It is a lovely day at Kelburn Croquet Club for the quarter final matches. Fairly still, bright and sunny, looking to get up to around 24 degrees.

This commentary is covering Bamford v Hockey and lawn 5 and Riva v Wilson on lawn 4.

Players are warming up.

Wilson taking turn one, plays yellow as a supershot, well west of hoop five.

Riva responds with a shot at yellow. Sets ball at end of A Baulk, changes mind and takes shot at yellow from closer to corner one. Misses towards b baulk, leaving Edward a 3 yard shot to get going.

Lawn 5 - Reg takes turn one, plays black to standard opening position near hoop four.

Simon plays into corner two.

Lawn 4 - Edward makes hoop one with reasonable load at two, and is away.

Lawn 5 - reg hits turn three, takes off to corner two, eight yards short.

Lawn 5 - Reg misses into corner two with Blue. Hockey now has double from end of B Baulk. Hockey plays red. And.......

HITS! No cannon though.

Lawn 5 - Hockey takes good rush to black near hoop 4. Good rush, finishes a foot away from black.

Lawn 4 - Edward coming around to make 2 back.

Lawn 5 - Simon rushes to one. Good rush three foot from hoop one.

Lawn 4 - Edward runs two back, good three back load. Looking good to complete the nine.

Some photos are on instagram (my account is croquetgram, #acworlds)

Lawn 5 - Simon makes hoop one, good rush to corner, loads three on way to blue, a little short but not too bad.

Lawn 5 - rush finishes behind hoop two. Now to dig out yellow and make hoop two...

Lawn 4 - Edwards completes the nine and sets ducks.

Lawn 5 - simon gets rush on ball in corner - great shot - rushes to hoop two and is away.

Lawn Four - Jenny taking over commentary now. I will stay with Reg and Simon.

Simon made hoop three. Looks to be under control, although has left a ball around hoop two. Playing red now loading hoop five, going to hoop four.

I missed what happened after five, simon now doesn't have a one back load after making six.... black near peg, blue and yellow closer to six than one back

Hits blue, looking punt it to 2 back on way to black near peg. nice shot, perfect rush on black back to yellow, however blue a little deep and south of two back. Yellow pioneer at one back and is about four yards away.

Looks like JP Moberly playing Alison Sharpe on the reduced size lawn two in the Z.

Si making one back from a few inches, good rush into the hoop, however in approaching the hoop has left black a few yards east of six and two yards south. Thats ok, rushes to black after one back, puts yellow near peg, rushes black to south boundary to get rush on blue to two back. Likely diagonal spread coming here.

Break is a little out of shape, but Si still making hoops from a short distance. Yellow is quite close to the peg, actually where you would prefer blue to be. Blue is where one might prefer yellow. hmmm. Makes three back....

Now black was the ball Si made three back off. It is only a few yards north and west of the peg, possibly just looking to do a cross wire at peg now.

Nope, I was wrong. OSL.

BRILLIANT SHOT! Rushes yellow into the peg, and it cannons towards hoop four. Nice.

Check out instagram for the ball position after three back. OSL set. Reg has 13 yarder.

Picture of leave on Insta. Not sure how long can do the shots.. .battery running low on phone.

Reg picks up black from near the peg, shooting from middle of b baulk at double presumably through blue and red. Yellow in corner four, red eights yards north on boundary.

Reg misses! to the right. Jenny sad I missed reg's reaction on the video. Black finishes only three-four yards from yellow. Standard TP is on.

Video now on Insta

Si loads two with black, great gets good rush on blue to hoop one. Rush is short. Would have wanted another seven or eight yards in a perfect world. Black now at hoop two, red on boundary near four, taking off for hoop position from blue to hoop one. Sits in front, but has at leat one yard hoop.

Makes it! o rush to red, but has four yarder pointing towards three Takes shot and finishes a few yards south of six. Has option to send blue to hoop three on way to red, or load hoop three on way to hoop two pioneer, hoever he sends blue to four, going to red, now loading red to hoop three on way to pioneer at two.

Good shot, a little shot. Red not one to two yards south of four back / three, rushing to hoop two over two yards.

Over hits rush, taking off from behind hoop 2, though only a few feet.

Short. Has angle, but makes it, Now five yarder return.

Ok, so makes the roquet, now peeling after three. Was distracted taking an insta shot of the lawn 4 game. Spoiler alert if you are following the insta account.

Simon peels, and rushes escape ball (black) to well beyond five. Making four, but five load not great, a little east and south of five. Peelee (red) is thrugh four back about three inches.

Six is loaded now, taking shot at peelee, rushes it to a few inches in front of hoop six. Nicely under control. Perfect take off to the black ball that was a little out of place at hoop five. Hits nicely.

