VCA AC Open Singles
Vic Open Final (RF v SH) by Edward Wilson
Commentary of final between robert and simon, court 2 at cairn lea with plenty of sun and an easing 20 knot northerly. Good conditions for croquet. The court is playing fiarly multi paced and will add some fun with the help of wind and hills, some areas playing >11 and some <10.
02 Jan 2023 12:44PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Robert wins toss playing with B/K, K to position 8y N of C4 and 1Y off the EB
02 Jan 2023 12:45PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
simon plays Y to very short duffers tice, 1y N of H6
02 Jan 2023 12:46PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Rob shoots at K from A baulk with B and misses by nothing (hill involved)
02 Jan 2023 12:47PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Simon misses 8 yarder at partner from end of B baulk onto south boundary
02 Jan 2023 12:49PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Result of Robert's opening was a rush straight to R on mid SB, rush is good, should have a fairly straightforward break from here
02 Jan 2023 12:51PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Robert through a 20 degree 8 inch hoop 1
02 Jan 2023 12:52PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Through H2, break under full control
02 Jan 2023 12:53PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Through H4, will check back in with any interest or a leave
02 Jan 2023 12:57PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
Robert came through 4b hampered, turned out to be a jam on the hoop stroke and was able to replay the shot
02 Jan 2023 1:20PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Sets OSL
02 Jan 2023 1:20PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Simon lifts ball near WB and shoots at B & K from A baulk, misses
02 Jan 2023 1:20PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Robert through h3 and has first peel complete
02 Jan 2023 1:30PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Robert through h6, 2.5y 20 degree peel attempt coming
02 Jan 2023 1:38PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
for 3b still no peel
lining up for death roll going to 3b, maybe
02 Jan 2023 1:45PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
nope, elects for the takeoff
02 Jan 2023 1:45PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
peels before 4b all tight
02 Jan 2023 1:49PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
angled rover irish peel sails through
02 Jan 2023 1:57PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
rob finishes game one +26tp 7th turn
02 Jan 2023 1:59PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
GAME 2
02 Jan 2023 2:08PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
Same colours as last game
02 Jan 2023 2:08PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
Simon plays Y to just out of C2 1st turn
02 Jan 2023 2:09PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Robert floats B to 2y NW of C4
02 Jan 2023 2:10PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Simon shoots at B, misses into C4
02 Jan 2023 2:10PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
...or just N of
02 Jan 2023 2:11PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Robert shoots, hits partner
02 Jan 2023 2:13PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
has a roll at h1 from c4
02 Jan 2023 2:13PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
has 2y angled hoop, eying off all options
02 Jan 2023 2:14PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
retreats to partner
02 Jan 2023 2:16PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
simon hits balls on the eb from behind 1, good shot
02 Jan 2023 2:17PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
simon for h4 with no pioneer, although has dug it out well, one more hoop and should be a laid court
02 Jan 2023 2:24PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
still loose at 5 and runs it long to hit h6 pioneer
02 Jan 2023 2:29PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
does well to re-gather balls and has hoops loaded and a rush south, should finish the turn now
02 Jan 2023 2:30PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Simon finishes with an OSL effectively the same as roberts
02 Jan 2023 2:37PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
robert shooting at what may b3 a decent target from B baulk
02 Jan 2023 2:39PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Somehow misses all three balls, all by sweet nothing
02 Jan 2023 2:39PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
simon has a 25 degree h1
02 Jan 2023 2:42PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
runs it with control off both wires
02 Jan 2023 2:42PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
overcuts and as a result underhits the rush back to the ball out of C4 by 60%, will have a bit of work to gather this break again
02 Jan 2023 2:43PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
plays a gutsy croquet stroke loading h4 and getting behind the ball near C4, probably the worst corner on the venue for this shot, nails it
02 Jan 2023 2:44PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
has a peg high roll sensing a ball to three going to partner 5y S of h2, overrolls it and has another tricky one
02 Jan 2023 2:45PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
gets infront and runs the hoops, has a cutrush to h3 for the standard tp
02 Jan 2023 2:45PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
doesnt get enough cut on it, rolls to peeling position but not ideal, couple of good shots here and it will be tidy but wont be a standard
02 Jan 2023 2:47PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
attempts a speculative peel and completely misses the hoop, all under control otherwise
