Lawn 1. Game 1.

Blue sky, but with some thick clouds, for the start of the final day here at Heaton Park.

The pavilion has been tidied for the visit of the Lord Mayor of Manchester at 11 am.

A second laptop has been set up with four windows in display mode, one for each match at Bowdon.  I've just had to try and disable the screen saver!

A ball stuck in H2 on lawn 3, but fortunately during the practice.  The tolerances are very small, even though Paul Rigge has used a clamp.

Play should get underway soon.

Peter Landrebe B & K

Jenny Clarke R & Y

G1T1: B to E boundary

G1T2: R to C2

G1T3: K missed B from C3 to 3 yds W of C4 on S boundary.

G1T4: Y nicked K.  Laid up in C2 with B at 1, K near C4.

G1T5: B missed K.

G1T6: Y runs H1 but bounces off H2 off K, with R at H3 and B at H4.

G1T7: K gets to H3, but misses R at H6, leaving R technically wired.

G1T8: R took the lift and hit K. R & B for H1, Y for H2, K for H3.

G1T8: ... R to 4-B, with B at H4 and K midway between H1 & H2.

G1T9: K lifts to C3 and misses Y to C4.

G1T10: ... Y peeled R through 4-B, but when trying to rush it S later, Y accidentally rushed R back into H3 and R jammed in the hoop.  The hoop was reset and Y was given a replay, this time rushing R as intended past the hoop.

G1T10: ... Straight rover peel and Y successfully jumps over R to balls near S boundary. R about 1 foot S of rover.

G1T10: ... CORRECTION. Y hit top of R in jump shot, not moving it appreciably from the side lines.  Scrambles a poor leave, B 3yd N of H1, K by H2. R & Y E of H4. 

G1T11: K lifted to end of A-Baulk, misses Y.

G1T12: Jenny pegs out from 2 yds to win +24.  NZ now within 2 games of winning the test.

NZ 1 AUS 0

Game 2. Swap balls.

Pete Landrebe R & Y

Jenny Clarke B & K.

G2T1: B to E boundary.

G2T2: R to C2.

G2T3: K hits B and takes off to R.

G2T3: ... K misses R.

G2T4: Y hits K, but sticks in H1 off R.

G2T5: K misses to S boundary

G2T6: Y runs hoop and gets break to 4-B, after being hampered at H6. Gets NSL with B on H4, K near W-Boundary.

G2T7: B lifted to B-Baulk, misses to C4.

G2T8: R jaws Y in 4-B after H6, irishes penult peel when for penult, but it ends peg high.  Bombards it nearer, irishes it thought rover, but R goes to side of hoop.  Scatters.  K between peg and rover, Y S of rover, R 2-3yds from Y, B in C4.

G2T9: Jenny lifts B, hits R, but gets hoop bound after H1.  Runs away.

G2T10: ?

G2: R & Y had a leave.  K hit B, but took off the lawn.  R rushed to rover and has 4yd rush to peg.

G2: The Australian captain wins +25 to level the match.

AUS 1 NZ 1

Game 3.

Peter Landdrebe R & Y

Jenny Clarke B & K

G3T1: B to E boundary

G3T2: R to C2

G3T3: K hits B.

G3T3: ... and lays rush.

G3T4: Y misses.

G3T5: Peter, K runs hoop 1 but fails H2 off partner, leaving R by H3 and Y by H4.

Some time later.

G3: Jenny, Y hits a long shot after B & K are laid up by H2 and has angled hoop 1.  Bounces off.

G3: Peter shoots B at K in corner 2, hitting for a break.

G3: ... but B bounces off Hoop 2.  B & K both for 2, R & Y for 1.

G3: Y misses Bfrom 10 yds.

G3: B misses K.

G3: Y misses B & K from 12 yds.

G3: K starts a break.

G3: K gets to 4-B, with Y at H4 and Y 2yd off W boundary.

G3: Y misses B from B baulk to C4.

G3: B gets to H4, having done one peel on partner to get it to penult, but misses a cut rush.

G3: R hits B centre ball, but is taking off from K near N boundary behind 4-B to get position for H1.  Too long, so retires to Y in C4.

G3: B shoots at balls in C4, missing.

G3: Jenny, R gets to 4-B, declining DP on opponent.

G3: K shoots at B and hits down E boundary, with R & Y near C2.  Misapproaches penult. and retires to partner near C4, leaving R at penult, Y in C2.

G3: Jenny hits B with R, her 4-B ball.  K clip now on Rover - I missed that - B still for H4.

G3: Jenny lays up in C2.  K misses B near H4.  Y rushes R to H1, runs it but is hampered. Shoots at B & K and misses.

G3: Pete has 6 hoops and single peel to do. 

G3: Peel done before 3-Back.

G3: Pete wins -24 +25 +16.

AUS 2 NZ 1

Match score now Aus 7 NZ 11 with 3 in play.