State of Play:
Simon making five with yellow, peelee for penult, Reg 1 and 1.

Simon left himself a little angley peel after six, but only a foot and a half. No doubt just looking to jaws.... and he does. Rushes blue escape ball to end of b baulk, loading it to 1 back, black is his load at two back. Nice shot, but again the two back pioneer has overshot. Lawn a bit quicker at that end perhaps?

Si rush peels penult, takes off to blue load. Si's break has been a little out of whack a few times, but has played some great shots to get it back under control.

Good rush out of penult but doesn't attempt peel on way to two back.

Si hits reception ball after two back, so big shot to load four back and get to peelee. Has a two yard peeling attempt on way to three back?

Yep, takes the opportunity to peel rover, but misses, peelee hits right leg and spits out to the side of the hoop a few inches.

Oops. Short approach to three back bt ball spits out and now has an angled shot. Might run away?

No, making attempt. stalking, no thinkning again.

Nothing around that hoop, not sure what happened. Still thinking and looking at it from all angles.

state of play: Red (peelee) for rover, yellow for three back, reg 1 and 1 with blue and black.

Still thinking... Running!!!! Yellow punted out to corner four.

So, at start of Reg's turn, black a few yards north of three, blue about six yards south of 4 back, red near rover after missed peel, yellow in corner four.

Reg takes shot - black at red.

James Death has wandered over and asked us to let everyone know timings are different, they are now 3, 5, 7, 9 , 11.

Si has wandered over too, the approach to three back hilled off.

Reg has loaded two with red, rushing to hoop one. Short and slightly west of hoop one, the rush wasn't dead straight and did well to get it where it finished. Takes off, and is short. .. thinking...

Reg has paired up at hoop one. Si has red ball at two, yellow in the corner.

James Death is getting us some drinks now... good work.

Si hits! Footage on Insta

Si hits! Footage on Insta

Now looking to make rover - he hit with Red. Yep rushes to rover,

Makes rover.

Rushes black to in front of three, punts it up to four back on way to blue, whcih is near six, looking to cross wire around four back, noting that yellow is for three back. Roll is a bit short. But rushes blue to a reasponable position. wiring is on.

Nope, punting blue to a spot between one and two and a little south.

In doing so, rolls red out near yellow. Regardless not a bad leave. Or did he roll it out? I missed the outcome of that shot watching where blue finished. Either way, yellow and red in corner four, about three yards apart. black east and slightly south of hoop three, blue between one and two and slightly south of peg. Reg shooting black at blue.

Reg misses again. Black on west boundary. just north of hoop one.

Watching the game on lawn 4, looks like lawns are quickening up a little, which is to be expected as the morning dew dries out. Still very calm and still here. Bit different to when we played here in strong winds earlier in the week. Surely we won't need the full eleven hours?

Si has hit red, taken off to black, now rushing blue to three back, over cooks the rush, tries big shot to punt blue past peg towards run line between hoop one and two, leaves himself an angled longish hoops, makes it. Bit defensive but the point is scored.

Runs the hoop and hits red ball on boundary. Black is good load at four back. Loads red to penult on way to blue, but a bit short. all good though. Red not best load at penult but again, he has played like this all day.

Oh. Approach to four back is tragically too short. No chance to run hoop. Scatter coming. Misses the scatter but almost takes out reg in the shelter shed. Tap on now for Reg

State of Play - Red on peg, yellow on four back. Reg one and one with black and blue.

Reg taking croquet from black, now playing blue, on middle of b baulk. Red is near hoop six, yellow on west boundary near two. Punts black to south of four back, getting rush on red to yellow. Shot to load red to two and get rush on yellow to one is not great. Almost 90 degree rush :-)

Sends it to near one with a great shot. now making one from what looks to be a foot in front.

Makes one, Reg is on the board and the break is away.

Feeling a bit tropical here now. Can hear some cicadas in the trees, sky is clear and still. Players have all found their rhythm.

Reg makes two. Deepish load at three but can rush pivot ball up behind if he wants. Which he does.

Makes three, solid break underway.

Three games finished now, this is the only one still in its first round. Could have been the first finished :-(

Reg having to wait for the game on lawn 4 to get underway? no just thinking after hoop three. looked like he wanted to rush a ball to b baulk. Loads black to six, rushing yellow down the lawn to red, which is his hoop four load.

This is my excuse to say that some barriers between the lawns would be good :-)

Reg makes four. Two of the tidiest pioneers in front of five and six.

Now some wi fi issues...

Reg now through one back. Sorry for the delay, took a quick trip to the clubhouse. Break is still well on track. Black is pioneer at two back, yellow near peg, red is pioneer at three back. Red is a little loose.