02 Jan 2023 2:48PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
setting up for 4b peel going to 6, all good here
02 Jan 2023 2:51PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
Gets the rush out of 5, thats a big help
02 Jan 2023 2:53PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
first peel completed by 6 inches and holds the rush to 6
02 Jan 2023 2:53PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
wicks off the wire to 1 foot infront and is in good control
02 Jan 2023 2:54PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
collides with partner on the takeoff back, may not be able to get it anywhere near 2b... although this is court 2 and anything can happen
02 Jan 2023 2:55PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
sure enough
02 Jan 2023 2:55PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
ball swings 5 yards to be perfectly loaded at 2b, generates a smile from robert who said it started on the line of h5
02 Jan 2023 2:56PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
I completely missed how but simon ended up with a very deep 3b pioneer and a 3y dribbler at partner 2b load, misses it
02 Jan 2023 2:58PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
robert approaching 1, break already under perfect control
02 Jan 2023 3:00PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
that being said it was a trivial pickup
02 Jan 2023 3:01PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
I'll hang around to see if robert looks for a double peel out
02 Jan 2023 3:04PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
but currently looks like a ball to 4b
02 Jan 2023 3:04PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
nope, may be looking at the peel
02 Jan 2023 3:04PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
again, hes just playing with the spectators here, rushed it to good peeling position infront of pen after h3, but sends it down as his h5 pioneer, so either completely missed the hoop or just joshing
02 Jan 2023 3:06PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
current clippage robert (b/k) - 1 & 5 Simon (R/Y) 2b & pen
02 Jan 2023 3:08PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
looks like an NSL with Simons 2b ball a few yards off the wb level with 6
02 Jan 2023 3:13PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
robert sticks in 2b from nowhere, calls ref out for a look at a jam
02 Jan 2023 3:14PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
not a jam, Si with another chance to finish game 2
02 Jan 2023 3:17PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
snicks the first shot, aggressively sends a ball up towards pen/4b, could he look at peeling before 3b? otherwise partner will be his 3b load
02 Jan 2023 3:20PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
....and it is
02 Jan 2023 3:20PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
A couple of showers have just passed through, moisture on the lawn could make this turn a little easier with a couple of traditionally skatey hoops to navigate
02 Jan 2023 3:22PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
doesnt get a rush out of 3b, rolls partner toi 4.5y NW of pen, s=has some work to do to get this turn finished
02 Jan 2023 3:24PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
hes got a 40 degree straight pen if hes feeling lucky
02 Jan 2023 3:25PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
clearly not feeling THAT lucky, turns it doen
02 Jan 2023 3:26PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
still has work to get a leave here let alone make rover, with some decent distance between them, one ball s of pen but not even peg high
02 Jan 2023 3:27PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
does "okay" and is approaching rover from 3y straight
02 Jan 2023 3:27PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
Runs it off the south boundary and has a 2y rush to get himself a decent leave, should be on for a fairly tidy dsl, simon has done quite well
02 Jan 2023 3:29PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
has a good looking dsl from here but i cant make a call on the quality of the wire, id be happy
02 Jan 2023 3:30PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
rob 1 & 2b vs Si Peg & Pen
02 Jan 2023 3:31PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
robert hits with his hoop 1 ball
Could be on for som afternoon entertainment with a pentuple attempt on the way
02 Jan 2023 3:34PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
robert is through 1 and able to have a crack at the 2b peel going to the ball still on the eb
02 Jan 2023 3:37PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
doesnt like his angle turns down the peel
02 Jan 2023 3:37PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
leaves peelee at 2b, suggesting it is definitely intended as a peelee, may be looking to just get an ontime sxp style turn going
02 Jan 2023 3:38PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
is putting what would be a h3 load down to 2b, peel going to h3? aggressive as its not a boundary hoop, very easy to loose control if your rush on the escape ball is dodgy
02 Jan 2023 3:39PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
after lining it up for 2 mins turns it down and is playing it as a genuine h3 pioneer... sensible
02 Jan 2023 3:40PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
somewhat tidy around 2b, will be taking off to his h3 pioneer which is 4y w of h2, tricky position on a tricky lawn
02 Jan 2023 3:42PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
gives himself a 3 yard rush in the right direction
02 Jan 2023 3:42PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
good shot and under genuine control for the first time this turn, we could be on here...
