| NEW ZEALAND
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, January 13 - 21 |
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Following on from his
success in the South Island
Championship, Ian Lines has been competing in the
NZ Open Championship. He was joined by former Bowdon
club members Jenny Williams and Chris Clarke. Ian again teamed up with
last year's partner Jane McIntyre of Canterbury in the doubles while
Jenny played
with
Chris. There
were 23 pairs competing in 3
blocks and Ian and his partner
played in Block C. The top 2 pairs in each block qualified for the
knockout
stage along with the 2 best third-placed pairs. Unfortunately, Ian &
Jane were beaten in the Quarter-Final while Jenny & Chris went on
to win the Final.
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| We've sent our very own
on-the-spot reporter, John "I tell it as I see it" Larmouth, to
Wellington and he has sent back his report on Ian's last match in the
main event: Ian
Lines v Paddy Chapman (19 years old, and seriously good!). Best of 3
matches. Ian played White and Pink, Paddy Brown and Green throughout. First match =========== (A bit boring - Paddy made almost no mistakes, and Ian had only one chance - a long hit-in on Pink from B-baulk - see below). Paddy played Brown from A-baulk to the East boundary, about level with hoop 4. Ian played Pink from A-baulk to the East boundary, a little North of Corner 4. Paddy played Green from A-baulk, hit Pink. Sent Pink to just a little SE of Peg, and got a perfect rush from within the yard-line on Brown to Hoop 1. Green ran Hoop 1 to get a rush on Brown to near Hoop 5, then stopped it up to Hoop 3, getting a rush on Pink to Hoop 2, and did a perfect 3-ball break through Hoops 3, 4, 5, 1-back, 2-back, and 3-back then taking a leave. The leave was interesting. Green was on the West boundary about level with Hoop 6, Pink was about a yard to the SE of Green, and Brown was about a yard to the SE of Brown. Ian played White from B-baulk and missed Pink by about an inch, ending up on the West yard-line about level with the peg. It was then pretty well game over. Brown cut Pink to Hoop 2, took off to White, rushed White to just West of Peg, took off and rushed Green to White stop-shot of White to just West of Peg with a perfect rush on White. Ran Hoop 1 off White, sent it to Hoop 3 with a perfect rush on Brown to Hoop 3, ran Hoop 2 with balls ready for the start of a triple. The only glitch was a failed attempt to Peel Green through Rover after 1-back, but peeled it through Rover after 2-back. After that it was routine and boring! Second match ============ (Much more exciting, with Paddy not playing quite so perfectly) Ian played White from A-baulk to the East boundary about level with the Peg. Paddy played Brown from B-baulk and missed White, ending up in Corner 4. Ian played Pink from A-baulk and missed Brown, leaving Brown and Pink as touching corner balls. Paddy played Green from A-baulk and hit Pink. Perfect rush on Brown to Hoop 1, leaving Pink about 1 yard North of Corner 4. Ran Hoop 1 off Brown and tried to rush it to Pink, but Brown hits Hoop 4 and stops close to the hoop. DISASTER! Thereafter shots get difficult for Paddy. A long take-off to Pink, but does not get a good rush on it. Rushes Pink half-way to White, puts Pink to Hoop 3 but does not get a bood rush on White to Hoop 2. Rushes White to the North boundary level with Hoop 3. Rolls Green and White to Hoop 2, leaving a 2/3 yard shot at Hoop 2, but more or less straight. Green runs Hoop 2 - Paddy is almost back in control. (Brown is still close to Hoop 4, and he sends White as to near Hoop 5 (deliberately or accidentally - can't be sure! - wiring White from Brown with Hoop 5), going across to Pink at Hoop 3, but does not get a rush on Pink. Takes off and tries to run Hoop 3. But Paddy CLUNKS Hoop 3, bouncing off it. And this is where bad luck for Ian comes in! The position Green bounced to leaves it wired from Pink. And, as noted above, accidentally or otherwise, White is wired from Brown. So Ian has to take a long shot with Pink from near Hoop 3 to White near Hoop 5 and misses, going off South Boundary just a bit West if the Hoop 5 - Hoop 6 line. Brown is still wired from White, but Paddy plays Brown with a fairly short shot to Pink and hits. Does