Makes three back. Looking like a diagonal spread. Punts red up towards two, but probably six yards from boundary. in doing so Reg croquets yellow, now looking to set it in wiring position. Looks to be thinking this through carefully, standing at b baulk surveying the situation.

Now looking to set OSL?

Something strange here, Reg is talking to ref and his clip is on the ground marking a sport near hoop four on the boundary?

Looks like he is using his clip to mark a position on the lawn? Just asked the ref. He is using the clip to mark where he wants his ball to go out.

Jenny checking the laws... can you really do that?

Either way, we have an OSL on lawn 5. Jenny says no.... Law 50c

Si walking on to the lawn to take the shot

OK, so I was distracted by the rules discussion. Reg has rush to one it looks like with black. si has 19 yarder at regs balls. picks up the ball he wants to play and takes the lift shot.

the big fella hits!!!

State of PLay: Red peg, yellow for four back, blue four back, black on one.

Yellow in play. opportunity to finish.

Si has rush to four back. Approaches it from three yards.

Powers through four back. Lawn nicely set out with penult loaded. Si should finish from here.

Makes penult

Yep all tidy now, red is loaded to rover, black has been rushed to the peg,

Black now behind rover, approaching rover, one foot hoop

oh runs that hard, nervy four yarder return roquet.

Hits in the guts. Only thing is croquet shot is to be played from between red and the peg. Bit awkward but not problematic.

rushes to peg....pegs out! Game one to the big fella from country South Australia!

rushes to peg....pegs out! Game one to the big fella from country South Australia!

Peg out footage is on Insta....

acworlds account name croquetgram

Game 2 Underway

Simon playing black and blue

Reg playing red and yellow

Si takes standard position on boundary at hoop four. Reg throws in duffers tice.

Si shoots from corner three. misses.
Reg hits tice.

Right, back again. Internet went off for a few minutes there.

Reg hit duffer and set a trap with a ball at hoop two, a ball down towards end of a baulk, and his two balls, with a rush to one on east boundary near three. Si took the shot with the hoop two ball at reg and missed. Reg now approaching hoop one.

Good rush in, but in fixing the internet issue I missed how he got there. Making one with a ball south of the peg and now hoop two load.

Makes one with red.

After one, rushes black towards hoop four, looking to load three going to the ball he left up near three at the start of the turn, gets dead rush to two. Rushes to a couple of feet behind two, should be easy take off and then balls look like they are in hand for a break of nine.

After one, rushes black towards hoop four, looking to load three going to the ball he left up near three at the start of the turn, gets dead rush to two. Rushes to a couple of feet behind two, should be easy take off and then balls look like they are in hand for a break of nine.

Light planes flying over head, no doubt trying to get an aerial view of these matches...

Reg making five. loading partner to 2 back after five.

Just over 50 spectators around the lawns. Warming up a bit and the breeze just slightly picking up. Ideal conditions.

Two ladies have just walked in draped in the spanish flag....

Go Jose!

Reg making one back. Both Si's balls are close to the hoop, presumably tight nsl coming.

OK, misread that. Black punted to the peg, blue to three back, DS looks likely leave.

Plane is circling now. The view of the lawn must be great.

Reg makes three back.

Rolls out of three to put blue six yards off boundary, and set black at the peg. Almost rolled into partner, similar to how he rolled into the oppo ball in the first game.

Good tight leave, nice break.

State of Play:

Red four back, yellow 1.
Blue and black 1 and 1.

Si to take the lift shot with ...... black. Picks up the ball near the peg and takes short shot, although Reg's balls look to be on the 19 yard spot. Si hit this lift in game one to win so must be feeling confident.

Misses! Bit of a curse, maybe a mishit...

Reg is away. Leaves partner (red) near hoop four boundary. Makes one. Surely a finishing break now.

Makes hoop two. Four is nicely loaded with blue. Had a crack at an early peel, peelee is now sitting on the right leg of four back.

Reg comes through two, rushes that ball to hoop four and takes the hoop four ball back up to three. Bit short on the the rush.

Hmm, over rolls the peelee? has to hit away from hoop three. Good croquet stroke fixes it and now has one foot hoop run and 18 inch peel.

Standard peeling turn now. Red is peeled through four back. Loading five on way to four.

Must be 50 people here watching now.

Reg for six, peelee in good position. Approaching from a few yards out, using peelee to fine tune the approach.

Hi Gareth! Milk and two sugars for Jenny. Flat white for me :-)

One Sugar!

Sorry Jen.

Reg makes six. one foot peel. Nice control, which we would expect from the tournament favourite.

Reg peels red down to Rover. Making his way to one back.

Hmm, first ball that looks out of place. Black is now the pioneer for two back but it is not deep enough. Reg won't be able to peel rover on way to two back me thinks.