02 Jan 2023 3:43PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
centreballs the rush after h3 and missess peelee by nothing to clatter into the hoop and give himself a good position... cracking use of the world number 1 card by robert there
02 Jan 2023 3:44PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
jawses 2b on the way to 4
02 Jan 2023 3:46PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
has a rough hill at 4 and gives himself a 30 degree hoop....
02 Jan 2023 3:47PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
fails!
02 Jan 2023 3:47PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
simon has an option of a 7 yarder at a ball in a hoop of a 7 yarder at a ball not in a hoop for game 2
02 Jan 2023 3:47PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
chooses the 7 yarder in the hoop....
02 Jan 2023 3:48PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
hits
02 Jan 2023 3:48PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
the ball is now back in a hoop with simons takeoff and has no value out of it... poetic
02 Jan 2023 3:49PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
that was sarcasm, simon has gained a rush and has the lawn set to finish his next two hoops and the game
02 Jan 2023 3:50PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
simon finishes, taking it to a deciding third
02 Jan 2023 3:56PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
GAME 3
02 Jan 2023 3:56PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
robert has the toss, and the beauty of this is if they dont finish within an hour and a half ill be on my way to the airport, meaning i will be on as much of a cliff hanger as anyone reading (cannot imagine there's many of you, but if you are reading thank you... and also why?)
02 Jan 2023 3:58PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
robert level with h4 2y off eb
02 Jan 2023 4:06PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
simon to c2
02 Jan 2023 4:06PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
robert runs off the boundary giving himself a rush to C2
02 Jan 2023 4:07PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
simon shooting at roberts eb ball
02 Jan 2023 4:07PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
misses
02 Jan 2023 4:07PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
roberts through h1, gets a rush back to the ball east, gets a rush on that to c2, doesnt have a canon, looks like simons ball was out by 6 inches
02 Jan 2023 4:13PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
roberts still digging, rolled to h3 from 13y south, fails the hoop
02 Jan 2023 4:18PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
simon retreats to c1 with the ball near h4
02 Jan 2023 4:20PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
robert shoots back at partner in the front of h3 with his hoop 1 ball, hits
02 Jan 2023 4:22PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
has a little bit of work to get in front of 1 but if he does the lawn will be fully loaded
02 Jan 2023 4:23PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
30 degree 1 yard hoop 1....
02 Jan 2023 4:26PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
does a mulliner press up to check that its definitely a hoop
02 Jan 2023 4:26PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
and runs it
02 Jan 2023 4:27PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
has to hit his h2 load but has all balls in the lawn and should ba able to gather up a break fairly quickly
02 Jan 2023 4:27PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
up to h2 with full control
02 Jan 2023 4:29PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
doesnt go for the dectuple... better ask him why in the post match interview
02 Jan 2023 4:31PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
roberts got a headful of steam, racing along to h5
02 Jan 2023 4:35PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
NSL inbound
02 Jan 2023 4:39PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
had trouble at 2b last game, will he this game?
