush pointing toward 2. Cuts it halfway between 3 and 6.

Sorry misinterpreted Death's refereeing. He was in fact asking if Black was jammed in 3-back. It was not, the clip is on 3-back.
Richards Red hits 6y lift shot. Yellow is 3y N of 3-back.

Riva fails 2 again.

Bryant finishes. 2-0.

At least we're single-banked on both lawns now.

Richards has Blue in mid of E bdry. Takes off to Black, knocks it out southwards. Croquets it near peg.

Webby has run hoop 1 thru to his hoop 2 pioneer. As you do.

Richards runs 4-back to boundary, yielding good rush on Yellow.

Webby has made 2. Could get balls for quadruple peel.

Richards Red overrushes Yellow beyond Black. More thinking.

Webby Brown runs 3. Green is at 4.

Richards thinking of going to Blue. Surely not. No, he's done the sensible thing and made the small take-off to Black, leaving Yellow near peg.

Webby has decided against the quadruple.

Richards makes penult, rushes Black near Blue.

Webby has reached hoop 6.

Richards overhits rush to rover, about 7' past. Take-off 4' hoop. Runs hoop to boundary. Has 7-yard return roquet....

Webby still going.

Richard Red hits 7-yarder, but knocks it 14 yards away from Yellow.
Good take-off.

Good rush. Richards wins game 2 + 6 to level the match.

Webby has got to 3-back.

Game 3
Death Blue 11yN of 4th corner and 1 yard in.
Richards Yellow 1'S of 2nd corner.

For some reason Webby's rover pioneer is by the peg.

T3 Death Black from end of B-baulk at Yellow. Misses to South. Balls 5" apart.

Webby hits 6- or 7-yarder after rover.

T4 Richards almost gets the gap, but hits Black. Overhits take-off, so rush is to 1 rathe than Blue. Not good, Yellow goes off 7y S of 2nd corner. Rolls to Blue, rolls to 1, retires.

Webby's leave: Pink (for 4-back) 3y E of peg. White (for 2) middle of W bdry. Green (for 3-back) in 4th corner. Brown (for peg) 1y away - rush pointing to Pink.

Riva lifts Pink to A-baulk.

Death looking at Blue at Red and Yellow. Instead he hits it 5y W of 3rd corner.

Webby taking off to Pink from about 6 yards. Shy, perhaps sensibly.

So on lawn 2, White is 3y W of 2. Pink is being croqueted 3y W of 4-back - surely should have gone further. Don't think pink and white are wired. Green has rush from A-baulk.

Riva Pink centre-balls White (14y).

Richards Red cut rushes Yellow nr Blue, Blue to Black, Black to 5' NW of 1. Sticks in 1.

Riva Pink hits 5-yarder. at Brown. Thinking.

Death Black hits Red. Grovels thru 1. Ref back on. 5 yard hampered shot. Misses.

Riva ignores Green, croquets Brown toward N bdry, nearly goes off. Leaves rush for White.

Richards Red rushes Black off N bdry.

Lawn 2 clips; Webby Green 4-back, Brown peg; Riva White 2, Pink 4-back.
I should have said that Riva has lagged 3y short of White, not leaving any target.
Webby shooting Brown at Green (34y). Misses.

Richards has break.

Riva White rushes Pink to 2. Brown & Green joined up to the W of end of A-baulk.

After 2 Riva rushes Pink 1y E of Brown. Stops Pink to 4. Hits Brown.

At 3 Richards blobs short hoop, then mallet follows thru and knocks ball thru hoop. Richards declares fault, Death wants them as they lie. Red clip on 3, of course.

Riva's rush to 3 goes 4 yards past. Can't tell how long the hoop is - maybe 3'. Runs hoop by 1' - just long enough for 5-yarder not to be hampered. Copes.

Death will have break if he can rush from hoop 3 to hoop 2.

Death makes 2. With oppo on 1 and 3 I'd have thought a couple of POPs might be in order.

Riva has 4-ball break, making 4 off partner.

