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Match Reports 2004
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Daniel Mills at the 2004 Millennium Cup (video)
Bath win Promotion to Parkstone Trophy
The Advanced Croquet team of Roger Hayes (captain), Daniel Mills, Peter Hanley, David Ruscombe-King, Eugene Chang and David Hutt won 3 matches out of 4 in the 2004 season and finished 2nd in the Qualifying League.
The team have won promotion to the Parkstone Trophy for the 2005 season as the team finishing top of the Qualifer, Cheltenham's 2nd team, have declined promotion.
October 2004
B League Final Success
Congratulations to Bath Croquet Club’s B League Team of Peter Powell (captain), Timothy Cantell, Leonie Wilkinson and Richard Norris who won an exciting and close final against Budeigh Salterton by 4 matches to 3. The final of this season long event took place last weekend on neutral territory at Bristol Croquet Club.
Cantell and Norris who have both only been playing croquet for 2 years teamed up effectively to win their doubles match, but the more experienced Powell and Wilkinson faired less well in their singles games leaving Bath trailing by 2 matches to 1 at lunchtime. In an exciting finale the Bath team dug deep to win 3 out of 4 afternoon singles matches and take the tie by 4 matches to 3.
In order to reach the final the Bath team which also included Irene King, defeated Wells, Kington Langley and Nailsea during the course of the season and beat Welsh side Dyffryn 5-2 in the semi-finals.
September 2004
Mills returns to form at Sidmouth
Daniel Mills enjoyed a successful 3 day end of season tournament at Sidmouth in mid-September 2004.
Mills recorded some impressive wins, and was the only player to defeat eventual tournament winner Brian Fisk. He finished as joint runner up with 6 wins out of 8 from a field of 16 players.
September 2004
Golf Croquet win over Lansdown
Bath Croquet Club’s Golf Croquet team of Peter Whitfield (captain), Sue Harris, Letitia Millington, Anne Sawers, Betty Stone and Ralph Woodman played Lansdown Croquet Club in a friendly match away from home on 9th September 2004. The Bath team recorded a comprehensive victory by 10 games to 2 in a contest played under handicap rules which included doubles and singles matches.
September 2004
Chang shows his form at Budleigh
Bath Croquet Club’s rising star Eugene Chang won the Longman Cup at Budleigh Salterton in August 2004, playing superbly in the final to defeat Nigel Betts (handicap 3) by 26 points to 4. It capped a marvellous season for Chang who also won tournaments at Cheltenham and Eastbourne, as well as completing his first tournament Triple Peel. His handicap has reduced from 9 to 3.5 since the start of the season and he is now ranked 252 in the UK.
Full August Budleigh Salterton Week report follows:-
Over 40 players enjoyed one of the hottest and sunniest weeks of the summer down in Devon for this annual festival of croquet. The tournament was expertly managed by Mike Town (now in his 3rd year of running this event) and all the players were given schedules of match times and lawns well in advance – so there could be no excuses for being late or not knowing which lawn you should be on! Time for all games was kept efficiently by Mr Brian Fisk – and heralded by the piercing sound of a hooter! This caused much amusement – so much so that Jonathon Toye wrote a tournament poem, which was beautifully performed on the closing night 'pirates and chips' evening. The lawns played relatively well – the only gripe heard on a regular basis was that the lawns were too slow. Many players leaving Budleigh with sore wrists will hope that the lawns will be cut a little shorter for next year’s tournament!
In the handicap singles each player played 5 block games and from these results 8 quarter finalists were determined. In the semi-finals Brian Shorney won a closely fought game with David Harrison-Wood after Harrison-Wood pegged out two balls. Shorney proved his one-ball skills to set up an intriguing final against Kington Langley team mate Jane Hull. In the final Hull showed great determination to come out on top and also earn herself a handicap reduction to 10.