an immense pass roll up the length of the lawn, sending Pink to one yard West of Hoop 2 and Brown towards Green. But Brown ROLLS OFF THE LAWN, and is on the North boundary NW of Green (which is still about 1 yard NW of Hoop 3). Ian plays pink from near Hoop 2 and misses Green by about an inch, going off the East boundary about level with Hoop 3. Paddy plays Green onto Pink and runs Hoop 3. Gets a rush on White (NE of Hoop 5) to Hoop 4, but DISASTER again - White hits hoop 5. But Paddy recovers with a good roll to Hoop 4, and runs Hoops 4, 5, 6, 1-back, 2-back, 3-back, and takes his leave. He has left White on the East leg of Hoop 4, Pink on the West boundary about level with Hoop 6, and with Brown and Green near to White (but White is hampered by the hoop and cannot hit either) and with Brown set up with a rush to Pink. Ian lifts White to B-baulk and misses Brown by about an inch, ending up in Corner 4. Paddy plays Brown, leaves White in Corner 4, and rushes Brown to Pink, getting a rush on Pink to Hoop 1. Runs Hoop 1, and has a 3-ball break set-up, sending Pink to Hoop 3 and Green to Brown. But Paddy CLUNKS Hoop 2, leaving Green just not quite within the jaws, but straight on to Hoop 2. We have Brown almost in the jaws of Hoop 2 (South of it), Green a yard or so North of Hoop 2, Pink about a yard North of Hoop 3, and White still in Corner 4. Ian plays Pink and hits Green. Leaves Green at Hoop 2, getting a perfect rush through the hoop(!) on Brown down to Hoop 1. Runs Hoops 1, 2 and 3 with a 3-ball break, digs White out of Corner 4 after Hoop 3, runs Hoops 4, 5, 6, 1-Back, 2-Back, and 3-back and takes a leave. The leave is a diagonal spread on the Peg, with Brown SE and close to the Peg, and Green about due South of Hoop 2 and due West of a position half-way between Hoop 6 and the Peg. White and pink are in the same line, on the East boundary, with White having a rush on the line to Brown and Green. Paddy lifts Brown to A-baulk and hits White. Tries to set-up a triple peel by sending White to Hoop 3 and running Hoop 2 off Green, but does not get a rush on Green to Hoop 3, so cannot get it into peeling position for 4-back. Brown runs Hoops 3 and 4, getting Green into a peeling position for 4-back, peels Green through 4-back, and runs Hoop 6 and 1-back and 2-back, but does not get a rush on White to provide an escape ball for a Penult Peel, so runs 3-back and attempts the Penult Peel, but Green sticks in the jaws half-way through. So Brown runs 4-back. Now with both balls on Penult. A gentle shot to roquet green (in the jaws of Penult) is followed by a stop-shot sending Green to Rover and Brown through Penult. Brown peels Green through rover, runs rover in the continuation shot getting a rushing position on Green to the Peg, and it is game over. GAME AND MATCH OVER. Paddy Chapman goes through into the Quarter Finals of the New Zealand Open Championships. John L PS I want to thank Bowdon Croquet Club for funding my trip to New Zealand to do this report - I am going off sight-seeing now! |
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We have also received the latest report from own very own Bowdon roving reporter and his assistant Cub Reporter, with apologies for being a week late, but work got in the way! 1 Finalists of main tournamentChris Clarke (ex-Bowdon) and AJ Reid (called simply "AJ") Best of five 2 First finals gameChris plays first with Yellow and Red Chris gets an early innings when AJ misses in turn 4 and runs Yellow without difficulty through Hoops 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1B, 2B, and 3B, and takes a leave. Leave is Blue almost touching and to the NE of the E leg of Hoop 4, Black near the W boundary on the line half-way between Hoops 2 and 6, and Red and Yellow NE of Hoop 3 with a Rush on Yellow to Black, about 2 feet apart, Red on the boundary. AJ lifts Blue, plays from B-baulk and goes through the middle of Red and Yellow, ending up on the South boundary near Corner 4. Chris rushes Yellow off
by Black (near Hoop
