Good morning from Cairnlea.

First a clarification.
Apparently something I wrote yesterday gave the impression that the referees were less than diligent in checking hoops.
Maybe I wrote the wrong thing - easily done - or I've been misconstrued.
The many referees - all volunteers - are doing a superb job. There is at least one referee for two lawns. And any opportunity they get, they are checking and re-setting hoops.
Sorry if I miswrote.
Andrew

Now to today's matches:

6 Robert Fletcher v David Maugham P7 W3
7 Jenny Clarke v Greg Bryant P39 W12
8 Paddy Chapman v Matthew Essick P1 W1
9 Felix Webby v Ben Rothman P0

10 Mark Avery v Harry Fisher P8 W7
11 Edward Wilson v Simon Hockey P29 W14
12 James Death v Stephen Mulliner P53 W30
5 Stephen Forster v Reg Bamford P6 W2

Again, the number on the left is the lawn. Yes the centre courts are for the Bowl today. all part of the Management plan.
The numbers on the right are the head-to-head games from the first-named player's perspective.

You may mock these crude statistics, but every first round match with history went to the player with the better head-to-head.

Fletcher and Maugham have played two matches.
Fletcher beat Maugham 3-2 at the 2009 Worlds (QF)
Maugham beat Fletcher 2-0 at the 2010 MacRobertson Shield.

Bamford beat Forster in the Block at the 2002 Worlds
Bamford beat Forster 3-2 at the 2012 Worlds.
Forster had 2 TPs, Bamford 1 and a sextuple in the decider.
Bamford went on to win the Championship that year.

I predict wins for the top 4 seeds (Fletcher, Bamford, Avery, Rothman).
Though I haven't seen much of Webby's play.
The other 3 intra-national ties could all be tight.
But the one to watch is defending champion Paddy Chapman v US wunderkind Matthew Essick.
If Essick can carry forward his form from yesterday (when he won in 11 turns), Chapman has his work cut out.

Unfortunately the one to watch is on the least watchable court (8).

There is a first-floor balcony,which gives a good overview of 10 courts, but not 7 and 8.

Best-of-5 today.
No time limits.

Undecided as to how I'm going to cover today.
Matches are starting.
No sign of Robert Fletcher.

Fletcher has turned up.
He shouldn't be allowed to practise.

L8T1 Essick Red 2y NW of 5 ("supershot")
L8T2 Chapman Black 6" S of 2nd corner
L8T3 Essick Yellow at Black from B-baulk. Just misses to the North.
L8T4 Chapman Blue hits Yellow (from B-baulk)

Fletcher is practising.

On lawn 7 Clarke has done well to pick up a 4th turn break after a second corner opening.

On lawn 6, Fletcher U supershot.
Maugham Y peg-high E bdry, in lawn a bit
Fletcher K misses Y to 4th corner
Maugham R misses Y from A-baulk
Fletcher U misses R / Y

L8 Chapman going round 4th turn.

L9 Rothman has first break.

L10 Fisher has first break.

here are two ways to verify facts.
One is to do careful research, comparing sources etc.
The easier way is to state something on the internet, and see if anyone contradicts it.

Here are some facts.
Jose Riva is the highest-ranked player not to get out of their block.
Jose Riva is the only player to be eliminated with 6 wins without a play-off.
Tom Weston is the oldest player to play in the AC Worlds. (He was 82 on Friday.)
William Hadden has the best performance for a player ranked #10 in their Block (5 wins).

Lawn 6, Maugham grovels thru 2, can't continue.
Fletcher hits 17-yarder (ball and a bit?), and has now made hoop 1.

Lawn 5, Bamford second corner opening, now has first break.

Lawn 12 Death hits 4th turn, gets break, fails 2-back.
Mulliner misses 4-yarder

Lawn 7 Clarke to 4-back, NSL
Bryant lifts ball at hoop 4 to B-baulk...misses

Lawn 6 Fletcher (for hoop 2) is taking off from by hoop 3, to a ball on or near N bdry by hoop 2. Goes off lawn

Lawn 8 Chapman Blue to 4-back.
Essick gets in somehow, has leave at 1.
Blue is at 2, Chapman shoots with Black.
Misses, break for Essick

L7 Clarke picks up second break

L6 Fletcher back in somehow, has break.

Robert Fulford is following.

Hope you have better weather today, though the last time I played at Cairnlea it was the coldest November day on record, just above freezing and it hailed a couple of times! This was a GB v Vic friendly match I’d arranged to acclimatise us for the 2006 Mac. We played about 3 days later at Shepparton and it was 40.

Today is very cloudy and cool (~15 deg at the moment.

Thanks to Nick Parish, I have identified yesterday's misleading comment.

_They will be resuming on lawn 8.
The hoops are being checked.
One experienced manager (not me!) brands this decision madness!

Sorry, it was not changing court that is "madness", not checking the hoops._

So what I meant to say was:
The hoops are being checked.on lawn 8.

The Manager has decided that the match will not be moved to a showcourt.
One experienced manager (not me!) brands this decision madness! [because there was only 2 hours of light, and court 8 has no floodlights.]

Hope that clears that up.

Let me re-send that, I messed up the italics.

Thanks to Nick Parish, I have identified yesterday's misleading comment.

They will be resuming on lawn 8.
The hoops are being checked.
One experienced manager (not me!) brands this decision madness!

Sorry, it was not changing court that is "madness", not checking the hoops.

So what I meant to say was:
The hoops are being checked.on lawn 8.