In the class competitions Jack Thompson came out on top against the more experienced Michael Hamilton in the D class final. Jonathon Toye took the C class against local player Robert Scadden. Eugene Chang from Bath played extremely well in the B class final to defeat Nigel Betts by 22 points. Chang also earned a handicap reduction from 5 to 4. The A class final produced a fascinating contest between David Harrison-Wood and Peter Nash. Nash took the 1st game and was most of the way through a perfectly executed triple peel in the 2nd only to fail to run 4 back far enough through the hoop. He shot for his pioneer at penult but missed. Harrison-Wood took his chance and won the contest with a superb triple peel in the 3rd game, only beginning it after running hoop 6.
The club held a tournament dinner on Wednesday evening, and as always the members made the guests feel extremely welcome throughout the week. Jonathon Toye persuaded a number of people to join him for “human croquet” after the dinner – and this proved to be great entertainment! (should any readers require a copy of the rules please contact Jonathon directly!)
August 2004
Early Season Fun at Budleigh
16 players with handicaps ranging from 2 to 8 enjoyed an excellent 3 day B Level Advanced tournament at Budleigh Salterton over a rather cold, but dry Bank Holiday weekend. Infact we did get a good helping of sun on Sunday afternoon and the shorts did come out for a brief period! The tournament was played in excellent spirit and expertly managed by Cliff Jones. All players should note that the Budleigh Salterton lawns are now in excellent condition and were playing superbly. The club should be congratulated on their hard work over the past 2 years.
Three players in particular showed excellent form throughout the tournament and it was no surprise when after 3 days of competition they were locked in a tie for 1st place. The 3 players in question, Richard (son of Dick or perhaps little Dick) Dickson, David (I wish I could play like my brother) Trimmer and Christopher (I think I’m playing better now) Crowcroft could not even be separated by who beat whom. Manager Cliff Jones devised a play off where each player had one ball and the winner would be the 1st to make 12 hoops and hit the peg. Sounds simple? – well a turn ended after a break of 3 hoops was achieved, and each player had the option of a lift at the start of every turn. It made for an interesting spectacle and lasted for about an hour, with Chris Crowcroft of Winchester finally coming out on top. This certainly seems to be a fairer way of resolving a tied tournament than the more traditional shoot out at the peg.
Richard Dickson from Hamptworth, with a handicap of 3 won a special award for triple peels. He achieved 2 during the tournament and nearly a straight triple against Tony (the next new mallet will work even better) Bower. However Bower was sharp eyed and spotted that Dickson roqueted a ball twice after he’d peeled rover from what appeared to be a seemingly impossible angle.
In addition Rodney (never mind the croquet, lets go and eat) Parkins organised an excellent pub meal on Sunday evening for 8 players in nearby Otterton.
Report by Daniel (I play fast sometimes) Mills
5th May 2004
Louise sweeps all before her again
Louise Bradforth won the Southwick Advanced weekend tournament of 17/18th April against a strong field to continue her impressive recent form.
In the final she overcame the less experienced Chris Daniels by 2 matches to 0, and her handicap has now reduced to -1. In winning the tournament she won 6 matches in a row, and looks likely to become the highest ranked female player in the UK when the new rankings are published shortly.
April 2004
Chang wins in Eastbourne
Eugene Chang enjoyed a very successful 1st trip to Compton Croquet Club in Eastbourne.
He played in the Spring Handicap Weekend at the end of April 2004 and came out on top with 4 wins out of 5 from a field of 16 players.
April 2004
Ruscombe-King shows impressive form
David Ruscombe-King showed impressive early season form in the 4 day Cheltenham B level tournament. He won 7 games out of 10 and was the prize winner in his section.
April 2004
Bradforth wins in South Africa
Louise Bradforth enjoyed a highly successful week of croquet in South Africa while also celebrating her birthday. She won the Western Province Open Championship played in Cape Town, beating local Judith Hanekom in the final - the first time it had been between two women.
She also won the Open Doubles Championship with partner Dave Kibble of Bristol Croquet Club. In addition Louise reached the final of the handicap tournament but lost to Dave Mundy of Medway Croquet Club in Kent.
March 2004
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