CROQUET

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 115, 13 February 1928, Page 3

CROQUET

■ DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIPS ’ ENGLAND v. NEW ZEALAND , Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, Febtuary 11. Conditions lor the Test croquet matches between New Zealand and Englund, and tho New Zealand championship tournament, were unpleasant iu Palmerston North to-day a high wind distracting the players’ attention num the game. Dust and leaves blowing across 1 he greens made accurate play very difficult. Nevertheless the matches attracted a great deal of interest, a large number being present throughout the day. New Zealand did well in tho Tests against I heir formidable opponents. Besides the Test games the ordinary schedule i.f . mulches was carried on with. ’ All the English visitors except Miss 1 Steel have left tor tho thermal regions. Tho English team was enlertained at dinner by the New Zealand Croquet Council on Friday night. The toasts honoured were “Tlm King” and “Tho English Visitors.” Speeches were made by Air. J. Murray, president of the New Zealand Croquet Council. .Messrs. A. Ross, K. Caughlcy, Archdeaeon Creed -Meredith, and these were responded to, on behalf of the English visitors, by Sir Fram-is Wemyss and Col. Du Pre. A pleasing incident, was the presentation to each of tho visitors of u memento, in the form of greenstone circle, inounlled in gold, with a fernleaf in tlm centre of the circle. A presentation was also made Io Mi:, and Miss Du Pre ami Archdeacon Creed .Meredith. The guests included Mesdanies Murray. Meredith, Reusing, McKenzie. Horn, Austin, Malkins, Schnauer, Bull, -Messrs. Alurray, Caughley, Archdeacon Meredith, .Ferguson, A. Ross, Colonel Hume. Results of the tournament games were as follow:— LADIES’ CHAMPIONSHIP SINGLES. First Life. First Round.—Mrs. T’illen 26, beat Mrs. McKay 13; Mrs. Spring beat Mrs. Kibblewhito l>.y default. Second Round. —Airs. Bennett 2(>, peat Airs. Selinaeur 25: Mrs. Johnson 26, beat Mrs. 'Watkins 19; Airs. Gambrill 26, beat; Airs. Spring 16; Airs. Rhodes AV'illiams beat: Airs, (,’aldow by default.; Airs. Braban 26, beat Airs. Bartlett. 23; Airs. Horn boat. Airs. Aloeller by default ; Mrs. Petrie beat Airs. Hogan by default.; Mrs. Cout.ts 26. beat Airs. Acheson 21. Third Round—Airs. Coutts 26, beat Airs. Henderson 16; Aliss Hesketh 26, beat Airs. Lower.v 21); Airs. Bennett 26, beat Airs. Boocoek 23. Second Lite. Mrs. Bartlett. 2<t. beat Mrs. AVallingJones 14; Airs. Brabant beat. Airs. Goldsbury by dofauo ; Airs. Selinaeur 26, beat Airs. Boek 10; Airs. Johnson 26, beat Airs. Gardner 19; Airs. YVatkins beat Airs. Laurie by default; Airs. Caldow 26, boat Airs. Moller 7; Airs. Smith 26, beat Airs. Harvey 14. Third Round.—Mrs. Smith ,26, beat Airs. Petrie 12. HANDICAP SINGLES (SENIOR). First: Round. —Air. Robertson beat Colonel Du Pre by default; Airs. Jarvie, 26, beat Mrs. Roberston, 14; Airs. Johnson beat Airs. Aloller by default; Mrs. Murray, 26, beat Mrs. ICoutts, 10; Mrs. McKay, 26, beat Airs. Pitcaithley, 16; Airs. Henderson, 26, beat Airs. Dukes, 14; Airs. Bull, 26, beat Miss Blake, 11; Aliss Hesketh beat Mrs. AlcDowell by default. Third round. —Airs. Horn, 26, beat Airs. Spring, 22; Airs. Boocoek beat All's. Fairbrother by default; Airs. AVatkins, 26, beat Airs. Boocoek, 16; Colonel Savile beat Airs. Henderson by default; Mr. Caughley beat Airs. Aleiklo by default; -s. Jarvie beat Airs. Caldow by default; Mrs. Harvey, 26, beat Airs. Dowling. 14. HANDICAP SINGLES (JUNIOR). Airs. Griffiths, 26, beat Rev. Lsaason, 22; Airs. Jamieson, 26, beat Airs. Gilbert, 24. HANDICAP DOUBLES. Second round.—Archdeacon Creed Aloreditli and Airs. Smith, 26. beat Colonel Du Pre and Aliss Steel, 25; Airs. Honoro and Airs. Jamieson beat Mrs. Bull ; and Airs. Bennett.. Third round.—Colonel Hume and Airs. Gambrill, 26, beat Air. and Airs. Pollock, 12; Airs. Walker and Airs. Alouat boat Airs. Aleiklo and Mrs. Goldsbury; Mrs. Robertson and Airs. Petrie, 24, beat Caughley and Leech, 21; Airs. ITonore and Jamiesson, 14, beat Airs. McKay and Airs. Dowling, 13. Fourth round. —Airs. Honore and Mrs. Jamieson beat: Colonel and Airs. Savile. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP SINGLES. Semi-final.—Colonel Du Pre beat Mrs. Tiffion, 26-15, 26-21. THE TEST MATCHES BOTH CONTESTS LEFT . UNFINISHED Palmerston North, February 11. Tlie Test doubles matches between England and New Zealand were played to-day, but neither was finished. WEMYSS AND AIISS RETAT.LACK MEREDITH AND STRATTON. Sir Francis Wemyss and Miss Retalluek (England) played against .Archdeacon Creed Alereditli (Wanganui) and H. P. Stratton (Hawke's Bay) in the Test doubles New Zealand v. Greigt Britain. . England won tho toss and Miss Rctallack (black) opened by going to tlie north boundary. Archdeacon Meredith made tlie south boundary with red, and Wemyss missed with a drive with the blue ball at red. Stratton hit in, made tlie first hoop off blue, and returned to his partner. Miss Retallack was successfuf in a long shot, at blue, separated the opponents’ balls, scored the first hoop off yellow, picked up blue, made the second hoop, but failed with the rush, leaving the balls well apart Yellow went boundary to red. Sir Francis AVemyss found safety on tho line. Archdeacon Meredith, in taking off from yellow, went boundary. This left AVemyss in, and he laid blue for tho first hoop. Yellow tried a long shot, missed, and Wemyss was in play again. The Englishman did not go far. After making the first: hoop he went to the line, but Stratton failed to hit in, and Sir Francis Wemyss set: out to make a break. Ho got the balls in excellent position and then broke down, but not before Im had wired yellow. Alereditli took I lie next turn wi'fli red, failed, and .Miss Retallack hit in with black'. Failing to get ,