The Manager has decided that the match will not be moved to a showcourt.
One experienced manager (not me!) brands this decision madness! [because there was only 2 hours of light, and court 8 has no floodlights.]

Hope that clears that up.

Successfully sent commentary. Ready for more :-)

L7 Clarke had attempt at 4-back peel after hoop 4, but bounced off.

L8 Essick to 4-back, now has break with second ball. Chance of standard TP.

L9 Rothman 2 and 4-back v 1 and 1. Picks up break with backward ball.

L10 Fisher 4-back and peg v 1 and 1

L7 Clarke breaks down at penult.

Good turn out for the Bowl (event for those who lose in the first round of the knock-out).
Fifteen out of sixteen.
May have something to do with it being played at the main venue - the showcourts indeed!

L7 Bryant fails hoop 1

Off for some more factfinding.

L8 Essick attempts optimistic 4-back peel after 6. The peel misses the hoop entirely, nearly goes off lawn.
His 1-back pioneer is poor. The break is endangered.
Later rolls off 2-back from 8y(?)
Will be 4-back and peg by now.

L9 Rothman on standard TP

L10 Avery hit "last" shot, had leave. Fisher narrowly missed 25-yarder, Avery has break.

L11 Hockey 4 and 4-back v Wilson 1 and break

L12 Mulliner 1 and 4-back, Death 4-back and break. Making 3-back, has right parity for straight triple.

L7 Clarke 4-back and peg v 1 and 1.
Bryant corners rather than putting a ball in baulk.
Clarke trying to 2-ball out to finish.

L12 Death fails rover. Now penult and rover.
Mulliner opportunity for TP

L7 Clarke makes 3 hoops on a 2-ball break, no rush to peg.
Pegs one ball off, Bryant needs to hit 13-yarder....

Bryant chooses 14-yarder, better chance of break if he hits.
He hits! And cuts it into lawn.

L6 Fletcher on delayed TP. currently 3-back and penult.

Essick wins game 1 +17 v Chapman

L7 Bryant makes 1, no rush.
Sending Clarke's ball to 3, the peg intervenes.
Bryant blobs 2.
Clarke has 4-yarder at peg.

Clarke wins game 1 +25 v Bryant

L6 Fletcher peeled penult before 4-back.

L5 Bamford on delayed TP. Now 1-back and penult.

Rothman wins game 1 v Webby

L9 Webby wins opening, has leave.
Rothman has wide join.

L8G2
second corner opening.
Essick misses Chapman's balls 4th turn
Chapman rushes to within a yard of second corner, but christs off ball he wants to rush.
Then croquets ball off S bdry, but Chapman is within 4y of partner.
Essick corners.

L9 Webby has another leave.

L10 Avery to 4-back with NSL
Fisher aggressively takes "short" shot with 4-back ball.
Misses, giving Avery chance for standard TP.
A chance he seems to be taking.

Fletcher wins game 1 v Maugham

L7G2 Bryant fails hoop 2. Clarke has innings.

Bamford wins game 1 v Forster

L8G2 Essick has first break

L9G2 Webby has a clip on 4. Rothman has break.

Avery wins game 1 +5tp v Fisher

L11 Hockey 4-back and peg. Wilson is on standard TP (now 6 and penult.

Mulliner wins game 1 +5tp

L6G2 Fletcher has made first hoop, fair chance of break.

L7G2 Clarke had leave, Bryant missed, Clarke picks up break.
My expert says it's a 3.6 ball break, as the 4th ball is not in a corner.

Eight TPs and a TPO yesterday, out of 38 games.

Five TPs already today out of seven games.

L7G2 Clarke sends hoop 4 pioneer off South boundary. Beyond the hoop it's both quicker and downhill - I put a 3-back pioneer off on the same lawn in the qualifier.

But Clarke has been cunning. By which I mean lucky.
Bryant's ball is close to 3, and has no shot at Red and Yellow 7 yards away.

Correction:
Clarke sent the hoop 4 pioneer (Black) off the East boundary.
Bryant plays this ball and hits Red (14y).

L8G2 Essick has the second break. Setting up for delayed TP. Currently 5 and 4-back.

L9G2 Rothman 1 and 4-back, spread. Webby 1 and 4, hits lift with backward ball.

L10G2 Fisher first break, making 2-back.

The Club has an enlightened policy of free tea and coffee.
And now there's fruitcake.
This is both complimentary, in that it's free, and complementary, in that it goes well with my coffee.
OK so I typed the wrong one, then had doubts.
Thank heaven for online dictionaries.
The satellite clubs were similarly hospitable.

L6G2 Fletcher makes 9, spread, Maugham misses long shot.

L7G2 Clarke 1 and 3 v Bryant 2 and break (now at 1-back)

L5G2 Bamford 1st break. No 1-back tactics this game.

L12G2 Mulliner on standard TP. Misses 4-yarder at hoop 5 pioneer. 5 & penult v 1 & 1

Wilson leads Hockey 1-0 (TP)

L11G2 Hockey has first break

L10G2 Avery equalizing v Fisher. Should be 1 and 4-back apiece.

L9G2 Webby 4 and 3-back v Rothman 1 & 4-back. Dunno what went wrong at 3-back.

L8G2 Essick didn't complete TP, is rover and peg.
Chapman misses 11-yard last shot.

Essick wins game 2 and leads Chapman 2-0

The defending champion is in big trouble.

L6G2 Fletcher setting up for delayed TP

L7G2 Bryant completing his break.

