Good morning from Kelburn. The sun is out and more importantly, the wind is close to non-existent. The wind has been a key factor in the difficulty at Kelburn. Very disappointly, three of the lawns are still using the hoops from day 1, whilst two of them were put in fresh holes yesterday. This is likely to make a difference to playing conditions lawn by lawn.

I'm going to focus on the two games on lawn 1 - Reg Bamford v Jonathan Powe and Ed Wilson v Ian Burridge.
Ed was not born the last time Burridge won a knockout match in the AC Worlds

I'll try to occasionally give updates from the 8 other matches - so be aware of spoilers.

The lawns here have improved on a daily basis and are gradually becoming browner

The players are practising (feels like at least 10 mins of the 5 mins allowed have been used)

Still going - I make it 14 minutes now

9.43 and now no players are on the lawn - or anywhere to be seen

Bamford (UK) v Powe (RY)
1. U to 8y N of C4
2. R to just S of C2 (bad choice)
3. K shoots at U from A-Baulk…………misses leaving about a 3 ball gap between his balls
4. Y shoots from the end of B-Baulk at UK (might as well shoot at R as that)……………..misses

Bamford (UK) v Powe (RY)
5. Well, Reg must be thrilled with that opening. Reg digs Y out a few yards and rushes partner to h1. Fails h1 from 1 foot. He may be on the wire – can’t see from here.
6. R shoots from C2 at K ……………misses
7. Reg calls a referee to watch what looks like an easy 15 degree hoop…..runs it past K and has a rush back to R.

Burridge (GB) v Wilson (PW)
1. B to 10y N of C4 and 4ft off the yardline.
2. W 12 yard Duffer Tice on W side of h6.
3. G shoots at B from B-Baulk, missing into C4
4. P shoots at W from the end of B-Baulk…………..misses to 11y E of C1
5. G shoots at B………..misses to 7y W of C3
6. W shoots at P……….misses leaving a perfect 14y double for B.
7. B shoots at double……………….misses by a foot.
8. Croquet!!!!! Hurrah!!!!

Bamford (UK) v Powe (RY)
7 (cont.) A series of controlled strokes are developing the balls for Reg. I haven’t seen any other player show this level of control yet. Reg has now made h3 with all 4 balls in-lawn. I think he has an 75% chance of winning this event – possibly more – it is certainly his for the taking.

Burridge (GB) v Wilson (PW)
8. (cont.) Edward has made h1 with P and has a 4-ball break.

On the other lawns, it looks like Trimmer is break up with a spread against Beard and Maugham has failed 2-b against Clarke. Freeth is having the first break against Chapman.

Playing conditions here much easier than the block stage, which is disappointing.

Reg and Edward both taking their breaks round, Edward keeps catching up with Reg and having to wait.

Edward leans his mallet against a hoop and does some more stretching

Looks like Jones has had a ball round against Hockey who has missed the long lift.

Clarke has broken down at h4 and Maugham has run h1

Maugham misses 7 yarder at partner on W boundary after h1

Jones fails to get going and Hockey hits

Clarke has missed against Maugham who has failed 2-b again.

Freeth gets to 4-b with a B-Spread. Chapman shoots with the ball at the peg at Freeth's balls...............misses

Bamford (UK) v Powe (RY)
7. (cont.) Reg reaches 4-b with U and has a diagonal spread.
8. Powe lift the ball at h2 (Y) and shoots at K from A-Baulk……………misses by a couple of balls. That will be the end of that game.

Clarke has missed against Maugham who is making progress with his 2-b ball

Bamford (UK) v Powe (RY)
9. I was wrong. Bamford fails a straight h1 from less than a foot, handing a 4-ball break to Powe.

I guess that just shows why Atkins hoops should be used for all major events.

Burridge (GB) v Wilson (PW)
8 (cont.) Edward reaches 4-b with P and has a cross-peg with W just N of C4 and P 5y North of P.
9. Burridge takes a 4 footer B at G…………..misses to mid-lawn. Comes in and says it was hitting.