Yep doesn't peel rover, puts peelee a bit closer and making two back now.

Peeling rover on way to three back.

Peel complete. Reg now for three back. Easy break to finish.

Edward Wilson runs a hoop on the lawn next door and it runs through lawn five past Reg. again, some ball barriers would be helpful!

Reg approaches four back and drops the rush short. 2 yard approach. good approach. Running four back now.

Runs four back and ball finishes 50 metres away due to lack of ball barriers.

Nicely through penult. Will be finished soon...

Runs rover.

Pegging out now...

and done! Reg wins game two so it is now one all! Looks like this game is the last to finish in round two, and the players are all taking a break. Will re-convene shortly.

Game 3 About to Start

Players are fed, hoops are reset, its time to begin game 3.

Breeze is picking up a little, temp feels about 20 degrees, maybe nudging up a little warmer.

Bit of a delay while the hoops were reset. Not sure why the need to remove the hoops from the ground to reset. Took about 20 mins per lawn. But we are away.

Reg playing black and blue, hits in first to standard position on east boundary.

Si to corner two.

Hoops are set 'as best we can' to 0.6 of a millimeter. According to ref, lawns four and five seem to be widening up a bit. Apparently there is an old set of hoop holes in the middle of the new hoops. New hoop holes will be put in over night.

Turn 3, and reg misses parnter. Si takes shot from A Baulk and hits!

Si rushes to hoop one. Perfect rush. 1.5 yards dead in front.

Partner ball in corner 2, black near hoop four on boundary.

Rushes reception ball north of black, didn't quite get the rush he wanted after one.

Si rushes black to behind hoop two, now for the load and hold out of corner 2. If successful he will have the opportunity to get a decent break. he loaded four with the hoop one reception ball.

Spank - he has a three yard hoop. Hit that a little hard although the load is good! Run the hoop or run away? that is the question....

He runs. South of corner three. Si no holed up in corner three, Reg's black ball on North boundary behind hoop two. Blue is at hoop four. Good trap but short shot if Reg wants to shoot into corner three.

Reg looks like he is going to shoot at partner into corner four. Misses left, by a foot. Had a good view of that one as he was right in front of the commentary team.

Si has yellow at hoop three, and red towards the corner. He plays yellow, hitting red. yellow is for hoop one. Hits the corner four ball.

Chris and I would both have played red, for different reasons. anyway, Si has a rush to one, which he sends a couple of yards past hoop one.

Makes hoop one. four yard hot on reception ball now, hits but now down well in front of five. One good roll to load three and hit pioneer at two and he will be away.

Si has attempted to run the hoop. The reception ball was right next to the jaws. As he ran the hoop, he got a hoop and roquet but the strikers ball sat just through the jaws after the hoop running. Had to get a referees adjudication on whether it is through.

Yep through.

Play on

Si for four, left blue ball around three as he was digging red out of the corner.

Through five. Loading partner to two back. well under control now.

Makes one back. Blue ball at peg, Loading black to three back.

oops

over approaches 2 back. Tap on start for Reg. Blue at peg, black at hoop four, yellow a few yards north of corer four on east boundary.

Red at hoop one.

Reg makes hoop one with black. No load at two but Blue still at the peg.

mentioned : 'Another three points off my fantasy team'. yep this stuff is taken seriously.

Angley hoop two for Reg.

Blasts it through onto lawn 4. Only Jose saves it from ploughing on towards lawn three.

Reg well under control now.

Makes hoop four.

oops

overrolls five.

No dramas. Through easily. Angled shot from close range.

Reg for one back. Making one back off partner.

Good load at two back. Break still under control, although distracted by Jose on lawn four I missed seeing why he ended up with partner at 1 back.

Scratch that. making one back off oppo, not partner.

Deepish load at three back. Blue at one back. red at three back. Yellow near the peg, heading down to make two back.

Remember yellow is for two back, red is for hoop two. Which leave??

Blue and yellow at peg.

New Zealand has the coolest bumble bees. Just saying...

Better rush out of three back this time, so can play a drive to set the ball (red) near two, which is a few yards south of two and about three yards off the boundary. Yellow at peg nicely. Now rushing partner to boundary.

No use of the clip this time to set the boundary spot.

Reg pauses to watch Jose take a long shot on the next lawn.

Good leave. Red and yellow are pointing almost corner to corner though, as red is fairly deep into corner two, so blue and black will be open to red. Blue and black are near the 19 yard spot.

good break. Reg 9, Simon 8.

State of Play:

Blue 1, black 4back.
Red 2, yellow 2back

Si picks up yellow and takes shot from corner three down the line. and....

Hits!

Good shot Si.