Correction

L12G2 Mulliner was on a standard TPO, not a TP.
When he missed that 4-yarder the clips were 1 and 5 v 1 and penult.

Death wins game 2 +22. 1-1 v Mulliner

L10G2 Avery's leave was "not good".
Fisher hits lift, is on standard TP.

L9G2 Webby fails 1-back. Rothman gains innings.

L11G2 Hockey 4-back and break (at 3-back) v Webby 1 and 1

I haven't said much about conditions.
With all the rain we've had, the lawns are running about 11 plummers.
There are locally quick bits round some hoops, but not too scary today.
The Atkins hoops are less fearsome in this ground. Still they usually reject poor strokes.
(The referees at the qualifier were very busy with hampered shots.)
There is a gentle breeze, it got pretty windy yesterday afternoon.

Let's hope for warmer, sunnier conditions. The forecast is that the weather may improve for the weekend.

Another circumambulation.
(I went clockwise, so L7 info is 5 mins out of date!)

L7G2 Bryant peels partner thru 4-b after 3.
L6G2 Fletcher jawses penult peel before 4-b
L5G2 Bamford on TP. Currently 1-back and penult
L12G3 Death has first break.
L11G2 Hockey 4-back and peg. Wilson hit lift, has break.
Fisher wins game 2 +17tp 1-1 v Avery
L9G2 Rothman on standard TP, 2 peels done before 1-back.
L8G3 Chapman has first ball round, aiming for NSL.

Fletcher wins game 2 +26tp, leads Maugham 2-0

L7G2 Bryant has reached 3-back, 2 peels done

L6G3 Fletcher supershot, Maugham peg-high E bdry (in-lawn), Fletcher misses to 4th corner, Maugham shoots at partner from a-baulk, misses

Fletcher misses 5th turn. Same as game 1 so far.

L7G2 Bryant has to negotiate straight rover peel

L12G3 Mulliner failed hoop 1 5th turn, which gave Death his break.
Death to 4-back, Mulliner hits lift, again embarks on a TPO

Bryant wins game 2 +24tp, 1-1 with Clarke

Maugham has leave, Fletcher misses, Maugham should go round.

L8G3 Chapman on standard tp
L9G2 Rothman peg and box.
Webby was 1-back and 3-back, is now 1-back and peg.
L10G3 Avery to 4-back, NSL
Fisher missed narrowly to 4th corner.
Avery picks up standard TP, with the aid of a big roll out of 4th corner before 3.
L11G2 Wilson completes 3 peels of TP before 3-back, blobs 3-back
Hockey hits 8-yarder, may be finishing.
And on Lawn 12 Mulliner's TPO is still in progress.
On the chance he completes it, I shall relocate to court 12.
If the wifi extends that far.

On lawn 6 Fletcher has missed a 10-yarder,
Maugham misses a 3-yarder. Fletcher hits a 12-yarder.

Mulliner did complete TPO
Both other clips on 1.

I am now courtside by lawn 12.
I've missed a few turns while moving down, but we still have:
Death Blue 1, Black box; Mulliner Red peg, Yellow 1

Red is just N of 4th corner
Blue just had a thrash at 1, going off W bdry.
Mulliner Yellow goes 2y W of 4th corner.

Death Blue hits Red (27y).

I am trying to recruit an expert, but he's already mystified by both players' tactics.

Death Blue fails 1.

Having trouble staying connected.

Death admits to the commentator, but not to his oppo, that he was aiming at Yellow when he hit Red.

My expert thinks the lawns aren't suitable for sextuples - not sufficiently smooth and reliable.
I found them good lawns to play on.

Mulliner has made 1, and has a leave near 2. Death can't shoot at Yellow, and Red is wired because of hoop 4.
Death attempts to jump over 4, catches the crown of the hoop, and ends up behind 2 on the North boundary.
Had he missed the hoop, Blue would have been safe near 2nd corner

Mulliner picks up three-ball break.

Fletcher and Bamford are both 2-0 and break up in the third.

Hockey won game 2 so is 1-1 with Wilson.
L11G3 Wilson has first break.

Mulliner has reached hoop 5, looking solid enough.

These are best-of-5s despite what croquetscores is showing. Please fix that bug, Tim!

When I wrote software we called bugs "undocumented features"

On lawn 10 Avery's clips are 6 and penult.
Fisher has chance for delayed tp

Mulliner has reached 3-back.

Lawns 8 and 9 lunching.
Essick 2-1 up v Chapman,
Webby v Rothman 1-1

L11G3 Wilson to 4-back, NSL
Hockey lifts western ball, long shot, close but misses.

Mulliner wins game 3 +13tpo, leads Death 2-1

Lawn 12 is lunching.
I shall head back to the warmth of the clubhouse.

On my way back I pass Bamford and Fletcher on potential match-winning turns.
Bamford's TP is standard, Fletcher's delayed.

L7G3 Bryant first break.

L5 Forster is on lawn!
Bamford's clips are 5 and penult.

L8G4 As I arrive, Essick is taking off to 2 from II
6' hoop, run to boundary.
Hits 6-yarder, big roll out of II, has first break.

L9G3 Webby hits something 3rd turn, long take-off to 1 fails.
Presume Rothman missed 4th turn, Webby back on lawn.

L10G3 Fisher 4-back and peg v Avery 6 and penult.
Avery misses lift "by a whisker".

