Good morning world.

I'm jumping in here to help Chris Clarke cover the delightful 12 court venue which is the Victorian Croquet Centre at Cairnlea, and I will be keeping track of the 6 courts on the Western (as seen on a compass) side of the centre - which (by coincidence) contain the USA v. AUS singles matches for day 5 of Test 2.

Current status of the games are:
Lawn 8: Essick v. R. Fletcher - Fletcher hits 4th turn and is approaching 2 back with Yellow, looking for a tight 2-4 leave.
Lawn 9: Morgan v. McCormick - McCormick has made 1 with Black, but Morgan is on a break with Red, approaching H6
Lawn 10: Soo v. Dumergue - Dumergue on break, having just run H3.
Lawn 11: Watson v. M. Fletcher - will update you when I find out exactly, but Fletcher yet to score, and Watson on 3 and 4back
Lawn 3: Balding v. Forster - Balding's yellow is on H6, and Forster in break having just made H2 with Blue.
Lawn 2: Rothman v. Wilson - Wilson yet to score, and Rothman approaching 3back looking for a diagonal sprad.

Lawn 8: Fletcher sets tight 2-4 leave, with Blue 6in WSW of 2, and Black 1ft ENE of 4. Sets up on East Boundary 2y north of 5, with a rush pointing towards 1. Essick lifts the ball at 4, and first down the East Boundary (which slopes..) and HITS red (the boundary ball) - middling it into C4.
Lawn 9: Morgan makes 9 with a diagonal spread. McCormick lifts his H2 ball (which was the western one), plays at Morgan for C3, and misses to 3y North of C4.
Lawn 2: Rothman makes 9, Wilson misses lift, Rothman crawls through H1 and is nastily hampered on the reception ball (his partner - Black)

Lawn 8 - Essick didn't get the rush on Yellow to 1, and has attempted to roll off H1 from the East Boundary. Doesn't get position and retreats to 3y WSW of his ball at H2.
Lawn 2 - Rothman misses hamper, and leaves Wilson a 9 yard in lawn shot.
Lawn 9 - Morgan didn't make H1, and McCormick is in and through H1 with is backward ball (Blue)
Lawn 3 - Forster makes 9 and a leave (2-4, with the H4 ball visible from A Baulk. Balding hits said H4 ball and will have a chance at a break with his H1 ball.

Lawn 2. Wilson makes 1, misses 5y return roquet at Black (which was just N of H1), runs the hoop backwards and ends up on South Boundary wired from Black. Rothman plays his H2 ball (Blue) at Black, rushing it to C1, then rushes yellow along the South Boundary to just N of C4, and will be attempting to get it somewhere up near H3 getting a rush on red, which is NE of 4. Plays it reasonably well and has a longish rush to H2. Plays it well, but a porr H2 approach leaves Wilson's red against the left hand wire, and Rothman has to jump it to make H2. Now has a 6y return roquet at a half ball... Hits and break continues.

Lawn 8. Fletcher shot from 1 to 2, missed, and Essick took the 10 yard shot with his Black ball at Yellow on the North Boundary (Blue being wired from that one up against the wire). Hits, gets a rush to C4ish, and is rolling off H1 from down there somewhere (not sure what happened in between).

Lawn 3: Balding makes 3 and continues with all balls in court.

Lawn 11: Fletcher seems to have hit a long shot and is mid break against Watson.

Lawn 8: Essick retires to EB - Fletcher Misses, Essick fails 1 with partner, Fletcher shoots from H4ish to H1ish. Hits.

Lawn 11: M. Fletcher sets a leave, Watson misses, Malcolm can begin a 2nd break.

Lawn 2. Rothman on break - no peels looking likely as yet.

Lawn 9: McCormick still in break, approaching 3 back.

Lawn 10: Dumergue got to H6, and Soo is now in with a chance of a break.

Lawn 3: Balding approaching H7 on a laid break. Back ball still on H5.

Lawn 2: Rothman going around with a 4 ball break - no peels attempted. Should end up on Peg and 4back.

Lawn 8: R. Fletcher approaching 3 with a standard TP ahead.

Lawn 9: Morgan laying up somewhere in lawn between South Boundary, H4 and H5... McCormick's balls are 2Y NW of 3 (Blue - 4 back ball) and somewhere up near C2 (Black - H2 ball). Clip positions are still R and BL = 4back, Y on H1, and Bk on H2. Not sure how this all happened.

Lawn 10. Dumergue back in play with Soo still to make a hoop. Dumergue is on 1 and 6. Rushing to 6 from down hear C4 with not much in lawn, so it might be a tricky break to dig out.

Lawn 11: M. Fletcher in 2nd break.

Lawn 3: Balding makes 9 (2-4 leave I think, though could have been a diagonal), Forster takes lift down EB with his H1 ball (Black), and misses to 7y north of C4. his Blue (for 4 back) is 6y SW of H2. Balding has a rush to it from EB.

