CNZ AC Open Championship

No rest for the wicked as we have a quick turnaround into the 4th game

Freeth now U&K and Bryant R&Y

Freeth U to Max distance
R to c2
K hits U from a baulk, takes off to R. Croquets 3 to 7y SW of 2 and hits of the E boundary, leaving K with a rush on U we think pointing due W

Bryant opting for the long lift with Y...

The ball he's aiming at is S of level with hoop 5

Restalks twice...

It has slid past. Half a ball or so in it. Y ends up in C4

Alright Josh, this author is praying for a ball round to 4b, nothing unorthodox, to save me some typing

Have my wish so far.. Josh has run 2 with a 1ft rush east and has a tight hoop 3 pioneer. Will need to get Y out of c4 but early signs are promising for this being a clip to 4b

Expert analysis from Webby is that Bryant is due to hit a lift. Reference source: law of averages

So far, all according to plan. 2b is nicely loaded with partner and hoop 6 is in the bag

That was a nice settled turn (just the 1 paper towel) from Josh

He's finished with a spread Y 5y S of 2, R at peg, and U&K e boundary approx level with rover

Bryant persisting withthe long lift. Picks up Y and takes it to b baulk

This time not shooting from c3 but approx 4y w of it

Webby is resigning as expert analyst - Bryant has slid past the in lawn ball, not much in it at all, and is in c4

Webby has been rehired as expert analyst as there aren't many people left at the club

Sorry that wasn't the in lawn ball Bryant shot at, it was the boundary ball. Everything else is correct

Freeth continues to look settled and has made 1 and 2 with a hoop 3 pioneer against the back of the hoop

Might moa! What's happened here

He's tapped R (hoop pioneer gently and it sat in an awkward position in the jaws of 4b

*Mighty

He's tapped R (the hoop 3 pioneer) gently and it has come to rest in the jaws of 4b. Plays the take off well, getting R out of the way of the back of the hoop but has an angled hoop stroke

30degrees just under a yard

And it's stuck in the jaws of hoop 3

Could potentially have hit that hoop stroke with a but more oomph

Could potentially have hit that hoop stroke with a bit more oomph

Bryant is playing R and has set a leave:
K (for 4b) 5y e of 4. U (for 3) 5y NE of 2.
Y off the w boundary 2y N of c1. R 5y due E of that

Freeth shooting U at R...

Gentle shot that slides past R

Greg playing R. Taps U and croquets it 2y N of 1, not getting a rush on Y

Knocks Y to c1 and plays a lively croquet stroke to approach 1 and load 2. Impressive given the time he has been off the lawn

But perhaps R wasn't as close in front of 1 as I thought. Greg played his hoop stroke with some pace and hit the wire bouncing out SE of the hoop

Freeth plays U onto R and snicks the 7y shot

Attempting a pass roll to load hoop 4 with R. Doesn't get enough of it and although R I nicely positioned, there's no rush on K to hoop 3 or Y

So Josh, takes off to Y which is near hoop 2

He's underhit that and ended up with a 1ft rush NW

Can only cut it to N boundary, halfway between 2 and 6

Rolling to hoop 3...

Tu meke on it

1.5y 40degree hoop

Playing it as a jump...

Crikey, that was a good effort. Don't think he could have hit that much better. But it hasn't gone through

It's spat out to the w of the hoop and Greg has a 4y with Y on it

Centre balls U to middle of N boundary

Loads 2 and has a 4y on K (e boundary level with rover)

Centre ball - Bryant looking locked in right now

Taking off to R which is in front of 4

1.5y rush to hoop 1 and he hits it sweetly. Approaching 1 from 1y straight

He's through and let the speculation about what this turn will consist of begin. TPO? POP?

SXP (our overseas viewers have proposed)

At this point he's making 4 off U, K is at 5 and R is 4y NE of 6

Rushing U back to level with 3, approx 2y W. So that might have been a look at a POP?

Loads Y with U now and takes R up towards K at 5. What's the next plan?

Hoop 6 has been made. U is at the pivot ball, R is the 2b pioneer and he's making 1b off K

Final call for speculation on the leave as Bryant is making 3b

It's a spread! K is just W of the line of 1&2, U is seemingly resting on the peg, maybe a little bit poking out for K to see?

R & Y are in line with 2y N of rover

Freeth considering whether U can b shit from the peg but decides against it and picks it up to a baulk

U for 3, K for 4b, R for 1, Y for 4b

Josh has eyes on this the whole way

But it hasn't connected with anything and it is advantage Bryant

Bryant plays R and taps yellow. Takes off back behind U and rushes this to K

Streuth. Clatters the peg on the way and now rolling to K from 1y N of peg

U is a good pioneer but the rush to 1 it pointing at the middle of the w boundary

Nice cut to 4y W and 1y S of 1

The approach is underhit! Stone the crows

He retires to off the e boundary leaving a 2y R on Y pointing at hoop 6

Josh electing to shoot U (near 2) at K (6y N of 1)

A miss! And I don't think by much

Bryant will get another go at this TP

Knocks Y in lawn and takes off to U. Croquets U to hoop 2 and rolls past K. Rushes K to 1y E of 1 and takes off in front and runs the hoop

Cuts K to 1y S of hoop 4

Croquets K to the middle of the lawn and has a 2y rush. He rushes it fairly close past K and ends up W of hoop 2. Loads 3 with Y (peelee) and now making 2 off U

Approaching 3 off partner from a couple of feet. K tight nearby and U nice at 4

But he's run 3 too cleanly! Goes 1.5y past peelee and hits peelee out of position on the return

No outward sign that this has bothered Bryant as he continues immediately with setting up to peel going to 6

Lining up the peel of 4b from 1ft in front. 1b nicely loaded and reception ball NW of 4b

The peel is through by 5y and Greg has a 1foot straight rush to 6. This has been clinical to this point

Making 1b off K, U is at penult, Y at 2b. All balls in great positions at their respective hoops

Approaching 2b off partner from 2y straight..

Has a 2y rush N after running the hoop but doesn't quite get enough on it to think about peeling it

Instead croquets it to 1y in front of penult, taps K into position level with penult and half way between 4b and penult. Takes off up to 3b pioneer

Running 3b from a foot

Has a N facing rush

Rushes U from 3b to level with penult, inches to the west

Takes off behind Y and rushes it to 2ft straight

Peelee is through to just past the peg and rush to 4b is straight

Half balls it to level with 4b, 1y to the W

Takes off in front, slightly off centre (particularly in comparison to all of his other hoops this turn) but is through and with a rush in lawn

Takes off to partner from 4y SE of penult. Rushes partner N of penult and croquets it to...

1y N of rover
Approaching penult from 1y

The rover peel is taking shape with U 2y S and slightly E of rover, K as the side ball

Peeling from 1foot (max)

Looking good to finish here - last expert analysis from Webby

Hits the side ball. Rushes the other oppo ball close to Y

1ft straight rush N

He's rushed well. 1y S of peg

And it's all over rover!

They shake hands and Greg puts an arm around Josh. Not the last time Josh will be in an Open final

Really crisp final turn from Bryant. He'll enjoy ending on a high like that

Bryant wins game 4: 26TP-11 and wins the NZ Open 2019##