Fisher wins game 3 +11, leads Avery 2-1

L8G4 Essick to 4-b, MSL
Chapman lifts ball at 4 to B-baulk.
Misses badly to 5y S of Essick's ball, 10y N of 4th corner.
Essick rushes to 1, makes it, rushes East.
This could be match-winning turn!

L9G3 Webby has break, but takes a lot of wire running 3.
Has 7-yarder with slightly hampered backswing.
Misses
Rothman hits 8-yarder to gain innings.

I've relocated again, close to lawn 8 where the defending champion may have played his last shot.
Essick has reached 6 with one peel done.

Essick peels partner thru penult after 6

On lawn 9 Webby is asking the ref for a wiring lift.

L7G3 Bryant on standard TP

L6G3 Fletcher posthumously rush-peels partner thru rover.

The wiring decision on lawn 9 must be close.

L8G4 Essick attempts to peel rover before 3-back. It clips the outside wire

\L6G3 Maugham has missed his last shot.

L8G4 Essick needs a straight rover peel to dethrone the champion.

Decision pending on the lawn 9 wiring lift.
Webby is sitting down beside the peg.

L8G4 Essick is peeling rover from 1', very slightly angled.

If Webby gets this lift, there is a ball in baulk.

Essick's irish peel at rover is successful, both balls through.

Pegging out from two yards...

Essick wins game 4 +26 tp

Fletcher beats Maugham 3-0

Essick beats Chapman 3-1

There are three referees on lawn 9.

A passing spectator reckons its definitely open, though the test-ball at 5 was necessary.

The lift is being claimed for Yellow, near the middle of the West boundary.
Red is in or near 3rd corner, presumably wired by 6.
Blue / Black are between 4 and IV, potentially wired by 5.

No lift!

Bamford beats Forster 3-0

L7G3 Bryant fails 3-back with one peel done.
Clarke picks up break, peeling 3-back as she does.
So it's Bryant 4-back and penult v Clarke 1 and break.]

Time to visit far lawns...

L12G4
Death supershot.
Mulliner hits, leaves both balls near peg.
Death hits gently, makes 9, leaves rush for Black (on E bdry) on Yellow to Blue on W bdry
Mulliner misses into 4th corner

Hockey is 1-2 down
L11G4 Hockey is 4-back and break. Not trying triples today. Wilson 1 and 1

L10G4 Fisher E bdry
Avery 2nd corner
Fisher hits partner, extracts Avery's ball

L7G3 Clarke makes 9, will be laying an NSL

L11G4 Hockey is 4-back and peg.

L10G4 Fisher has first break

L9G3 Rothman 1 and 4-back v Webby 1 and 4

L12G4 Death on a 5th turn TP.

L7G3 Clarke left the NSL ball in hoop 4 rather than just ENE.
Bryant lifts the other ball, shoots at the ball in 4.
The ball moves an inch.
Bryant thinks he has hit it.
The referee (and an expert spectator) disagrees.
Clarke makes 1, ball still in jaws of 4.

L12G4 Death failed 1' 3-back with 2.5 peels done.

L7G3 Clarke's clip is on 2

L11G4 Wilson presumably hit his last shot and has break.

L12G4 Mulliner has 4-ball break.

Just so you know, I'm courtside by lawn 12 again. I wrongly presumed I'd be watching one or two deciders...

L11G4 Wilson attempts 1-back leave, but doesn't get good rush after 6, doesn't get crosswire, retrieves break by running 1-back to the S bdry

L12G4 Mulliner is attempting 1-back leave.

Excitement on the far lawns!

L10G4 Fisher has made 9, ill-controlled leave, might have called it an OSL but the last croquet stroke inadvertently sent a ball off.
Avery misses ten-yarder.
Fisher picks up break. STandard tp for the match!

L12G4 Clips Mulliner Red 1-back, Yellow 1; Death Blue rover, Black 4-back

L12G4 leave. Yellow 4y W of 3rd corner, Red 3y S of Yellow. Blue Black crosswired at 1.

L12G4 Death Black misses Red to 1y W of 3rd corner.

L11G4 Hockey must have hit lift, may finish

L12G4 Mulliner Yellow hits Black, stops it into lawn, not ideal rush on Red.
Thick take-off required to adjust Red to 1-back. Red is still 3yE of hoop.
Yellow makes 1 off Blue, no rush.

Exclamation from Hockey on lawn 11.
He has failed to approach rover.

L12G4 Mulliner is striding off the lawn for some reason.
Ah, he's getting his specs to line up the 1-back peel after 2.

L10G4 Fisher has reached 2-back with his second break. Zero peels.

L11G4 Wilson misses lift, but he is joined up and Hockey is not.
Hockey misses 13-yarder.

L12G4 Mulliner peels Red thru 1-back after 2, Red is now 5y NNE of 2-back.
Makes hoop 3.

If Mulliner's sextuple does not progress, he might have the SPO.

L12G4 Black (the hoop 4 pioneer) is 3y N of 2-back.
Mulliner has a long (4y) straight peel attempt of 2-back before 4
Red hits the hoop. Is it rush-peelable?

L12G4 Mulliner (Yellow) is attempting a sextuple.
He makes 4 off Black. Blue is at 5. Red is close to 2-back but we're unsure exactly where.

L11G4 Wilson has picked up break for second ball. Standard TP in front of him.

L12G4 Mulliner Yellow rushes Black West, croquets it 1y WSW of 5.
Rush-peels Yellow thru 2-back.
Makes 5 off Blue.

