Twelve years – that’s the unbroken chain of friendly AC matches between the Blewbury and Watford Cassiobury croquet clubs, the Watfordians on their annual summer tour. Today’s was a pretty fair result, with all games played to handicap rules: two games won by each club in the morning, a shared Sunday roast at the Red Lion at lunchtime, and two games won by each in the afternoon. Result: a draw for Watford on their final tour match of 2023 after their defeat last year, and a call for the resumption of this pleasurable match next year too.
In the morning doubles, Deirdre Cochrane (8) and David Long (16) beat Simon Hathrell (-1) and David Robinson (9) +1 on time, with our David securing the win by way of an audacious last-turn roquet through the hoop on Simon’s ball; and Steve Fisher beat Jonathan Lambton +4(t), for two Blewbury wins on Court 1. Meanwhile, on the other court, Mark Homan (5) beat Andy Robertson (10) +5(t) and Eddie Chung (9) beat Minty Clinch (18) +1(t), to equalise.
Back from the pub lunch, the drizzly rain driven by strong winds was not being kind to anybody. David Long beat David Robinson +19 in less than 90 minutes, and Steve beat Mark +25 soon after. Blewbury 4-2 up! But Deirdre couldn’t quite manage to hold off Jonathan in a very tight finish, losing -4 with one ball still on 4-back, and finally the doubles was going to time…and Andy and Minty couldn’t hold off Simon and Eddie, who won +8(t).
So if you were playing for Blewbury and your name was David or Steve, you won both your games: well done!
And as we were all saying our final farewells, a watery sun could be detected behind those still swirling grey clouds.