good position to make tbo point sho laid in the mouth of the hoop. Stratton drove black away, and went boundary in attempting to hit red, his partner’s ball. Sir Francis AVelnyss took no chances, and went as far away as possible. Archdeacon Meredith then had the turn, and made six points. Ho only just got through the sixth, and being unable Io hit. a ball, went boundary. Miss Retallack shot: at blue and missed. Yellow was in play, but. failed position. A Jong shot by Sir Francis AA'cmyss was successful.' However, lie baulked at Hm second hoop with yellow close by, but wired. Yellow went for red, hit and then baulked at Hie same hoop as blue. Sir Francis A\ cm.yss had no difficulty in making it, but lie crashed the next. Arelideaeon Meredith failed, as did Miss Retallack, and Stratton missed a comparatively easy shot. Another miss by Miss Retallack and Stratton allowed Sir Francis AVemyss to lay tip io tho hoop for bis partner. Archdeacon Alereditli went to tho boundary, and Miss Retallack. piaving with care, camo down, secured the double, and after making her hoop, separated, and went to her partner. The visitor was soon in again, but. did not make a point. Yellow went to rod. and black tc blue. Yellow took the next turn, separated, made, a good rush, secured file point, and New Zealand was in the lead. Black made a point, red failed Io hit iu and black was off again. .After making tier hoop she laid position tor tier next turn. Stratton missed and. black, by securing a point, was level with red, yellow being a point ahead of blue. The English representative excelled at long shots on a green that was very uneven. The high wind was also detrimental, and sometimes deilected tlie ball from its object. England was now a point iu the lead, through Aliss Rctallack’s instrumentality. She had only three points to make. Ai'ler Arelideaeon Meredith had missed with a long shot Sir Francis AA'cmyss got in, made a poinl, but went boundary on tho take off. There were a number of shots by each player, which did .not advance tlie score. ..Archdeacon Meri'dith made a hoop and Sir Francis Wemyss two. England was now eight points in the lead. The long shots by the Now- Zealand representatives were inaccurate in regard to direction. Sir .Francis Wemyss made, anol tier hoop before Archdeacon Alereditli hit in to lay a break for his partner, who was several hoops behind Sir Francis Wemyss. Stratton stuck in the hoop, Sir Francis AA'emyss missed, and Hie Hawke’s Bay exponent made a point, but failed to go any further. Miss Retallack went Io her. partner on tile line, Stratton made a difficult hoop, separated the opponent’s balls, and made three more points. New Zealand was now a point in advance, Alereditli having helped to make up the leeway by peeling his partner. Sir Francis AVemyss struck a wire in driving. Archdeacon Alereditli got in. but stuck in attempting a. hoop, leaving I>l ack a foot away. Black took (he turn, but as Aliss Retallack was on the penultimate, she contented herself by separating her opponents, and laying position for her partner. A hoop to blue and one to black made the latter a rover, and red was in. Archdeacon Alorcdith laid for his partner, but Sir Francis AVemyss hit in the full length, of the ground, and made a further point. Red and yellow missed in turn, and blue secured another milestone in the journey, io the peg. Yellow had a good opportunity to score, failed badly, and blue laved up to its hoon, made it the next turn, and England was iwo points in tlie lead. New Zealand being 18 points, and England 20. A long shot by Sir Francis AA’emv.ss. who made three more hoops, peeled his partner and both the rovers. Stratton missed the drive, and Aliss Retallack ended Hie game by pegging both balls out. England thus won the game, 26 —18. The match was not concluded, owing to the late hour. CAUGHLEY’ AND ROSS V. DU PRE AND MISS STEEL. R. Caughley and A. Ross (New Zealand) won the toss iu their game with Colonel Du .Uro and Aliss Steel (England). In the first game New Zealand won tho toss and came to No.* 2 corner with black. Blue followed next turn. Aliss Steel played halfway down the lino with yellow from B baulk. Red hit yellow and came to opponents, secured' perfect rush on black, and .made tho first: hoop, left black at the first hoop, and took red and yellow to the, fourth boundary. Caughley played black to the centre of the second boundary. Miss Steel tried the first hoop with red and failed. Ross hit: in a long shot on black, reached the first: hoop, put yellow through, and scored himself. Continuing, Im made a fine break io ten points lor himself ami one for his opponents, lie endeavoured to wire alm opponent’s at tho first: hoop, and was successful. Black weuot to blue. Alias Steel got in, bill, could not. get placement with the balls, and retired to red Black missed them. Bel scored tlm first hoop will, yellow, and Colonel Du I’ro got to the corner, where blue and black were parKed, sent, blue "lit: to the third hoop, with a perfect, roquet, scored, then “went back to mother.” Black missed them. Aliss steel made tho second hoop from a good distance, and sot. out a line break with red, yellow, and blue, and made 10 points, without bringing in black from tho corner. At tho eoneiusioii of the turn, she sent black to red’s uoope. and, laid with red iu tiio corner. Black missed them. Colonel Du Pro .made a nice drive with red. scored a point, then took, by mistake, the yellow instead of Hie red on the roquet. Upon tlie mistake being discovered, tlm balls were exchanged and the turn proceeded. He left blue and black wired, then packed red and yellow on the boundary. Black missed. Reed took the turn, made two hoops, but baulked at the first return. Blue missed. Red made the hoop, got a fine drive on blue, and made four points to the penultimate, but baulked with black near. Caughley played, made the first, hoop, then set out the break, and made six hoops, but missed a short ball and let red in. Colonel Du Pre scored to tho peg wired the opponents, and then laid for yellow. Black missed. Aliss Steel made the rover hoop, then wired from blue. Red pegged out, 26—16.