2), rushes Black to Hoop 1 leaving Yellow by Hoop 2. Chris runs red through Hoops 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 before getting a peeling position on 4B. 2 yard distance and 45 degree angle. Peel fails, but Yellow is in a good position to be peeled on the next occasion. Red escapes and Peels Yellow through 4B, the runs 1B, 2B, in position for a 2 yard not-angled peel through penult. Peel succeds (just!) Red runs 3B, 4B and Penult, Peels Yellow through Rover, leaving Red in the jaws. Runs Rover in the continuation stroke, uses a couple of balls to get a rush on Y to Peg, and pegs-out. A relatively boring game! 3 Second finals gameA much more exciting game. Chris played Red and Yellow, AJ went first. AJ played Black from A-baulk to 2 yards South of the Peg. Chris played Red to Corner 4. AJ played Blue from A-baulk and hits Black Sends Black so that it hits Hoop 2 (deliberately?) and stops and Blue goes on to a rushing position on Red. Rushes Red to 2 yards N of H1, and takes off for the hoop. Blue runs Hoop 1 (just!), giving AJ a three-ball break. Blue runs Hoops 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1B, 2B, and 3B with all three balls around 3B ready for a good leave. AJ (playing with Blue, partner Black) coming out of 3B very carefully places BLACK in a perfect wired position NE and almost touching the leg of Hoop 4 and rushes red off E bdy. He did not swear, he just broke into very loud and uncontrolled laughter! (He should have put RED on the leg, and rushed Black to set up the final stage of the leave.) Recovering from laughter at himself, AJ has a long thought on what to do now, and ends up putting red SE of the Peg mid-way between the line joining Hoop 5 and Peg and Blue on the E bdy a little South of Black. So we now have Red, Yellow and Black clips on Hoop 1 and Blue clip on 4B. Chris shoots with Yellow at Red from A-baulk and hits, knocking it to near hoop 3. Yellow leaves Red at Hoop 3 and takes-off to Blue. Sends Blue to Hoop 2 (but it grazes the Peg and and stops short). But Yellow gets the rush on Black to about 2 yards north of Hoop 1. Runs Hoop 1 leaving Black there and taking off for a rush on Red to a better position for Hoop 3 and takes off to get a rush on Blue to Hoop 3, and takes off for a rush on Blue to Hoop 2. Runs Hoop 2, puts Blue to Hoop 4 getting a rush on Black into a peeling position on Hoop 1, taking off for Red at H3. Runs Hoop 3, puts Red to just South of Peg and goes to Black. Tries to peel Black, but fails, Black bouncing back. Goes via Red to Blue at Hoop 4. Runs Hoop 4 but is hampered, referee called, but clean and hits. Puts Blue to 1B and goes to Black at Hoop 1 and again attempts to Peel it with a 45 degree angle from one foot. The Peel fails again, with Black now level with H1 slightly to the East, and Yellow going to Red that is between the Peg and Hoop 5. Does not get a rush on Red and takes off for Hoop 5. Ends up short, with Yellow level with Hoop 5. Long think! Does a hard canon on Red, but Red hits the peg and stops and Yellow goes off the East boundary near Hoop 3. We now have Black near and level with Hoop 1, Red between the peg and Hoop 5, Blue near Hoop 2, and Yellow on the East boundary level with Hoop 3. The clips are: Blue on 4B, Black and Red on Hoop 1, Yellow on Hoop 5. AJ plays Black hard at Red and MISSES, going off the N boundary. CC plays Red at Black and MISSES, ending up a foot to the East on the N boundary. Yellow is still on the E bdy near Hoop 3, Blue is near 1B, and Red and Black are together on the N bdy. AJ plays Black and rushes Red to Yellow. Takes off Red for a rush on Yellow to near Blue at Hoop 2, rushes Blue to Black at Hoop 1. Runs Hoop 1, but over-runs Blue. Pass-roll with Blue to H6 and goes to Red (near Hoop 3), has no rush on Red. Takes off from Red to Yellow at Hoop 2. Runs Hoop 2, rushes Y off the E bdy near Red, then puts Y to H4 and gets rush on Red into the lawn then puts it to Hoop 3 getting a rush on Blue to Hoop 3. Red is about 1 foot directly South of Hoop 3. Rushes Blue. Panic! Has taken Red and Yellow, and now has to take croquet off Blue. BUT BLUE HAS GONE DIRECTLY SOUTH OF HOOP 3, between Red and the Hoop. We have all three balls in line to the South of Hoop 3. Blue is just clear of the jaws, ready to be peeled, but when Black is placed touching Blue for the croquet stroke, Red is about 2" due south of the south-most tip of black! Calls the Referee. Lots of careful marking. Takes the croquet stroke (it is clean), and Blue is peeled through 4B, but because he was so hampered, Black ends up centrally