On 8 & 9 June, eight players contested the Blewbury midweek AC advanced tournament. This prestigious event attracted players from as far afield as Nottingham, Cheltenham and Hurlingham.
The weather over the two days was rather mixed, with waterproofs coming out at times to ward off the rain and to keep out the wind, while at other times, sun screen was liberally applied.
The play was of a high standard with triple peels being attempted from the off. Nevertheless, I think all of the players blobbed the occasional hoop, so it is worth remembering that next time it happens to you.
The games were all played in a friendly spirit and everyone enjoyed the two days’ play. Those players who had not been to Blewbury before were very impressed with the high quality of the lawns; the rest knew that already.
Deirdre provided a delicious healthy lunch on both days, which was enjoyed by everyone who partook of the feast.
After, the first day’s play, there were three players well placed to win the tournament, with Mark Ormerod, David Marsh and Clive Goode each having won all three of their games. Once the dust settled, David Marsh emerged victorious with six out of six wins. Congratulations to David, who said that he was off to find something to pour into the engraved drinks glass that he had just won.
Blewbury tuned into the national celebration with a fine turnout in the school playground on Platinum Sunday. As the village tucked into hog roast, Paul Wolff, David Long and Deirdre Cochrane took up their stations in Blewbury Croquet Club corner, nicely placed to capture passing trade between short tennis and the slide.
Paul Wolff cast a mandarin eye over his layout, safe in the knowledge that David Grinstead’s gazebo would protect it if the threatened rain fell. Susan Tilbrook explained the intricacies of toequet, a GC format game kicking footballs in primary colours through large plastic hoops, to groups of Salah wannabes. Meanwhile David demonstrated the bullseye approach to slotting 8 croquet balls into holes in a wooden board: ball into correctly coloured hole 10 points, incorrect hole 5 points. He claimed 40, but I can’t confirm….
Phil and Margot flew the South African flag with distinction in both disciplines, but the joint ball slot champions were William Elmore-Wickens, who’d demonstrated footballing expertise in toequet, and Ralph Smith, a father of two from Aston Tirrold. Both scored 35 points: each wins an intro session on the BCC courts.
Celebration standouts also included trout racing as part of an exhibit of local chalk stream habitat, glitter face painting, wood carving and archery. After the grand finale, a beefy tug of war, villagers drifted towards the church to see floral tributes to Her Majesty. For croquistas, there was only one winner: Susan’s flowers in patriotic colours set against a white hoop with red and blue balls. A fitting end to a splendid day.
Locked in a windowless lavatory? That was the only glitch in Blewbury’s hi-bisquers tournament, run and won by Carol Jamieson. She’d introduced Gareth, her Caversham neighbour, to croquet. Now he was showing threatening promise. Time to throw away the key. With the help of a screwdriver and a hoop mallet wielded by a strong arm, he was eventually released to resume play.
By Sunday afternoon on May 28th, eight competitors were far into the second day of conviviality and eating al fresco. Crunch time: there were three possible winners as the final matches in the all play all format got under way. Carol had five of a possible six wins under her belt, with Paul Morrison on four. If he were to win and Carol to lose, the tournament would be decided on hoops run.
No way. Carol’s bold shot making, characterised by long range hitting in, and her steely determination forced a narrow victory over her last opponent; Paul, a charismatic ex rugby man in denim pants and grey crocs, faltered and fell to his. So it was Carol who raised the highball glass engraved with club logo and the name of the tournament, BCC’s 2022 initiative to award commemorative trophies for external and internal competitions. With bottles from assorted GC victories accumulating in her cellar, Carol needs all the glasses she can get. Many thanks to her and husband Brian from the ultimate also ran for a delightful weekend. MC
The weather was excellent with plenty of sun and little wind. The eight players came from as far north as Northampton and as far south as Woking and included two from Blewbury. Their handicaps ranged from -1 to 8. The 8 had not realised it was an open tournament, but gallantly stayed on to make up the number, not winning any games but gaining some reasonable scores.