02 Jan 2023 4:39PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
through, shocker
02 Jan 2023 4:40PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
roberts sets an OSL, thats all three 4 back leaves made in this game being OSLs
02 Jan 2023 4:42PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
game... Match i should say
02 Jan 2023 4:42PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
simon hits, has a ball already at 2, break should be straightforward after getting to 1
02 Jan 2023 4:48PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
has a 2y backward takeoff to 1
02 Jan 2023 4:49PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
gives himself a 5 foot straight h1
02 Jan 2023 4:49PM (Tournament); 25 Readers
runs it off the north boundary without clipping either ball
02 Jan 2023 4:50PM (Tournament); 25 Readers
9 y return
02 Jan 2023 4:50PM (Tournament); 25 Readers
nails it up to SB
02 Jan 2023 4:51PM (Tournament); 25 Readers
again, should be fairly straightforward after getting to 2
02 Jan 2023 4:51PM (Tournament); 25 Readers
balls are there for a tpo as well, would be a big bold move to have a crack
02 Jan 2023 4:52PM (Tournament); 26 Readers
rush to 2 is pointing at the peg from just behind 1, will be a good cut
02 Jan 2023 4:53PM (Tournament); 26 Readers
and its not, lands between 2 and 3
02 Jan 2023 4:53PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
not a bad roll to h2 though...
02 Jan 2023 4:54PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
runs the 4 foot angled hoop and clips partner to give a break
02 Jan 2023 4:54PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
runs angled hoop 3 off the south boundary, at least his h3 pioneer was 7y too deep and he has a tap on return
02 Jan 2023 4:56PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
my apologies, 5y tap on, got a nasty wick out of the hoop
02 Jan 2023 4:57PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
hits it
02 Jan 2023 4:57PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
up to 6 still scraping around a little bit
02 Jan 2023 5:02PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
good control to 2b, will we see another osl?
02 Jan 2023 5:05PM (Tournament); 26 Readers
reverse osl it is!
02 Jan 2023 5:09PM (Tournament); 28 Readers
I guess we can call it a defensive spread since roberts for h3 with blue
02 Jan 2023 5:09PM (Tournament); 27 Readers
unfortunately simon has the balls the wrong way round, so robert can shoot with b at anything to potentially have a break, where simon doesnt get much gain if he does
02 Jan 2023 5:10PM (Tournament); 25 Readers
especially not now that simon has rolled his balls out 6 yards away from each other
02 Jan 2023 5:11PM (Tournament); 27 Readers
robert picks up blue and is shooting from b baulk at simons forward ball
02 Jan 2023 5:12PM (Tournament); 26 Readers
misses
02 Jan 2023 5:12PM (Tournament); 25 Readers
simon resets, still gives robert a decent chance to finish from a hit
02 Jan 2023 5:17PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
misses
02 Jan 2023 5:18PM (Tournament); 29 Readers
simon runs hoop 1 long and has a tricky return
02 Jan 2023 5:24PM (Tournament); 26 Readers
hits it and has work to do
02 Jan 2023 5:24PM (Tournament); 26 Readers
almost croquets out on the eb, holds for a rush and will likely be able to dig this out sooner then expected
02 Jan 2023 5:26PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
through hoop 2 and has all the balls
02 Jan 2023 5:26PM (Tournament); 25 Readers
looks like im signing off while simon is having a crack hoop 3
02 Jan 2023 5:28PM (Tournament); 26 Readers
ends up very unlucky after h3 hitting partner into escape ball, but may have a midcourt cannon
02 Jan 2023 5:29PM (Tournament); 26 Readers
he does!
02 Jan 2023 5:29PM (Tournament); 26 Readers
callums 4 ball cannon earlier now simon with a midcourt cannon, what a day of cannons
02 Jan 2023 5:30PM (Tournament); 27 Readers
gets the peel and this should be straightforward from here
02 Jan 2023 5:30PM (Tournament); 27 Readers
attached below is the link to kevin beards commentary
02 Jan 2023 5:30PM (Tournament); 26 Readers
have a good one Yew!
02 Jan 2023 5:30PM (Tournament); 26 Readers
https://croquetscores.com/2022/ac/vca-open-singles/commentaries/23555
02 Jan 2023 5:31PM (Tournament); 28 Readers
At 08 Oct 2025 12:32AM (Tournament) there are 2 people reading commentaries.