L12G4 Blue is 2y ESE of 5.
After 5, Mulliner Yellow rushes Black southwards. After the croquet stroke Black is a yard or two east of 2-back.
Needs to snick Red in front of 3-back. Slightly overhit or undercut. No peel attempt this time.

L11G4 Wilson has done first peel of TP

Mulliner Yellow rushes Blue near enough to 6. Black near 2-back, peelee Red at 3-back.
After 6, Yellow rushes Blue 4y NNE of 1-back. Runs hoop by 18". Hampered 6-yarder. Ref is on.

He's playing the short standing up. Yellow snicks Blue.

shot

Mulliner seems to be giving up on sextuple.
I'd have thought he might have attempted 3-back peel before 2-back but no.
Blue is near rover, may be trying to peel it before 3-back.

L11G4 Wilson has made 2-back with two peels done.

L12G4 Mulliner's peel attempt of Blue thru rover before 3-back fails.

L10G4 Fisher hampered after penult, misses sweep.
Fisher 4-back and rover v Avery 1 and break.

L12G4 Mulliner makes penult off Red. Still intending SPO of Blue. Now conceding contact.

L11G4 Wilson will have straight rover peel for the match.

L12G4 Mulliner has specs back on. Yellow is hoping to peel Blue thru rover and peg it out. 1' peel. irishes both through. Has Black behind rover, Red by peg.

L12G4 clips: Death Blue box, Black 3-back; Mulliner Red 3-back, Yellow peg.

L11G4 Wilson has 3-yard peg-out.

Wilson beats Hockey 3-1

L12G4 leave: Red on W bdry 12y S of 2nd corner, Yellow in 3rd corner

Bryant wins game 3, leads Clarke 2-1

L12G4 Death Black taps Yellow out of the corner. Rolls Yellow to 7y N of 3-back. Hits Red.
Big roll puts Red 1y NW of 4-back. Black short. Black takes 4' posi at 3-back.

L12G4 Mulliner Yellow at Black (8y). He can see Black centre-ball, but nothing to the left of that.
Yellow hits the right-hand wire fully, stays near hoop.
Death Black can roquet Yellow, should finish.

L12G4 Death has 5-yard return after 4-back, clips it, good enough.

L10G4 Fisher hit the lift, now rolling up to rover with partner from 4. Hoop looks difficult, leaves dolly rush instead.

Death wins game 4 +6, 2-2 v Mulliner

L10G4 Avery misses, he's not joined up.
Fisher doesn't run rover cleanly.
8, 9y peg-out...

Fisher beats Avery 3-1

L12G5 Mulliner Blue supershot
Death Red dribbles at Blue from 1st corner, missing.
Mulliner Black can shoot at Red from B-baulk, ending up near 4th corner had he missed.
He hit, and is thru hoop 1.

In every game this match the winner of the toss has taken play, as they say here, and won the game.
This does not bode well for Death.
Mulliner is thru 2.

Now the excitement is on lawn 9.
L9G3 Webby 4 and peg v Rothman 4-back and box.
Rothman failed to approach 4-back in the contact turn, triangulated.
Webby finessed.
Rothman hit ball on W bdry, rolled to 4-back, had difficult hoop, clanged.

L12 Mulliner's 3rd turn break has reached 3-back.

L12G5 Mulliner has made 9 on the third turn. Same leave as Death's in game 4:
Blue is on E bdry 11y N of 4th corner. Has a 1y rush of Red to Black on the W bdry.
Death Yellow at Blue from B-baulk...

Death hits! Cuts Blue 2y NW of 4.

I may relocate to lawn 9. Also it's started to drizzle.

L9G3 Webby Red 4, Yellow peg; Rothman Black 4-back, blue box.
Webby has a wired dolly rush to 4.
Rothman goes 13y S of 2nd corner.
Webby Red makes 4, trying for wired rush SW of 4
Rothman Black to 1y E of 1st corner.
Webby Red rushes Yellow just beyond 5. Approaches sending Y E of hoop. Runs 5 to beside peg. Nails 7-yard return.

Death making break on lawn 12.

L9G3 Webby rolls from S bdry. Yellow is 3y S of 2. Red 5y NNE of Yellow to guard shot.
Rothman shoots at Yellow. Misses.

L9G3 Webby Red hits 4-yarder at Black.

L12G5 Death attempting TPO

L9G3 Webby croquets Black 3y NW of peg.
(I'd have put it to 2-back, my expert advocated a pass roll.)
Red goes too far for rush Yellow, fails to cut it near 6.
Retreats toward 4th corner.

L12G5 If Death had been attempting tpo, he's not any more. Equalizing break expected.

L9G3 Rothman to near 2nd corner.
Webby joins up
Rothman to 14y S of 2nd corner
Webby leaves rush wired behind hoop 4, pointing to 5 (he's for 6).
Rothman to 13y S of 3rd corner.

Webby Red cuts Yellow near 2nd corner. Tries to lay rush wired by 2, but Yellow is open. Makes sure Red is wired.
Rothman can't take this shot. Goes 4y W of 3rdcorner.

Webby Red taps Yellow

L12 Death's clip is on 4-back

Webby wires Red and Yellow behind 2
Rothman to 14y N of 1st corner.

L12 Looks like Death had an NSL with Black at 4.
Mulliner lifted Blue, missed short shot.
Death Red immediately croquets Yellow to 3. Makes 1.

L9 Webby played Yellow, rearranged balls. Has plausible rush to 6 this time.
Rothman to 12y N of 1st corner.
Webby Red makes 6, rushes Yellow to N bdry.