Dumergue and Soo on Lawn 10 looks like being a slow game. Jeff Soo's form hasn't been great this tournament, but according to his self assessment yesterday, it's getting better. So far, Ian Dumergue is being slow and steady, and is on his break, but running 3 back with not sure what plans for the leave..

Lawn 11: Watson is on 4back and 3, Fletcher on break to 1back and partner on 4back (thanks to reporter Essick who looked like he needed something to do, so was kind enough to go for a stroll to the ends of the earth to bring back an update).

Lawn 9: Morgan on 2nd break to H4 - no peels in sight yet.

Lawn 2: Rothman setting leave at 4back and peg as expected. Diagonal looking... with Wilson's H2 ball on line between 1 and 2, and 3y north of peg high. Wilson lifts the ball by the peg (Red) and wallops it from A-Baulk at Rothman on EB. Misses, and concrete boundary somehow survives.

Lawn 3: not sure what's happening. Clips positions are: Y=6, R=4back, Bk=1, Bl=4back. The yellow ball is 3y SE of h5, and all other balls are in or near C4... No players in sight.

Lawn 8: Fletcher seems to have peeled penult, and is up to 3 back.

Lawn 8: Spotter Spencer Buck tells me that Robert is peeling rover on the way to 3back.

Lawn 9: Morgan made it to H5, but no further. McCormick is in with his H2 ball, has made 2, and is getting his TP set up. Gets the rush peel after 4, and is back on time for a standard TP.

Lawn 10: Dumergue makes 9, and Soo is taking a lift from A-Baulk at Dumergue's balls (still yet to score a hoop). Hits!

Lawn 11: Malcolm still going around, but not sure of peeling situation.

Lawn 2: Rothman on finish - approaching Rover.

Lawn 3: Forster is in and on a break to 4, setting up for a delayed TP.

Lawn 2: Rothman takes Game 1 - 26-1.

Lawn 8: R. Fletcher takes Game 1 - 26TP-0

Lawn 9: McCormick approaching penult with 2 peels done. Should be game up soon.

Lawn 10: Soo making an angled H4, successfully. Go Jeff! Hope he gets some good play in here.

Lawn 3: Forster in play and approaching penult with a straight double peel needed to finish.

Lawn 11: M. Fletcher still going around...

Lawn 9: McCormick wins Game 1 - 26TP - 13 (I think)

Lawn 3: Forster completes TP to take Game 1 against Balding, 26TP - 14.

Lawn 11: Fletcher doesn't look like he's completed his TP (hit a 16y roquet at a ball near baulk after penult - nothing else was visible/useful), and has misapproached Rover with Blue. Black is on the peg. Balls are: Blue on WB level with H1, Black 1y off SB about level with H5, Red 2y S of H5, and Yellow looks like WB level with H6. Watson to play with a lift.

Lawn 10: Soo approaching 2back.

Lawn 2. Wilson hits 4th turn (I think), and makes H1 but is hampered. Shoots at partner which is in line with H3 and H4, slightly north of Peg, and misses. Rothman's balls are mid court just East of the H1-2 line, and jsut off EB about level with 5. Shoots Black (the firstmentioned ball) at partner on EB, misses.

Lawn 8. Essick v. R. Fletcher G2.
- Robert plays Blue supershot 5ft north of H5.
- Matthew plays Red to EB just north of H5.
- Robert plays Back (obviously) from A-Baulk and hits. Loads 2 nicely and should be away on a 3-ball break.

Lawn 2. Wilson back in with his H1 ball (Yellow), and makes 1 with a hoop and roquet. Makes H2 and should be away with a break to 4back... But rushes into H5, and will be taking off to Black which is just off the EB north of 4, and should be able to do a thick takeoff back to the ball at 3 and continue, which he does successfully.

Lawn 9:
- Morgan Y to EB level with 4
- McCormick Bl to C2
- Morgan R at Partner from A-Baulk, misses.
- McCormick Bk at partner in C2 from end of B-Baulk...

Lawn 10: Dumergue just missed the lift from A-Baulk with his H1 ball (Blue). Soo has a chance for a 2nd break. Scores are 9 a piece.

Lawn 11: Watson is in.

Lawn 3: Forster makes H1 with Blue to start Game 2.

Lawn 10: Game is "Proceeding at a leisurely pace." - according to Jeff Soo, who seems to have let Ian D in after making 1 hoop with his 2nd ball. Ian, however, didn't make anything, and Jeff is back in wit ha choice of 6 yard roquets up near H2 with his H2 ball.

Lawn 2. Wilson makes 9 - great controlled turn, and sets a loose 2-4 leave (i.e. 2ball 5y WSW of H2), with a Rothman's Black ball very close to being in the jaws of 4. Wilson is on H2 with this Red remember...

Lawn10: McCormick going around with Black. First break.

Lawn 8: Fletcher sets a 3-ducks leave (all 3 balls in a kind of - wonky - line from the west boundary towards the peg, 2y south of H6. Make sense?). Essick putting the 4th ball on from end of B-Baulk, aiming at the nearest of the 3 ducks - Red.