Si is for 2back with this ball. Rushes black to corner 2, looking to make 2back off red.

JP has been standing on the other side of the lawns for ages with our drinks. I prefer them cold.

The silence is disturbed with a big "CMON!" by Edward 'lleyton hewitt' Wilson.

go Little Lleyton.

Here come the drinks.

No they don't. The shop didn't have any diet coke.

Si has made three back. He hasn't given a lift away as he started the break at 2back.

Has left black at hoop three and is setting a leave, noting red is for hoop two. Making black play.

Blue is near boundary alongside hoop 3.

Can someone in the clubhouse run some sunscreen out??

Ok, so a leave, red yellow behind hoop two on west boundary. One ball wired. Black near hoop three. Blue near hoop just in from east boundary. Reg must play black. sizing up the shot to his partner ball in corner four.

And....shoots..

misses! Showing some emotion today. spun around and looked at the crowd when he missed.

Si has dissappeared to the clubhouse for a minute.

Just doing the math. If any games go to time, we won;t have enough light tonight.

Si rushes yellow to hoop three, taking off to corner four. Still some work to do to get the break going.

Hits black in corner, but doesn't get rush on blue. bit short pointing to hoop three. great rush though, couple yards short of hoop two.

runs hoop two. just misses roqueting a ball three lawns away.

Simon is in the box seat now. Standard triple on offer. Yellow is at hoop three as a load. four is loaded with black. Gets rush out of two down to hoop four, bringing black up to hoop 4back.

Bit messy around four back, peeling from yard and a half south.

Si peels and it sticks in the jaws. he will be happy with that. balls are in great position around four and five.

Si peels and it sticks in the jaws. he will be happy with that. balls are in great position around four and five.

Doesn't take the rush out of four. Loads blue to a great position near six, just east and level with hoop. He has Chris's approval...

Rushes to corner three after five. roll out to load 1 b and get position to rush peel red a bit short. Rush peels but ball pops back out. No peel

makes six. loads blue to 2back. leaves himself a three yarder to rush peel yellow. nails it, rolls yellow to a few feet in front of penult. Makes one back nicely.

taking croquet from black up near corner three. Looking to go to yellow and load three back.

rolls red gently into peelee. not in peeling position so doesn;t death roll. takes off to 2 back. reception ball is directly behind hoop. Ball wicks out of hoop to the left so still has a rush back up the lawn.

doesn't take the rush. Rolls to three back, putting blue up towards four back. bit too close to four back for peel on way to four back now. might be Ok....

runs three back, hitting the reception ball.

roll up to penult a bit short.

Si has a two yard peel, 20 degrees, on the right side of hoop though to get rush to four back. Peel just lobs into the hop. Hits right leg but stays in the vicinity.

makes 4 back well. gets good rush back. His approach to 4 back was great.

Straight double to win the game and take a 2-1 lead.

Edwards Wilson has hammered a hoop right in front of us. As he went through, all the clip flew off. looked like the hoop exploded!

Si has organised the balls well around penult. three inch peel now. unlucky. He peels and the ball clips the peg. Peelee now about 5 feet from peg, a, southwest.

Right, so, rushing into rover.... hits it well but lawns takes it to the right. giving up. good choice. also a little short.

Right, so, rushing into rover.... hits it well but lawns takes it to the right. giving up. good choice. also a little short.

Ok, so the leave, black, the forward ball, right next to peg, wired from blue whcih is mid way up the west boundary. red is in corner four, yellow is north and east of hoope three, about four yards from the hoop. not a great position for yellow after rover.

reg looking. Considering a shot through yellow from a baulk.

Reg picks up blue ball from the boundary. Hmmm. What is he shooting at? Red. in corner four.

hit it in the middle.

good shot.

Loads red to 2, gets behind yellow, looking to rush black to 1. Chris and I aren't sure if it can make hoop one given its proximity to the peg, obviously it can.

He rushes, but is a few yards short. He makes this, he could be on a finishing turn. over rolls but not fatally.

runs the hoop to almost hoop 2. Hits the hoop 2 pioneer. nevermind, there are two balls still between hoops 1 and 2.

Black is now at three, and rushing yellow to hoop two.

Good rush to hoop 2. Balls are all in perfect position now.

Reg peeling from yard and a half after three. looks a bit angled.

peel is jawsed. The way Reg is looking at it it looks like it might be on the leg. no doubt he will find a way around it :-)

This now looks exactly the same as Simon's break. taps the reception ball after four, sending it to near six. Getting on to hoop five.

An ooooh from the crowd. Edwards has hit a ball on the adjoining lawn onto Reg's law, JUST missing the peelee which is sitting in the jaws.