Webby Red takes off to Black. Taps it. Stops Black 2y SW of 3rd corner. Joins up with Yellow.

I think Death got his 4-back peel after 3, but he's 50 yards away!

Rothman to 10y W of 4th corner, maybe 8y E of Webby's balls.
Webby Red rushes Yellow to W bdry.

Clips: Webby Red 1-back, yellow peg; Rothman Black 4-back, Blue box

Webby rolls balls down close to W bdry, level with 1-back.
Rothman is shooting!
Misses.
Chance of 3-ball break for Webby

Quick trip to L12: Death has made zero peels, and the break is a bit untidy. Now back in control at 2-back.

L9 Webby Red croquets Black to 2-back, subsequently blobs 1-back.
Rothman misses

Quick trip to L12: Death has made zero peels, and the break is a bit untidy. Now back in control at 2-back.

L9 Webby Red croquets Black to 2-back, subsequently blobs 1-back.
Rothman misses

Webby Red makes 1-back. Lift now pending.
Red rushes Yellow 3 or 4y shy of 2-back. Bravely approaches. Makes it.
Croquets Yellow 2y W of 4th corner.
Red to peg-high W bdry

Am having problems posting.
Re-located nearer clubhouse.

L9 Rothman lifts Black to A-baulk, misses Yellow (11y)
Webby Yellow takes off from Black to Red. Joins up middle of W bdry
Rothman to 1y N of 1st corner.

Webby Red rushes Yellow to Black, Black to 3-back, makes hoop.
Approaches 4-back, doesn't like it, back to 1st corner. Yellow is 7' N and 1' E of Red.

Rothman to 8y N of 4th corner.

Webby Red rushes Yellow off 12y N of 1st corner.
Leave near 2.
Rothman moves to 6y E of 2nd corner, menacing

L12 Death 4-back and peg, Mulliner misses lift.

Death beats Mulliner 3-2

Rothman has at least forced Webby to fiddle with him.

Rothman is 11y N of 4th corner..
L9 Webby Red rushes Yellow 5y N of Black
Take-off, 4' past.
Pretty good rush to 4-back.

Rothman is 11y N of 4th corner..
L9 Webby Red rushes Yellow 5y N of Black
Take-off, 4' past.
Pretty good rush to 4-back.

Sorry for repeated comment. Croquetscores and / or internet broken.

Webby Red makes 4-back off Black, good cut to penult, rolling up to rover from 3y, runs it to boundary.

Red has 2y rush on Black, can he send it near Yellow on E bdry?
No, about 10y N of Yellow.
Leaves Yellow 3y N of 4th corner, pegs out Red.

Rothman lifts Black to B-baulk, tries to take posi at 4-back.
Overhits. 8' hoop.

Webby goes 4y SW of peg.
Rothman refuses long hoop, shoots at Webby's ball.
Close, but misses into 1st corner.
Webby hits peg.

Webby leads Rothman 2-1

L7G4 Clarke needs straight rover peel to force decider v Bryant

L7G4 Clarke needs straight rover peel to force decider v Bryant

L7G4 Clarke's rover peel goes well, she makes a bit of a mess of getting rush to peg.
Pegging out from 4 yards...

Clarke wins game 4 +15tp, is 2-2 v Bryant

L10G4 Webby has first break.

Yet to re-start on lawn 7.

My earlier clarification that I have no criticism of referees may have suggested criticism of the Manager.
Indeed he had a word with me about oblique criticism.
Managing the Worlds is a tough job. I wouldn't do it again. (Besides, they won't let me.)
Bruce Fleming also managed the Qualfier,and did so very well.
_(After 5 rounds I had played on each of the 5 lawns in use.
"If you've done that for everyone Bruce, I'm very impressed."
"No, you're a special case") _
After the blocks were completed, the Manager was faced with a 3-way tie for 4th in one block, and a 5-way tie for 3rd in the other.
He was required to find 7 qualifiers (ie 2 more), plus placings from 8th to 12th in case of withdrawals.
He correctly resisted certain zany ideas of combining the ties in to some block of 8.
"Well that's very creative Andrew but I have to abide by regulations."
Anyway, his plan in the lawn allocation is to avoid anyone playing on the same lawn in consecutive matches.
This is an entirely laudable aim, one I wish were shared by certain beastly manglers.
The quarter-finals will be played on 5,6,7,8 (subject to tinkering).
The semi-finals on courts 3 and 4, the final on lawn 1.

Clarke is refuelling before her 5th game.

L9G4 Webby to 4-back.
Rothman missed lift.
Webby potentially match-winning turn.

Webby Yellow is through hoop 1, next to Red, 4.5y from Blue.
My expert wants him to hit Blue, so that Red can go to 3 for the standard tp
Webby taps Red

Webby makes 2 off Black, rushes South.
Black croqueted to 4, nice rush on Red.
Maybe he can get standard TP despite earlier (alleged) misplay

Rothman is on the lawn.
Webby must have failed 3.

I am not doing well in the fantasy league.
Picked a few too many Bassetts.

G9L4 Webby did indeed blob 3.
Rothman peeled him in setting up the break, so the clips are:
Webby Red 4-back,Yellow 4; Rothman Blue break, Black 1

Still no resumption in Clarke v Bryant.

Rothman has reached hoop 6.