Lawn 11: Watson has either broken down or laid up somewhere, and Fletcher calls a referee to watch the peg, to which he is rushing from C3.

Lawn 3: Forster made it to H6 with Blue, and Balding is now in with Red and approaching H1.

Lawn 2: Wilson just thumped through a 2ft 40 degree angled H2. Standard TP for the taking if he takes the return rush down to H4 and then rushes his partner Yellow up to H3, where a pioneer already awaits.

Lawn 8. Essick Hit! and will have a chance at an equalising break or potentially a TPO should he so choose. Would like to see some popping or something, given how drearily standard everything seems to be elsewhere.

Lawn 11: Fletcher setting up in C1 with both balls and no rush (must have missed the peg). Watson shooting from somewhere N of H1ish towards C3, and hits.

Lawn 2: Wilson overapproaches H5 with no peels complete, but peelee and escape ball sitting up at 4back. Retreats to C4 with vigour - so much in fact that he ends up in C4 on Lawn 8... thankfully not hitting anything on Lawn 8 on the way. Referee Brian Foley (much appreciated) helps in the ball retrieval process. Rothman plays his Black and doesn't get a great rush to 1, so will be approaching from 6y North. Plays a defensive roll, but only manages to defend against a good hoop postion. Will be setting up just S of H1 with a rush to the hoop, with Wilson in C4 (Red - for H5), and half way between H2 and H6 (Yellow - for H1).

Lawn 9: McCormick made it to 3back, Morgan is in with Red, making a break to H4 at the moment.

Lawn 2: Wilson fires at Rothman with his Yellow, and misses. Rothman then misses the 6 yarder at the ball on the South Boundary, and Wilson will be in with his 4back ball. Sets up in C4, Rothman plays at partner mid court to H2ish, and hits (20 yard shot). Will be taking off to Wilson in C4. Does so and is through 1, with a 3ball break.

Lawn 3: Balding makes 9, and has a Diagonal Spread leave. Forster picks up his H6 ball (Blue) from H2ish, and will be firing down the EB. Hits and makes H6 with a 3ball break ahead.

Lawn 11: Watson still doing things to M. Fletcher..

Lawn 10: Soo on H6 and Penult, Dumergue on 1 and 4back. Dumergue walking on with balls somewhere near C3. Looks like he was camped out there after Soo broke down and Soo retired to a corner.

Lawn 8: Fletcher still going around on 2nd break.

Lawn 2: Rothman does crummy takeoff from H3 to C4, stops 8.5y short. Hits and is asking ref for some lawn repair or something before he plays his croquet stroke.

Lawn 3: Forster breaks down at 2back. Balding has a lift into baulk with his H1 ball, and should be able to set up a standard TP.

Lawn 8: Fletcher setting up for a penult peel on the way to 4back.

Lawn 10: Sue in control with a rush in lawn, Dumergue having just missed a long shot after Soo's setup.

Lawn 9: Morgan going around.

Lawn 11: Watson heading for Rover

I'll probably be departing soonish to do some vocal commentary (good thing I can't hear it myself!), and although I'll try and find you a replacement reporter for the USA v. AUS matches, I might have to point you back to Chris Clarke's commentary as a last resort. We'll see who I can capture in the next 10 minutes. Stay tuned regardless.

Wind is a factor here. Plastic chairs and coffee cups are being moved without consent at unexpected moments.

Greg Fletcher says "Hi to everyone" from Germany.

Lawn 9: Morgan makes 9 and McCormick hits the leave with his 3back ball. Should make 1 hoop and set a no-lift leave.

Lawn 2: Rothman still going around - approaching 1back having had a little trouble hampering himself mid-lawn (by H3) after H5.

Lawn 3: Balding jawses 1st peel after 3, and is continuing with break.

Lawn 10: Soo asking for a hoop-hole repair/relief, not sure which. Either way it looks like his Red is 1ft SE of H4, wanting to take off to Dumergue's Blue ball in C4.

Lawn 8: R. Fletcher still going around on 2nd break.

Lawn 2: Rothman misses 2y gentle short at partner at 2back. Wilson leaps down the stars with gusto (gravity assisted), and has a lift into baulk with his H5 ball. Rothman's balls are Blue: 1y out of C1, Black: 3ft NE of H1, and Yellow is 3y NW of H4. Should be easy to get back into his break from here, though not sure how confident he will be re. setting up for a delayed TP... We'll see.

Lawn 2: Edward gets going, but fails H6. Rothman back in with his 2back ball.

Lawn 8: R. Fletcher has been lining up his penult peel for about 5 min. It is now 10in straight in front. Must be trying to get more time on the lawn today... Gets the peel and should be good for Rover.

I'm now off to do other things. So please see Chris Clarke's commentary for updates on the USA-AUS games for the interim. I'll be back on this feed later.