The last 32 is all best of 3 matches. I believe the manager announced that the last 16 would also be best of 3.

Burridge (GB) v Wilson (PW)
10. Wilson picks up a break with his W ball by hitting h1 on his approach and stopping in front. He now has a standard tp ahead of him.

Burridge (GB) v Wilson (PW)
10 (cont.) Wilson puts his h4 pioneer closer to the S boundary than h4. Jawses peel after h3. Only manages to rush partner just S of the peg and is now in a weak position. Takes off to the ball near the S boundary – good shot – gets a rush to h4. Runs h4 off the lawn and has a 5.5yard return roquet……hits quarter ball.

Maugham is on a standard tp v Clarke

Powe is playing an untidy break

Burridge (GB) v Wilson (PW)
10 (cont.) Wilson needs to approach h5 from 4 yards E. Plays a good shot and should finish. We really need more difficulty here today.

Freeth has failed h6 with his second ball. Chapman is taking his first ball round.

Burridge (GB) v Wilson (PW)
10 (cont.) Wilson doesn’t get a chance to peel penult after h6 (poor play). He’s now put his 2-b pioneer 7y N of 2-b – not a great ball to death roll to. Fails the penult peel and only rushes 4y N of 2-b. Plays a good approach and is still going.

Burridge (GB) v Wilson (PW)
10 (cont.) Wilson fails 3-b.
11 Burridge hasa 4 yarder with B at P near penult…………clips it.

Hockey hits a 24 yarder against Jones

Powe has left a still ball taking off from the peg to 3-b and now realises he has played the wrong ball somewhere after making h1. This will be interesting.

Burridge (GB) v Wilson (PW)
11. (cont.) Burridge does well to make h1 with a forward rush. Fails a 4 foot straight h2 off P.
12. W, however, is still in the laws of 3-b, so can run up the lawn and has a good chance to finish with a straight double.

Bamford (UK) v Powe (RY)
10. Powe’s wrong ball error is agreed to be a few strokes earlier which is a game saver since it means that Reg now takes a 1 footer with his 4-b ball rather than being able to play his h1 ball at a 2 footer had it been a still ball error and no wrong ball.
11. Reg makes a leave with him near C1 and R (3-b) at h2 and Y (h1) 1y off the E boundary 12y S of C3.
12. Powe shoots Y at R (good choice)………….misses

Burridge (GB) v Wilson (PW)
12 (cont.) Wilson irish peels penult to 5y N of rover but over-rushes the peelee and can’t attempt the rover peel.
Clip recap W-peg, P-rover, B-2, G-1
He has an OSL with a rush in-lawn from C4.

Chapman appears to have broken down and Freeth has all the balls

Burridge (GB) v Wilson (PW)
13. Burridge lifts B, the peg ball and takes the short lift………….misses

Burridge (GB) v Wilson (PW)
14. Wilson makes rover, but does not get a rush to the peg. He rushes partner to C4 and is defensifying the two opponent balls.

14. (cont.) Burridge (GB) v Wilson (PW)
PW near C4 with a rush to the peg, B (h2) 18y N of c1. G probably wired from B just off N boundary 9y E of C2.

15. Burridge shoots B at P/W…………….misses

Burridge (GB) v Wilson (PW)
16. Wilson wins game 1 +25

I'll pass over to Michael Wright to continue commentary

Game 2. Burridge PW, Wilson GB
1. Brown supershot
2. Pink shoots from A baulk, running hoop 2!
3. Green takes the 7 yarder and starts a break.

. He over-rolls 4 and has to retire to the EB 4 yards North of 4.

4. Burridge hits a short shot from A baulk to get going. His approach to 1 is from behind and a little to the side. Fails the hoop.