Death grovels thru 3, luckily unhampered. Perhaps a simple 9 hoops is what's needed here.

Riva croquets Pink toward 4-back for the delayed TP. My expert thinks this brave.

Riva gets forward rush after 5. Brown is perhaps a yard South of ideal.

Death has no truck with POPs.

Riva croquets Green 5yE of 1-back. Overhits Pink. Is now perhaps looking at rushing Pink to peeling posi after 6.

Death has left Yellow just in front of 2, Red just in front of 4.

Riva White roquets Brown in running hoop 6. Pink is 2-back pioneer.
Riggall? Single peel and Riggall?

Death has made 9 hoops, left his balls 11y S of 2nd corner, rush pointing to hoop 5 (ish).

Richards lifts Yellow out of 2 to (near) end of A-baulk. Shooting at whatever he can see of Red. Hits the hoop, stays there.

Riva White has reached 3-back. Pink is at 4-back.

Death Black rushes Blue into Red! Handy! Blue is croqueted to 3 (2y N of 4-back). Black is for 2 remember. Rushes Yellow OK, 4' hoop. Runs it, roqueting Yellow in hoopstroke. Roll to 3, short. Take-off approach.

Riva positioning balls for STP.

Death does well. Peels 4-back after 3.

Riva White peels Pink deep. Rushes Brown to 3rd corner after 4-back, but doesn't get rush to penult. Croquets pink to rover, clipping Brown on the way.

After penult Riva White croquets Green (for 4-back) beyond rover. Brown near peg. Rushes pink to rover.

Death has made 5, on course for standard TP

After rover Riva White roquets Green, takes off, rushes Pink into 4th corner. Takes off to Brown.

Death peels penult after 6.

Riva White pegs out Brown, knocks White out 2y S of 2nd corner.

Death looking to peel rover after 3-back.

Webby lifts Green to A-baulk, hits Pink (13y).

Riva penult and peg, Webby 4-back alone.

Webby rolls to 4-back, well short. 7y hoop. Misses hoop altogether.

Death needs straight rover peel to finish.

Riva finesses Pink to just W of 4th corner.

Death finishing.

Death bombards peelee after rover. One good rush required...

Webby fails to take posi at 4-back.

Death's rush not good. Needs 5-yard peg-out.

Riva sends White 5y E of Pink.

Death wins decider +24tp.

Webby Green hits White (28y).

Webby's take-off finishes 1' NW of corner spot. Pink is a few inches W of corner. Webby fails to get any cut, rushing Pink to middle of W bdry.

Webby tries roll approach from West boundary. Has 4- or 5-yard slightly angled hoop.

Runs it!
Has 2y rush to penult!

Webby Green rushes pink 4' SE of penult. Takes off, runs it by 2y or so.

Webby taking off? No he's rolling. Surely White ball was near enough centre line to do a take-off?

8' angled rover.

Rejects to 2y E of peg.

Riva Pink has 8-yarder at White.
Misses into 4th corner.

Webby Green at White (16y).
Hits!

Same take-off as before would do nicely!

Webby's going for take-off. It's gone.
Places Green in contact with Pink. Given that Green hit corner-peg fully, that might be misplaced.

Riva takes off to White. Cut rush to penult. Short, maybe 3y N of peg. Croquets White 2y NE of 2. Leaves 3y rush to penult. (pink wired?)

Webby Green at White (30y). Not close.

Riva Pink hits Green (4 or 5y), croquets it peg-high. Good rush to penult.

Riva Pink makes penult, taps White. Good roll yields 1y rush to rover. Good rush.

Riva approaches rover from 18". No problem.

Riva wins decider +2.

Tremendous day's croquet with 3 pegged-out endings.

Not sure where I'll be commenting from tomorrow, but look out for commentary just before 9.30am. Which I think is half past eight Wednesday evening in the UK.

Dunno why I typed that, could be error.

Single-banked tomorrow, so hope to add a bit more colour, background, earlier incidents.

Bye for now, Andrew