CROQUET

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12620, 3 December 1926, Page 9

CROQUET

INTERESTING JOTTINGS INTER-CLUB RESULTS

(By

"ROQUET

x Croquet generally is now in full swing (when the weather permits), and the following points may be of interest to players. In one tournament game played on the Continent the owner of Red and ■Xellow actually played^with JBlue and Black, and the question arose: “Should Blue be replaced and has the player a saving shot with either Yellow or Ked, as desired, or has a foul been committed?” The ruling given was: “Blue is replaced, and (provided playing with blue was not consequent on the striker having previously made a foul in the turn), the strikei has a saving stroke with either Ked or Yellow as he may desire Another instance, in regard to the saving stroke rule, which reads: “The balls shall be replaced as they were before the first stroke in error was made, and the striker shall be allowed one saving stroke. The difference as regards the benefit of the saving stroke is doubtful, especially in the fallowing incident: The player's two balls are on the boundary, a few yards from the opponent's ball, and the player takes off from the houndary side with the wrong ball. In thise case if the balls are replaced in the same position, a saving stroke would be useless/' HOOP AND CROQUET STROKE A ruling asked for on the above stroke la of interest to all players. The circumstances are:—Blue, at the beginning of his turn finds himself in contact with Black. Blue has entered its hoop from the playing side of the hoop, and stuck in it at the end of a previous turn. The information asked lor was • “Whether Blue can play the croquet stroke and run the hoqp in the same stroke; or whether he must lift pis ball and come around from Black to the playing side before he can make the hoop/ 7 The ruling was that “Blue cannot play the croquet stroke, . and •cowrthe hoop,'in-the same stroke,"Since “ it has subsequently become in hand/* The concluding words in Law 13 (a) explain the position. It is suggested that corner flags be abolished, as they frequently seem to get in the way of the player taking aim from a corner spot, and with some players it is a habit (for which there is no permission in the Laws) to pull up the flag, replacing it after making the stroke The same habit (also quite unauthorised) of pulling up corner pegs is very common. If either flag or corner peg interferes with the stroke Law 34 might be amended by inserting the words “or any corner flag, or corner peg," before the words tJ ls likely to interfere/' WAIRARAPA INTER-CLUB v MATCHES. The following are the results of the first round:— A Grade* Featherston, 52; Greytown, 89: Carterton, 26. B Grade: Masterton, 46; Featherston, 44: Greytown, 40; Carterton, 83. LOCAL INTER-CLUB MATCHES. The second round of inter-club matches resulted as follow: A Grade: ICelbum (1), 52; Khandallah, H. Intermediate Grade Ngaroma, 52; Wellington, 52; Kelburn (2), 52; Kelburn (1), 52, by default from Lower Hutt; Island Bay, 35; Karori, 33f St. Augustine's, 32; Hataitai, a bye. B Grade*. Lower Hutt, 52; Ngaroma, 52; Island Bay, 48; Wellington, 48; Waimarie, 46; Seatoun. 33; Lyall Bay, 33; Eastbourne, 22; Hataitai, a bye. In the intermediate grade, Lower Hutc has withdrawn. Some of the morning games were postponed on account of the lawns being too damp, after the recent rains; but by the afternoon the playing surface was much dryer, and all the games were completed. Now that *the time limit for the games has been abolished, they are played to a finish, and one game last week, played on a suburban lawn, lasted over five hours, probably the jvlayers concerned .wishing the time limit was •till in vogue. MOTUEKA CLUB new lawn Opened. A new lawn for the Motueka Club players has at last eventuated; previously they have relied on the generosity of private citizens allowing them the use of their lawns*, but by persistent efforts they are at last in possession of a green, which is a credit to their town and club. Tit procuring the site and in the details arising therefrom in connection with the matter, a special tribute is due to Mrs A. E. Morgan (formerly of Lower Hutt Club), who has don* yeoman work in thin direction, and who was heartily congratulated on all sides by those prpsent at the opening ceremony. The Mayor (Major Talbot) was inost enthusiastic, and assured the club that they could reckon on his support at all times, as he considered it was both desirable and necessary to have such a playing area in tho borough. The council had been criticised on its decision to grant the club the required ground, but ho considered that the work accomplished was an immense* improvement to the borough property, as a veritable wilderness had boon transformer! into a valuable asset The Mayoress drove the first ball through the hoop, and formally declared the season opch. There was a large attendance of visitors and members, tho latter providing a delicious afternoon tea* The club starts its initial season under very happy circumstances, being debt free. b <[lOQUm’ IN~NAPIER. Croquet in Napier has received a aevere setback 'by the action of the Napier City Council in deciding that they are unable to allow the club the further use of the full-sized lawn, and the club now has to be content with two half-sized ones. This will be n big handicap to the dub and the play of the members affected, ns they will lie at a decider] disadvantage when playing j against plavor* who are accustomed to I a tull-sizo green. j