L7G5 Bryant Blue 10y N of IV
Clarke Red 1' S of II
Bryant Black 1y S of Red from B-baulk
(A passing expert disapproves. "Shoot at something!")
Clarke Yellow hits Red, cutting it 1'S of Black.

L7G5 Clarke Yellow has made 1. Now approaching 2 from 10y S of II, loading 3.
Good shot.
4' hoop, 5y roquet, has first break

L9G4 Rothman Blue to 4-back.
Reverse spread (because Yellow is for 4)
Webby lifts Yellow, shoots at Red by the peg.
Hits.
Makes 4, poor shot means he has 6y backward take-off to 5.
5' hoop, runs it, has break.

L7 Clarke has reached 1-back.

L7 Clarke has made 9 4th turn.
I guess she was aiming for an NSL but instead has sort of OSL.

Webby has just made rover.

L9 clips: Webby Red 4-back, Yellow peg; Rothman Blue 4-back, Black 1

Leave is a reverse spread with Blue at the peg.

L9 Rothman has a quick check that everything is wired as it should be (it is).
Lifts Black to end of B-baulk.
Squinting to see if he can see all of Blue - decides he can.
Shoots at Blue, hits penult, bounces off ~8y NNW of hoop 1.

L7G5 Bryant lifted Blue (ball near W bdry) to A-baulk, shot at Black (16y) missing to 3rd corner.
Clarke Red picks up break, but over-approaches 3, then misses Blue in the corner (8y)

L9G4 Webby has 5-yard return after rover... gets it

Webby wins game 4 +17

Webby beats Rothman 3-1

Rothman's dream of being the second player (after Reg Bamford) to hold both GC and AC World Championships is over.

L7G5 Bryant fails to get going.
Clarke misses 21-yarder.

The Yellow ball, which was to have been Red's hoop 4 pioneer, is in the front of 4.
Bryant feels he can ignore Red and Yellow.
Makes 1, approaches 2, takes position.

Clarke should surely be moving Yellow, but no, she shoots with Red at whatever she can see of Yellow.
Red hits hoop, ends up in middle of W bdry.
Bryant runs hoop, not clean, misses 3- or 4-yarder.

Clarke Red shoots at Yellow again.

My battery has almost recovered from previous excursions, I may move outside where I can see the whole lawn.

L7 clips: Clarke Red 3, yellow 4-back; Bryant Blue 3 Black 1.

At last Clarke moves Yellow.

Red is 2y W of 4th corner, Yellow is 12y N of 1st corner.
Bryant Blue is making 3 off Black, runs it by next to nothing (still in jaws)
Can't hit Black. plays back thru hoop. Blue has 2y rush southwards.

Clarke Red misses Black.

Bryant Black rushes Blue to N bdry, 4y E of Red.
Stops Blue toward 2, Black short of ideal on Red.
Cuts Red 6y N of Yellow on W bdry.
Good cut on Yellow to 5' W of hoop 1 (and a bit South)
Runs hoop past Yellow.

Bryant Black roquets Yellow, take off to Red, well short, maybe 10'
Good shot cuts Red. Blue is still 7y from hoop 2 tho, needs a good croquet stroke here...

Not bad, 2y rush of Blue to 2.
Overcuts, approaching from 2 or 3 yards.
4' hoop 2, slightly angled...

Bryant Black runs hoop 2 to boundary.
Has pioneer at 3, fourth ball (Yellow) still near hoop 1.

I thought I hadn't packed a sweater for this trip, but I did and I'm glad of it now. Still cloudy, no rain, light breeze.

Bryant is thru 3, hoop 4 pioneer is 6y NNW of hoop, if he can make 4 he'll have 4-ball break.

Good rush to 4, now in full control.

Clip update: Clarke Red 3, Yellow 4-back; Bryant Blue 4, Black break

Or it was a break. Bryant has run 1-back by an inch. Ref is on.

Bryant Black can't see Red (off which he made 1-back)
Hitting through the hoop at Yellow 9 yards away.
Misses into A-baulk.

Clarke lifts Red.

Clarke Red rushes Black West, then croquets it to 4, getting rush on Blue to near the peg.
Now taking off to Yellow 5y away to get rush to 3.
Indifferent rush to 4y E of 3.
Take-off approach.
3' hoop...

Clarke makes 3, has 7-yard return roquet, misses Yellow.

Bryant Black (at 4) shoots at Blue (by peg).(12 or 13 y).
Misses to 4y S of 2nd corner.

Clarke Red hits Yellow (5y), rushing it near peg.
Takes off to get rush on Blue.
One yard rush to 4.
Rushes to 2y S of hoop.
Not directly South.
4' hoop.
Runs it to boundary.

Clarke Red now has 3y take-off approach to 5.
Slightly short, or maybe hills to the West.
Fails angled hoop 5.

Bryant looking at Red and Yellow. May be cross-wired?

Bryant Blue shoots at Yellow (10y).
Misses to S bdry.

Clarke Red runs short angled hoop 5.
Clips 4y return on Yellow, Yellow hits hoop (rover). Can't see exactly where Yellow is, pretty close to East wire.
Take off to Black, hits it.
Yellow appears to be 2" in front of rover. Wired from Blue, i'd say.
Clarke rolls to 6 from W bdry.
6' straight hoop....

Clarke Red runs long hoop 6 to boundary.
Red rushes Black to middle of East boundary.
Clarke inspecting Yellow.
Red takes off from Black to North of Yellow.
Is she trying to rush Yellow thru rover?
Yes, does so, but only by a couple of yards.