The tournament was run on an all-play-all basis, giving seven rounds. There were lots of good games with results not always as would be predicted by the handicaps. Everyone seemed to enjoy the day.
The final result was very close. Philip Blake (Kenilworth) and Mike Hills (Northampton) both won six games, but Philip won by a single hoop difference and so received the trophy, an engraved High Ball glass.
David Vincent, Tournament Manager
Philip Blake receiving the trophySara Anderson vs Ian Shore
We enjoyed pleasant weather for our first (and last for this year) match in the Longman Cup. This is a Handicap AC competition which is run as a knockout. Unfortunately we lost 3-4 to East Dorset playing at home. It started well as Deirdre and Carol won their doubles game and Steve won his game. Brian lost the morning game against Chris Weedon who had quite recently moved from 8 to 7 and will probably keep moving in that direction. However this meant we were 2-1 up.
In the afternoon Deirdre defeated David Williams +24 however Carol and Steve both lost their games and finally Brian was defeated +1(t).
A field of 6 competed in the CA May Short Croquet Tournament held at Blewbury. Tony Mayer from Swindon joined Carol, Paul, Peter, Steve and myself for the all-play-all event. The weather was perfect with clear skies and almost no wind. The lawns were playing well and we completed 5 rounds of 75 minute games finishing at about 6:30.
I ran out the eventual winner with 4 wins out of 5, tied with Carol who also had 4 wins. The first tie breaker was who-beat-who, and in a very close game with Carol earlier in the day I had overtaken Carol by 1 hoop in my final turn of the game. So I just managed to prevail on this occasion.
Paul then presented one of the new engraved ‘trophy’ glasses the Club has procured for our CA tournaments this season.
Paul presenting the winner’s prize to Joe
Philippa and Elizabeth provided an excellent lunch which rounded off a lovely occasion. Many thanks to them both.
If ever there was an Easter weekend made for croquet, it was this one. At Blewbury CC, players signed up for block rounds of the Roger Cambray handicap one ball tournament. Paul Wolff and Carol Jamieson emerged unbeaten from the preliminaries, with Edmund Shirley and David Long close behind. AfterJoe King gave up his finals spot so he could spit roast beef on his charcoal barbecue, the qualifiers with one win were Brian Jamieson, Susan Tilbrook, Andy Robertson and David Seed.
On Monday morning, the form played true; this quartet went out in the quarter finals. In the semis, Paul and David (Long) beat Edmund and Carol respectively, setting up the big game for the trophy after lunch. Meanwhile Joe was heating up charcoal in a rusty half oil drum he’d converted himself. Spectators watched five kilos of topside revolving slowly under a corrugated hood with at least as much attention as they gave to the croquet.
Joe at the coal face
How delicious it was, served perfectly rare to 26 guests who could hardly believe their good fortune. These who normally wince at the threat of a bbq – burnt burgers, undercooked bangers – were quick to recalibrate and move in for seconds. Steve Fisher’s well-stocked bar was also very popular. Likewise Minty’s salads.
Paul assessed the right measure for afternoon play. Half a glass of beer, his coaching preference ahead of wine; David abstained. Wrong call. A hard fought duel resulted in a + 4 win for Paul, finishing with a laser shot to the peg from 15 metres. Our recently retired chairman received the Memorial Shield from Roger Cambray’s son, Chris, a Blewbury resident who hasn’t followed his dad onto the courts. Not yet,…..
Then it was time for newcomers to Have a Go. With court one set up for short croquet, Joe King and Duncan Sinclair took six never evers through the basics while members renewed old rivalries on court two. A timeless scene marked by the click of well hit balls and the epithets of missed ones. 1950 or 2050? When croquet is at its best, it’s always hard to tell. And MIND will benefit too.