Reg's approach to five is a bit of an oops. He rolls it very close tot he jaws. But all good, makes it through. The rush though isn't great. Too close to peelee to allow him to load 1 back and rush peel black.

Gets the rush peel but 1 back not loaded. No doubt can use partner.

Nope.

Doesn't make the rush peel. Remember earlier I said the old hoop holes are too close to the new ones? I reckon black is in a hoop hole.

Reg dribbled at the peelee and it wobbled and stayed in the jaws.

OK hoop sorted. Reg peeling on way to six. Six load not great for this shot and he will probably have a yard or two rush at the end of it.

Nope doesn't peel, just takes off. The way he was lining it up i thought he was looking to score the peel as well. Easy rush to six now.

Reg makes six. taps the reception ball. Sends it to one back while skating across to peel black. Not a great shot. strikers ball is very short and has to call the referee to adjudicate the hit on peelee. No worries, makes it without any problems. the load for 1 back is close to six. Rolls peelee into position at penult and gets a good rush. Should make 1 back with ease.

Wow the lawns are speeding up.

So Reg has made 1 back, loaded yellow to 3 back and now has rushed peelee into a position too close to penult, not allowing him to death roll the peel. Takes off to pioneer at 2 back.

Looks to peel on way to 3 back but makes the same mistake again.

Peels anyway and leaves himself a long roquet for three back. Check out video on insta.

Also check out video i just uploaded of Greg Bryant playing jump shot from corner three to two balls in corner 1.

Reg under control. Am heading inside to charge the laptop a bit.

Reg has done all peels.

Pegging out now

2 to 1 to Reg.

Game 4!

Si Blue and Black.
reg R and Y.

Si Puts in Anti Duffer.

Reg puts in short duffer.

Si hits Duffer!

Takes off to his ball and gets rush to one.

Makes one, third turn nine is on.

Back now. Charged the laptop a little. Si made three hoops off turn three. After the hoop at three, he only managed to dribble through the hoop and didn't have a great shot on his reception balls. He shot for corner two leaving two balls between three and four, about 8 yards apart, but a good distance in from the baulks.

Reg hit fourth turn, and is now on his way to his first break. Heading to hoop three having dug the corner two ball out after hoop two.

So, playing yellow, good hoop four load (blue), making three of partner (red). Black at hoop two still.

REg well underway now, under good control.

running hoop five, pushing partner to 2 back as a load.

hoop six now, again well under control. Reg hasn't made any errors in breaks today, apart from one approach to one early in game one which he underrolled.

And a few leaves that were a bit disjointed, but nothing too bad.

Not sure what the leave will be yet. Nice load to 3 back, rushing blue down the lawn to between hoop one and two, but still south of the peg.

making two back with oppo at three back, oppo six yards north of 2 back, towards the peg. DS spread coming?

Partner now punted up to the peg, as is oppo. Looks like a spread.

So the spread looks like it might be slightly open....Reg is down with the referee in corner four. Leaves his balls together in corner four. Si has double from A baulk. Although he has a ball on hoop four (blue), he lifts the hoop one ball (black)

Hits it 'in the guts' as the big fella would say.

Ref called over. Can only imagine a problem with the turf? Nope Si wanted the shot watched. As he rushed yellow out of the corner the ref watched where the dead ball went out as Si's strikers ball cannoned into it after hitting yellow. Nothing to see here folks.

Si loads 2, and doesn't get the rush on the ball at the peg to one. Doesn't matter, does a great cut and now has a take off to get position on hoop one, probably 3 yards worth.

Si shanks the hoop and hits in the middle of the leg. So, two balls at Reg's hoop. Reg's forward ball is at hoop two. His hoop one ball still buried in corner four. Interesting decision to make. Use red and it is a gimme if he hits, but must hit a 20 yarder. Probably concedes a break if he misses. Looking like he is going to play yellow.

Right. Reg is calling for consideration of wiring lift. Yellow is yard and half in front of two. Ref says no. Open on red. Not sure what that was about. Still walking around the lawn.

Checked with ref. He was looking to have stroke watched as he had a hampered backswing.

Chooses to play red out of the corner, leaving Si a possible break. he misses and Si walks on to the lawn.

Si hits his partner ball across the lawn to between hoop 3 and 4. rolls to two, and just kisses the yellow ball at 2. oops. Rolls yellow to infront of hoop one and goes to the red ball whcih is on the boundary near hoop one. Doesn't get a rush. Punches red over the between hoop three and four, leaving Reg's hoop one loaded. Si has paired up behind hoop two.

Now he wants to play yellow me thinks. Blue and Black look wired from red through hoop six?

Reg still considering all his options.

Reg corners! Now in corner four. Si playing hoop four ball. Si missed ! First roquet he has missed all day. Getting tired? missed that hoop one as well.

