CROQUET CHAMPIONS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 92, 12 January 1935, Page 9

CROQUET CHAMPIONS

North Island Tournament Finals SOME GOOD CONTESTS ! ■ Dominion Special Service. Wanganui, January 11. Late this afternoon the North Island croquet championships at Wanganui were virtually concluded, as only the open championship between Mrs. Pitcaithley (Hastings) and A. J. Gibbs (Patea) remains to be played on Saturday. Mrs. Watkins, of Hastings, three times woman New Zealand champion, and twice North Island open champion, won the title of North Island woman champion for the second time by defeating Mrs. Pitcaithley (Hastings), 12-26, 26-13, 26-10. Mrs. Gambrill . (Palmerston North) was thb bolder of the 1934 title. The championship doubles went to Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Gibbs (Patea), who defeated Mesdames Gambrill and Pitcaithley 26-21. The title for 1934 was held by A. J. Gibbs and Mrs. J. W. Lowe. Features of the tournament were Mrs. Watkins’s splendid return to form and the consistently steady play of Mesdames Pitcaithley, who was in the three finals (open, women's and the doubles), Gambrill and A. J. Gibbs. In the first game of the rubber of the women’s North Island championship singles, Mrs. Pitcaithley, playing steadily, did not allow Mrs. Watkins many chances. Mrs. Pitcaithley won 26-12. In. the second game, Mrs. Watkins regained ■her usual brilliant form. Mrs. Pitcaithley, after making the first hoop, failed. In-and-out play followed, and Mrs. Pitcaithley reached flip penultimate with oue. Mrs. Watkins then hit in and carried her clip to the rover hoop. Mrs. Pitcaithley, getting in, 'made 3 and failed, allowing Mrs. Watkins to make an all-round break. In the third game both were playing steadily, and up to form, and’ a very interesting match was witnessed. Mrs. Watkins starting, made one hoop and failed for position at the second. Mrs. Pitcaithley then went to penultimate. Failing there, she allowed Mr.s. Watkins to make an all-round break to rover. Mrs. Pitcaithley failed and hit in with a lift, and Mrs. Watkins carried her clip to the fourth. Mrs. Pitcaithley again failed with _ her roquet, and Mrs. Watkins then finished her round to peg. Mrs. Pitcaithley again failed to roquet, allowing Mrs. Watkins to make her last hoop, but not getting her rush to peg. decided to peg one out. leaving her other fairly close. Mrs. Pitcaithley did not hit in, nnd Mrs. Watkins missed the peg, her ball coming to rest on B baulk. Mrs. Pitcaithley then laid her two balls for a perfect ru§h to her next hoop, but Mrs. Watkins’s shooting proved too consistent, and in her next turn she hit in and pegged out, 26-10, winning the North Island women’s championship. This game, proved most exciting. Mrs. Pitcaithley hit in and carried her clip to rover. Mr. Gibbs then succeeded in getting in, and with his usual good judgment made an all-round break, peeled Mrs. Pitcalthley’s ball through rover and succeeded in peggiug it out, leaving Mrs. Gambril] 10 points to make. Mrs. Gajnbrill had few opportunities, but reached the third return with her clip. Failing to get position for both balls at the i>eg, Mrs. Gibbs put her own ball out. Mrs. Gambrill then hit in, but failed to make use of hei opportunity, and Mrs. Gibbs pegged out, and the game finished 2621.