In the second game Caughley made Hie first hoop at the outset, then missed a short shot, and so let Aliss Steel iu with yellow, but sho went boumlarv when trying to bring blue in io play. Ross played with blue, and also went boundary near red, who laid for yellow s turn. Blue got control, made two points and then failed. Aliss Steel made the first hoop, and laid for the next lum. Blue missed them. A’ellow played, Init under-rolled positiou and laid a drive for her partner. Caughley missed them. Mis*

Steel played yellow, made the second hoop, but missed the opponents. Caugliley took tbo turn, made a point, at.d wired blue aud black from yellow. Red retired to a corner. Black made two more hoops, then crashed. Aliss Steel ■played one of lie perfect roquets across tho lawn, from one . corner to the other, and played a pretty break of 8 points before losing control. Caughley missed them, ami yellow made the point, and laid near for red. Black missed. Caughley got in a long shot, but baulked at the fifth hoop. Red. left him there, but missed yellow', going to tho line. Black made. Hie hoop, but failed to pick up a ball when through. Yellow missed red. Black hopped onto blue, then over the opponents near No. 3 hoop, took yellow to sixth hoop, and baulked with yellow handy. Yellow shot to tho lino near the second hoop, and out to blue, and in tho same shot sent it to near (ho first hoop, and returned to tbo partner’s ball, in the same shot —a. magnificent croquet. 'The Newe Zealandims now showed top form, and Ross peeled his partner through the last two hoops, after making a break of 8 points. Colonel Du Pre missed, and Caughley pegged out, 26—14. The third game of the rubber was abandoned because of tho lato hour. NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT. Palmerston North, February 10. The annual report of tho New Zealand Croquet Council, to be presented, to the annual meeting of that body next week, slates that while it is not tlie desire of the executive to accumulate a large credit, balance, it is wisa that (hero should be a reserve in ease of emergency, and a credit balance ot JIIO7 Bs. 3d. this year places tlm council in a sound financial position. “The visit of the English team,” says the report, “will bo an extra charge on the finances for the coming vear. as the executive has felt bound to entertain the visitors during the North Island and New Zealand championships. “Two new associations have been formed, North Taranaki and Hawke’s Bay. ■V regrettable feature has been tbo resignation of the Kelburn Club from tlm AVellington Association, and as yet n<' solution of the difficulty has been dt»vised. Tho importance of New Zealand as a croouet centre is evidenced by tho visit of the English team, which marks an epoch in the history of the game m New Zealand. It is pleasing to report that: it is probable that an Australian team will visit the Dominion in 1929 to plav for the ’Mcßobcrtson Shield. Tlie fifth publication of the ‘Croquet Annual’ met with a’ more Healthy demand, bur there is yet room for improvement in this connection, and the executive again points out that: if each associate bought one a debit balance on this item would be turned into a credit one. “The executive again desires to express its appreciation of the services rendered b» the handicappers and secretaries of the various associations, and the secretary of the council.”