in the jaws. We have Black in the jaws, Blue to the North and Red to the South, with about a balls width between them in each case. Does a scatter shot with Blue onto Black. We now have Red in front of Hoop 4, Black in Corner 3, and Red on the N boundary about level with the Peg. Yellow is still near Hoop 4. Clips are Blue on Penult, Black on Hoop 3, Red on Hoop 1, Yellow on Hoop 5. Chris plays Red and hits Black. Sends Black to Hoop 2 going to Blue. Takes off Blue to Yellow and rushes Yellow to Hoop 1, and takes position for the Hoop. Has an angled shot and CLUNKS. We have Blue on N bdy near Hoop 4, Black near Hoop 2, Yellow near West bdy level with Hoop 5, and Red level with and slightly E of Hoop 1. Clips unchanged. AJ plays Black and hits Yellow. Sends Y to H5 and gets rush on Red to Blue. Gets rush on Blue to H3. Runs Hoops 3, 4, 5 and has Blue in peeling position on Penult. Peels Blue through Penult with a stop-shot, but Blue hits the Peg and stops 1 yard South of the Peg. Runs Hoop 6, 1B, 2B, Peels Blue through Rover, runs 3B, 4B, rushes Blue to Peg, and pegs out. One game each. 4 Third finals gameChris plays first with Black and Blue. Chris plays Black from A-baulk to E bdy slightly N of Hoop 4. AJ plays Red from B-baulk to Corner 4 Chris plays Blue from A-baulk to E bdy about 1 yard South of Black. AJ plays Yellow from A-baulk hard at Blue and hits on the nose. Pushes Blue slightly into the lawn and gets a rush on Black to Red in C2. Leaves Black on N bdy and gets rush on Red to Hoop 1. Runs Hoop 1 but is HAMPERED and cannot hit Red. Does not try, and simply sends Yellow to West bdy level with Hoop 5. Blue is on E bdy level with Hoop 5, and Black is near Corner 4. Chris plays Black down the bdy and hits Yellow. Sends Y to Hoop 2 and gets a rush on Red. Black runs Hoops 1, 2, 3, picks up Blue and runs Hoops 4, 5, 6, 1B. Leaves Yellow on the leg and to the SW of Hoop 3. Runs Hoops 2B and 3B and takes his leave. All clips are on Hoop 1 except Black on 4B. Blue and Black are near the E bdy about half-way between Hoop 5 and the Peg, with a rush by Blue into the lawn. Red and Yellow are on the pins of Hoops 4 and 2 respectively. AJ lifts Red and plays from A-baulk at Blue and misses by one inch. Chris plays Blue onto Red and gets a rush on Black to Hoop 1. Runs Hoop 1, runs Hoop 3, peels Black through 4B, runs H4, runs Hoop 5, runs Hoop 6, peels Black through Penult, runs 1B, 2B. Attempts to peel Black through Rover, but it ends in the jaws. Runs 3B, completes the Peel of Black, runs 4B, Penult and Rover, gets a rush to peg and pegs out. The score is 2-1 to Chris. 5 Interruption of commentaryAt this stage your roving reporter had other commitments to go to, but he left his Cub Reporter (Jenny Williams) to complete the commentary for him. What follows (and the later information about Ian) is from Jenny. 6 Fourth and fifth gamesAJ plays Red from A-baulk to 2 yards South of Peg. Chris plays Black to NE of Hoop 4. AJ plays Y from B-baulk at Black and hits, getting a 3rd turn break to 4B. AJ went on to win the fourth. Score 2-all. In the last game, Chris won a thriller against AJ with a 5th turn TP. 7 Final result of the NZ Singles OpenChris Clarke beat AJ Reid 3-2. All games were won by the player that played first. 8 Ian Lines v Michael in the finals of the Z tournamentBest of 3. Ian v Michael started with a long and dreadful game that Ian repeatedly declined to win, finally allowing Michael to win. Game 2 was equally rough, but after Michael broke down on a TP, Ian finished in two turns, and then had a very tidy win with another TP in the 3rd game to win the Z tournament. 8 Other Z tournament resultsStephen Mulliner won +26TP, +26TP over Dennis - he'd done this before the first ball was around in the first game of Ian's match. The other match was
the 3/4 playoff
(there was a difference of $100 NZ for 3rd or 4th, which was the only
thing
that got the players going). Paddy was
awful in the first and 9 PostscriptAll good fun and done for another year. Ian and Chris have disappeared to celebrate. Your friendly NZ reporter hopes to see all her friends in Bowdon in the UK summer. JL 25 January 2007 |
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| EASTERN AUSTRALIA
TIME IS CURRENTLY:
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