5. Wilson hits in with Green, and has a continuation of his break after craftily promoting Brown to hoop 4.

UPDATE: Freeth wins the first against Chapman.

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5. Wilson hits in with Green, and has a continuation of his break. Does not approach 4 and scatters.
6. Burridge misses 9 yard shot.
7. Wilson plays Brown and starts a break.

UPDATE: Jenny goes to 4back with NSL against David in the second game

UPDATE: Harps sticks in penult with other clip on 4back against Patel, who is on 1 and 4. Patel hits in with hoop 4 ball.

UPDATE: Chapman sets supershot against Freeth, who misses turn 4 into 4 leaving 3 balls in the middle of the court

Bamford (UK) v Powe (RY)
7. Bamford gets Blue in the jaws of 4b after 3. Rushes it out after 5. Does not have the balls at 6 to do the peel, so loads 2back with Red (4 yards short) and tries a speculative 3.5 yard peel going to Yellow at 1back. The peel lodges just inside the jaws! He continues the break, but does not get the Rover peel set up, so it will be straight. He finishes the TP to take the first game.

GAME 2: Powe (UK) vs Bamford (RY)
1. Blue to standard EB position
2. Yellow just south of corner 2
3. Black misses Blue from A baulk, leaving a 6 inch gap between them.
4. Red hits Blue from A baulk.

7. Wilson plays Brown and starts a break. Makes 9 hoops and sets an almost vertical cross-wire at the peg, with Brown and Green on WB 1 yard north of 2, with Green rushing Brown to the peg.
8. Burridge plays White from where it is, missing Green and Brown.

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4. Red hits Blue from A baulk. Rushes Black to corner 2, and rushes Red halfway up the west boundary. Rolls both balls to corner 1 and sets a rush to Blue at hoop 4.

5. Blue misses Red and Yelow.

9. Wilson continues his break with Green, starting at hoop 4.

6. Bamford starts a break with Yellow.

9. Wilson continues his break with Green, starting at hoop 4. He is not attempting any peeling. Goes to the peg with a spread.

6. Bamford starts a break with Yellow. Rushes Blue into corner 2 after making hoop 1. Slowly gets control of the break, not having pioneers at 3 of 4, but by the time he gets to 6 all 4 balls are in their right place.

10. Burridge is shooting with Pink from the west boundary. Must have a double. Pink passes the peg on the wrong side, misses Green and Brown by a 2 feet.

11. Wilson now has all the balls for the match. He stops pink infield, rushes green south of white (at the peg), loads penult with green, and rushes white to 4back. Runs the hoop to the boundary.

Plays a tight break to the peg and takes the match 2-0

6. Bamford starts a break with Yellow. Rushes Blue into corner 2 after making hoop 1. Slowly gets control of the break, not having pioneers at 3 of 4, but by the time he gets to 6 all 4 balls are in their right place. Takes his 9 hoops and sets a leave. Blue is on the WB 2 yards south of hoop 2, and Black by the peg is completely open to Blue. Yellow is on the EB just north of hoop 4, with an infield rush on Red.
7. Powe plays Blue as it lies and hits Black by the peg.

7. Powe plays Blue as it lies and hits Black by the peg. He miss-approaches hoop 1, and retires to corner 3.

8. Bamford takes his 5 yard shot with Yellow. Leaves Black 2 yards SW of hoop 4, wired from Red and Yellow peg-high on the WB. Blue is still in corner 3.

9. Black misses Blue in corner 3 by a few inches.

UPDATE: Chapman takes the second to equalise against Freeth.

10. Bamford rushes Yellow to hoop 1 and starts his break. Rushes Yellow past 6 after making hoop 1, and sends it to 3 for the peel while going to the balls in corner 3. Rushes Black to hoop 2 to take control of the break. A standard triple should follow…..

UPDATE: Trimmer takes the first game against Beard

Bamford finishes the triple to take the match 2-0

Clarke equalises at 1-1 v Maugham