Clarke Red croquets Yellow to 4y South of 2-back, hits Blue.
Stops Blue near 1-back.
Leaves Red an Eastward rush on Yellow

Clips: Clarke Red 1-back, Yellow 4-back; Bryant Blue 4, Black 2-back.

I'd fancy Blue to just S of 3rd corner, but what do I know?
All my potential experts are inside in the warmth.

Bryant Blue shoots Blue at Yellow (24y).
Hits!

Bryant Blue rushes Red 4y S of Black. That was an overcut.
Croquets Red into the lawn, just shy of perfect position on Black.
Cuts Black 3y N of hoop 4.
Approach is shy, 4' hoop...

Blue fails 4.
Looks like it'll run next time.

Clarke Yellow is shooting at Blue (14y, not whole ball)
Changes her mind, Yelllow at Black (15y).
Misses.

Bryant Blue can run 4, does so.
Hits Black, short take-off to Yellow.
Take-off is underhit, now needs good croquet stroke to get rush on Red, which is 8y NE of peg.
Yellow is croqueted 4y NW of hoop 1, Blue is short of Red.
Blue rushes Red toward E bdry.
Optimistic approach of 5 from level with 6 nr E bdry.
Red is croqueted 5y E of 2.
Blue in no position to run 5, back to mother.

Bryant has left Blue W of Black, so Clarke has to move Yellow.
Clarke Yellow snicks Red - I thought she'd missed!
Take-off to Blue hits Blue - I don't think Yellow was going off the lawn, but it might have been.
Take-off to Black is a bit short.
Cuts Black 5y SE of 4-back.
Approach yields 3' hoop.
Runs 4-back to boundary.

Manager is prowling anxiously. At most one hour of daylight left.

Clarke Yellow will make penult off Red.

Will she make rover?
Can she get a good leave if she doesn't?

Clarke Yellow rushing Black from by the peg to rover.
Red ball is 2y N of peg, Blue 4y W of 4th corner.
Makes rover with rush pointing NE.
Yellow rushes Black 11y N of 4th corner.

Clarke Yellow takes off to Blue, hits it. Black is on yardline.
Yellow rolls Blue 6y WSW of peg, Yellow stops a few inches South of Red.
Cuts Red 9y E of 2nd corner.
Looking to roll both balls off near 2nd corner.
Calls for ref to see where one of the balls goes off.
Red is 2y S of II, Yellow 3y S of Red.

Clips: Clarke Red 1-back, Yellow peg; Bryant Blue 5 Black 2-back.

Manager and ROT are on.
They want game to move now, I'm told (why?)
Players want to remain where they are.
Floodlights are on, warming up.

Bryant lifts Blue to B-baulk, shoots at Black. Misses to 4th corner.

Clarke Red hits Yellow.
Approaches 1-back.
5' angled hoop.
Runs it by a foot or so.
Ref is on.
5y hampered shot.
Misses to 5 yards past.

Management wants to move the game to a floodlit court.
Clarke wants to appeal that decision.
May have to assemble appeals committee, if the regulations so allow.

This is a Management decision, not a refereeing decision.

In case you don't realise, the Manager is Bruce Fleming, the ROT is Liz Fleming. They are husband and wife.

There is maybe half an hour of playable light. Clarke could have finished last turn, or next turn...

It's cold, I'm moving back inside.
Whence I'll have a better view if the game is moved.

Apparently you can't appeal against a reasonable decision by the Manager.

We are moving to court 1.

Clips: Clarke Red 2-back, Yellow peg; Bryant Blue 5 Black 2-back.

Tape measures are on to get the balls exactly right.

The live streaming is meant to start tomorrow.
Apparently it's usually done from the balcony, though if the quarters are 5,6,7 and 8, you can only see two of those from the balcony.
I've been informally approached about doing audio commentary, but I feel loyalty to you, my readers.

Clarke thought her take-off to Blue was going off the lawn (a couple of turns ago).

The Red and Yellow balls are in place.
Blue and Black are both on a yardline.

We are ready to resume.

Bryant has remembered he has a lift, should he wish to take it.

Blue at Black as they is about 12 yards, a ref informs us.

One could make a double of Red and Yellow from A-baulk.

Bryant lifts Blue to A-baulk.
Blue appears to pass between Red and Yellow.
Bit long to be called a Hogan double.

Blue is 8y E of 2nd corner.
Clarke sensibly plays Yellow, hits Red (5y).
Oppo's balls can be ignored, looking at leave between 2-back and 1st corner.

Bryant Black shoots at Blue (30y). Misses to 5' W of Blue.

Clarke Red makes 2-back off Yellow.
Rushes Yellow halfway between hoops 1 and 2.
Having look at Black and Blue to see which avails the better rush to 3-back.
Croquets Yellow 2 or 3y N of 4-back.
Red hits Blue.
Take-off for rush on Black.
Rushes...close to hoop....just misses it, 6y roll-up required.
5' hoop....

Clarke Red runs 3-back by a yard. Has 6-yarder, hits it well.

The natural light is now unplayable.
But if Clarke finishes this turn, I'm sure she'd point out that she could have finished without moving court.

Clarke Red makes 4-back off Yellow, takes off to Blue.
Hits Blue. Black is at penult.

Clarke Red plays very good croquet stroke.
Makes penult.

Clarke runs rover.

One wouldn't normally lie down for a one yard peg-out.

Clarke wins game 5 +15

Clarke beats Bryant 3-2

See you in just under twelve hours' time.

Bye for now, Andrew