GAME 1

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And we're off here too.

1 K to E Boundary

2 Y duffer tice

3 U misses K into C4 from B baulk

4 R misses duffer

5 U hits K, clngs 1 but stayys in front hidden from R

6 R misses 20 yarder at Y into C4

7 U runs 1 to K @ 2, rushes to S boundary 4 yds W of C4. Good 25 yard rush on Y to 3 and he's away

Apparently the technical probleam which caused the delay to the start of commentary on this macth was caused by comments being disabled on this page. Not so good having a commentary page you can't actually create comments on

Croquet will really have made it as a sport when we will be able to demand that the start of the macth be delayed until us media types are ready.

Just to warn you there could be another technical problem soon as I've just dumped a load of chocolate croissant crumbs on my keyboard

U duly reaches 4b, all other clips for 1, and for some reason is laying a reverse spread. One theory is that as the W boundary is a lot less flat than the E, the long lift is a worse propect down the W boundary then the E

My view is that as Y randomly ended up in a good position for a reverse spread before making 3b, that's what they did

8 Y lifts and misses long lift from B baulk into C2

9 K now digs the balls out and has a standard tp position approaching 3. Peel bounces of the wire and ends up about an  inch S of the W wire of 4b.

Rushes back after 4 to set up for the peel going to 6. His hoop 5 pioneer is 4yds E of 5, but gets a decent enough rush on it and is now approaching 5 from 3 ft N and slightly W of the hoop

Runs the hoop, and is hampered enough to need a ref for the continuation stroke. Copes.

Jawses 4b peel going to 6. Completes peel after 6 and sends peelee out as 2b pioneer going to Y at 1b. Roquet on Y is a bit of a knee knocker, and now has to approach hoop fronm 3yds NE

But runs hoop cleanly and now back in control

Rushes U back  after 2b and sets up for the penult peel going to 4b

Fails to rush peelee to good enough porition for the straight rover peel. Some on court discussion now, presumably considering whether to have a posthumous peel. I think they should just be concentrating on getting a good leave. Peg and rover can often be easier to finish from than peg and peg

But now they've decided to attempt jawsing the peel and half jumoing it thorugh. Deep balls not very deep, but half jump is pewrfect leaving a 2yd roquet so nmust finish now.

Which he does

AUS win game 1 +26tp (L)

Test Score
	1	2

Match Score
	1	0

GAME 2

1 K to E boundary 9 yds N of C$

2 R to C2

3 U hits K from A baulk, and takes off getting a 1ft rush on R to hoop 1! Top top shot

Unfortunately no dounted fueeled by the adrenalin rush from the previous shot, he pumps R to the S boundary. Rolls up to 2 yds, slight angle. No easy break even if he runs it, so retires to partner on E boundary

4 Y misses R from A baulk into C2

5 U misapproaches 1 off R

Retires to E boundary 3 yds N of C4

6 Y centre balls K by 2 from C2 with R 3 yds N of 1

Makes 1, rolls R to 3 but pumps oit to about 2 ft off N boundary. Some work to do now

Rushes K into R after 2, cannoning it into C3. Harsh. Ends up rolling off 3 from N boundary dead in front. Rushes sideways to E boundary, and gets a rush on K to 4

Rushes to vicinity of C4, makes 4 off K and now has a 4 ball break approaching hoop 6

Y is running 3b with all the balls there, presumably we're going to see an NSL

NSL it is. U has been punted to 5 yds WSW of 6. This tends to happen with doing the leave this way: K now gets a 13 yarder at U from the end of B baulk, when it should be a 19 yarder

7 K duly shoots at U from B baulk, and hits. Apparently this is USA's first croquet for 90 mins.

Sticks in 1 1 off R. Didn't see how difficult it was

Slight correction to previous stat: it's now 90 mins since USA made a hoop in any of the matches, and with that stick the clock is still running

8 R is now approaching 3 with balls in perfect position for a standard tp for the match

Penult peel is longer and more angled than it should be after 6, bounces off 4" W of the hoop

Penult peel done going to 4b. Straight rover peel goes through a foot, but runs rover with control and finishes to win the match and tie the Test at 2 matches all

Landrebe & Beard beat Lamm & Soo +26tp(L) +26tp(L)

Test Score
	2	2

Match Score
	2	0

Lunch for me too. Incidentally, pursuing the TMS theme introduced by James up north, the address to send cakes to is The Roehampton Club, Roehampton Lane, London SW15 5LR. Jeff fancies chocolate. I prefer a carrot cake myself