Reg hits with red. So REg taking croquet in corner four. Si paired up on north boundary near corner two.

Reg has rush to one, but has over cooks it. Angled rush to hoop one. Horribly short according to Chris C. Take off to get position from right behind the hoop, six yards short.

Take off is short! no opportunity to run the hoop

Reg retires to the corner.

Players are all getting a bit tired now and the errors are starting to creep in, on all lawns.

Cooling down a bit too.

Reg in corner four. Si shooting into the corner. Pedestrian walks in front of Si, he has to reset.

Hits it AGAIN! Great shooting today, his long shots are really keeping him in the match. He is certainly out shooting Reg.

So Si is taking croquet in corner four, with his hoop four ball. parnter is two yards in front of 1 back. rushes to four. makes the hoop. now has reception ball close to the line. yellow still in corner four.

Still got some work ahead of him here. Rushes red into corner four, doesn't get a rush out of the corner and finshes near hoop four. Wow great roll. Puts yellow at six holding a hoop run on five, from east of hoop four. Nice Gary.

Makes the hoop! Jenny lamenting that the crowd didn't applaud. Si runs a yard south of the peg, shooting at yellow which is at hoop six.

Misses! Blue no on end of b baulk, red in corner four, black coupe yards in front of 1 back. yellow at hoop six. RY to play.

Reg hits! Y at R into corner 4. .... .... now what....

State of Play:

Blue H5, Black H1,
Yellow 1B, Red H1.

Yellow in play with the innings.

Reg organising the lawn. Has left black in corner two. Rolls blue to hoop one. yellow into corner four. My bet is Si will hit into corner 4 again.

Si shoots! And for only the second time today misses a long roquet.

Reg has red, blue and yellow in corner four. Black two yards out of corner two. Can surely get a delayed top out of this.

Reg rushes to one and makes it comfortably. HOLD THE PHONE! NO HE DOESN'T!!!feet...

Red stuck in the jaws. Simon springs to his feet... no he doesnt. Where is the big fella?

Simon was having a comfort break. Now rushing back from the clubhouse.

Black in corner 2. Blue a few yards out of corner 4. Red in jaws of hoop 1 and yellow is the H1 reception ball.

Si walking up to his hoop one ball - black in corner 2. Cmon Si!

Si misses again for only the third time today. Standard of all players dropping as we head into the 8th hour of play.

Now Reg is returning from the club house.

Reg spent a few minutes looking at how to run the hoop, whcih he was jawsed in. then lines p and dribbles it into yellow.

Reg taking croquet with yellow a few yards north of one. I reckon Si will get another shot.

Sends yellow to three, going to ball in corner four.

Remember black is on boundary - A Baulk - just east of hoop one. Taking off to it.

doesn't get a rush to anywhere, leaving blue in corner 4.

OK, well, I didn't read that. He rushed it to hoop 2 high on west boundary. rolls to hoop 2. Short!!

Reg retires. Paired up in corner three. Black close to boundary behind hoop two.

Si corners to corner 1. First time this match he has cornered. Becoming a dog fight now.

At least Reg has kind of a rush to hoop two. Takes the rush. Falls short, but close enough.

Reg makes 2. Long rush back down the lawn if he wants it. three yards maybe?

Reg makes 2. Long rush back down the lawn if he wants it. three yards maybe?

Reg makes 2. Long rush back down the lawn if he wants it. three yards maybe?

Dang! Rushes into the back of hoop two.

Rolling to corner three, while looking to hold a hoop running position. Nails it. Does he want to run all the way down to south boundary where blue is waiting? Yellow is two yards off b baulk.

Ian Lines calls that Reg jumped it to deliberately get it to wick out towards the blue ball which is towards corner four. Leaves himself a two yarder, but not really a rush to anywhere. Though i have said that before,

Rushes Blue to about hoop high on east boundary, looking to make hoop four. no he isn't. Takes off back to corner three.

Leave time. Blue corner 4. Black corner 1. Reg paired up in corner three. Spending a long time considering the leave, making Si wait.....

Si considering his options.

Confusion. Si firing into corner 2. Clearing the spectators. Ref confused. oh dear.

Phew. Spectators safe. Blue now deep in corner two. Black in corner one. Reg has dead rush to four from b baulk. Game on!

Reg has two balled to hoop five.

forward ball still on four back.

makes five. Gets rush to corner 1.

rushes to north of corner one. No canon.

Makes 6, rushes back to corner one. Just checks, 1 hour 45 left. Just curious.....

Rushes the corner 1 ball up towards corner 2. goes out five yards short.

Taking off to blue in corner 2. Looking to then roll 1 back. If he can nail it, he should be away to the peg.

gets a sort of rush out of corner two. nice take off.

so now approaching 1 back from four yards, slightly to the east.

low battery. will report on completion of the break.