Champion of Champions sounds pretty grand, but that is what the Southern Croquet Federation call their annual two day competition for winners or nominees from club handicap tournaments held the previous year. In Blewbury’s case, that means the Icknield for GC and the Prebendal for AC. The host for 2022 was Hamptworth, a welcoming club with five courts within a golf club south of Salisbury
On a damp Tuesday, Icknield champion David Long was out at 9.30 for the GC event, along with Peter Allan, representing Harwell . David was in the Red block, Peter in the Blue so each faced 6 rivals from other clubs. It wasn’t David’s day: a handicap rise from 6 to 7 will make him very dangerous at Blewbury this summer. Peter won five games, a convincing finalist without needing to play his sixth opponent.
Peter took on Artur de Costa, an AC player who entered Winchester CC’s 2021 GC qualifier on the spur of the moment. With a handicap that reflected his GC inexperience, Artur had a 6 vs 2 handicap advantage, a cushion he put to good use to establish an early lead before Peter fought back. At the finish, he was an honourable second.
Loser in a third place play off isn’t much of a qualification, but 2021 Prebendal champion Andy Robertson and finalist Anthony Hardwicke were otherwise engaged. Likewise Peter Allan, again representing Harwell on AC day at Hamptworth. No doubt with some misgivings, Blewbury invited me to take the vacant spot. So I did.
To decide who would start against who, each of the 12 contenders drew a numbered playing card between ace and six. ‘Please don’t let it be Aston Wade’, I muttered to myself. The third year medical student from Exeter University won the Open CG Championship last August at his first attempt. We are not on the same planet.
Although I’d seen a single magpie within a mile of my home, I dodged the bullet. Instead I met a scratch player from the Isle of Wight who had an unbelievably bad start to his day. My good fortune, but defeat against a very wily campaigner soon followed. Next up, Teddy from Jesus College, Oxford, and Peter, games I scraped through on time thanks to forests of bisques.
Aston Wade and Minty Clinch
Then the bombshell: the final between Aston Wade, winner of four games, and Minty Clinch, winner of three. Even with this deficit, beating Aston would secure the trophy! Elegant and gracious, he rocketed his balls around the court at speeds I’ve never dreamed of. Occasionally he missed, but not often enough. He was a joy both to watch and to play with. In the end, the competition lived up to it’s lofty billing: the winner is a true champion.
Our thanks to Brian and Carol Jameson : Brian was referee on GC day and both supported contenders from Blewbury, Caversham and Harwell throughout the weekend. Your turns next year, guys.
Pascal lamb has been eaten, ears lopped off and bunnies devoured. On Easter Monday, it’s time to party. Where better than Blewbury Croquet Club on Tickers Folly Field. Joe King will roast spit beef and veggie options on his barbecue. With the sizzlers, bread rolls and a selection of salads and sauces. Plus a pudding. Wines, beer, cider and soft drinks will be served at minimum prices. Kick off at noon.
This is an opportunity to introduce partners and neighbours to the BCC family. Maybe there’s someone you’d like to try croquet? The £10 lunch fee includes a Have A Go session in the afternoon. With light nights ahead, what better time to take up the game. A sunset match, a pub supper: surely a perfect summer evening with friends.
While the finals of the Roger Cambray one ball tournament are fought out on Court 1, Have A Go will run on court 2. Anyone who’d like to take part must wear flat-soled shoes: all other equipment will be provided. Members will join in and answer questions. To minimise the risk of damage to the courts, this is for adults only (18+).
The deadline for ordering lunch for yourselves and your friends (if you haven’t already booked it) is Good Friday at 18.00. Please email minty@mintyclinch.com so we get the numbers right. MC
Blewbury is hosting a girls’ soccer tournament over two weekends, April 9/10 and April 23/24. As many spectators are expected, there will be overflow parking on Tickers Folly Field. This will mainly affect players in tomorrow’s Founders Cup and those in the Berkshire vs CA Women tournament (23/24).. Parking off site – eg Westbrook Street – might be the easier way.