Roll not great. runs 1 back from angled hoop run OH NO! Reg misses next shot into corner 1!! Si gets a tap on! Plays blue, which is for hoop 6. Red went out just out of corner one. He rushes it to corner two. It hits yellow, whcih was on the boundary, and knocks yellow into corner 2. Red now two yards south of corner two, taking croquet from red.

Takes off into yellow. Weird shot. Si croqueted yellow to between hoop three and four, looking to get position on his black ball which is four - five yards out of corner one. Strikers ball ends up almost out of the venue! Actually not a bad leave in the end. Si paired up in corner 1. Reg's ball in corner two, the ball he wants to play.

Reg corners. yellow now in corner 4. Not a bad option.

The errors are growing. Si missed the shot out of corner one. only four yarder.

Reg hitting corner 2 to corner 4. Misses into the corner. His balls are not touching in corner four.

Si to corner 3.

black in C3, Blue at end of B baulk. RY touching in corner 4

Reg plays Y, his 4b ball, taking off to the blue ball at end of b baulk.

Reg leaves blue at four back, black at 2 back. setting up in corner 4 with partner.

Si hits!! Black at the two balls in corner one. This is still anyones game. My charge is going...need to head back to clubhouse for a bit.

Hooked into the charger. watching from a distance for a bit. Si has rushed up to corner three, looking to get rush to two, hoop 3 is loaded. break looks likely.

Si makes two. 3 well loaded. Other ball on south boundary but well west of hoop four.

Interesting. Si in position for a TPO? Not good option but all the balls are there.

makes three.

makes four.

Tidy break now.

Right, all other games finished now. This is the last game still going. A good fight underway.

double loaded threeback. not sure what leave yet.

making 2 back,.

now has four balls around 3 back. My bet is OSL. not organised enough. could be wrong...

blue is a long way from the peg.

east - and on line between three and four.

very loose load to the peg. yellow to the peg, makes three back. rushes red, the escape ball, near to six.

Back lawnside, laptop is at 24%. The crowd's attention has turned to this match now all other matched have finished. Turns out he has put in a good diagonal spread. Good break late in the day.

State of Play:

Blue 6 and Black 4b.
Red 2b and Yellow 4B.

Reg only a few hoops ahead.

Reg looking like his balls aren't properly wired. Looking to play yellow across the lawn from the peg to red, whcih id south of two. maybe a 11 yard shot.

Just gets it.

yellow is for 4 back. Rolls red to penult on way to Si's balls on the boundary. Leaves himself a seven yarder.

Hits. Gets rush to 4 back. Penult nicely loaded.

Rushes two yards past the hoop. Lawn getting quicker.

takes off in front. nicely done. no, a little bit angeld.

not to worry, taking the shot. not as bad as we first thought. Runs and has a four yard return shot.

Checking the time, which is becoming a factor. 54 minutes left.

Reg playing a considered break here. Rover is loaded. rushing black over to roverish, putting it to the peg.

Looks like he is playing for time? He has slowed this break up considerably.

Red is on east boundary. Black is west of the peg. He is making rover off blue. Reverse diagonal spread appears to be the leave. he is aiming for. gets rush on blue to position it near hoop two. Standard DS now. not reverse.

Rushes the black into the peg, now cant wire from blue.

Right, black finishes on the peg. Blue two yards off west boundary, level with hoop six. Reg setting rush for red like a spread. Again, very considered, and taking his time.

Sets the leave. Good turn. 42 mins left.

Si looking, can he rush black, which is hard up against the peg, to two back?I reckon it is good enough if Reg wanted to use it as a two back pioneer.

Takes black to corner three. Black is four back ball. Shoots down the line.....

Si misses! Hasn't missed many today.

Reg in winning position here. Takes the rush across the lawn to blue but doesn't reach the boundary.

Difficult to load three back and get to 2 back on blue.

Gets a good rush to 2 back. Yellow on wrong side of five.

after 2 back, break still not really under control. Rush our of 2 back probaly over cooked. That said, has good rush now on ball to three back, which he nails. 4 back loaded.

Should be winning break.

Runs three back with a rush into corner 4. Some contention over whether the black ball is a corner ball. It shouldn't be I don;t think. Rushes the yellow into the corner, taking balck with it. cannon!

Approaching 4 back. Penult loaded. Should finish from here.

All balls in play now. making penult.

Making rover.

As they say in the classics, all over red rover! Reg wins, 3 to 1. Great competitive effort. Bit sad not to see an Australian in the final four, especially given the Mac victory. Play commences again tomorrow at 9.00am local time.

great game to watch and congrats to Reg!