Good morning from Nottingham...and for once, it is a nice morning. I've got my shorts on and it's 18 degrees.

From my personal perspective, Mulliner is taking advantage of very lenient management by practicing on lawn 5 at 9.30. This should be banned. It is not in the spirit of the game.

A good day for GB yesterday, puts them in sight of the winning post today. However, readers will also remember that GB were 8-4 up after 3 days at Bowdon and lost all 3 matches that day.

James will be commentating on what should be the slow game today - Rutger +Maugham v Bryant and Clarke on lawn 4. I'll be taking the other two to start with.

This game will be on the show lawn - number 1.

The reason that has been given for Mulliners dodgy practice is that he is changing mallet today and wanted to try some different ones out. A poor explanation for a multitude of reasons in my opinion.

T1 K 14 yard narrow supershot

T2 Y dribbles at K from C1..............missing

T3 U shoots gently (would have finished 8 yards off B-Baulk) at K - clips it 

One fact that I haven't reported is that I think all the hoops are in new holes this morning

U has an 18inch angled hoop 1............

It's about 45 degres

Strokes it through - no problem

A pneumatic drill on the road outside indicates that we will not be allowed to enjoy a peaceful day.

Stephen is round to 4-b - that 25 minute practice seemed to work well.

It's a 3-ducks leave

I should probably add that his opponents approved his extended practice. I don't know when he broke his mallet - he was practicing late yesterday afternoon.

R shoots at K from B-Baulk...................misses

Stephen has been practicing every morning before arriving at the club, so he might have broken it then

Keith has made hoop 1 and has a standard TP

U is peeled through 4-b after hoop 3

GB take the first +26TP (A)

I've just checked about the mallet......the face came off this morning. I have no sympathy at all for someone who is going to practice before arriving at the club.

T1 K 9y N of C4

T2 Y just S of C2

T3 U shoots at K from A-Baulk.............misses

There is only a 2-ball gap between K and U

T4  R shoots at K....................misses

U fails to get a rush on K to hoop 1 and is approaching from 14y E of C1

Rolls up short

U is guarding R's shot. Y has a "free shot"

Y shoots at U.....................missed by a foot according to Beatrice McGlen

U has hit K and then rolled it WSW of hoop 1 going to Y. A stoppo appraoch and return roquet coming up then.

Perfect stoppo and he runs the hoop gently so he only has a 4 yarder on K....hits

Big croquet stroke sends K 4y short of hoop 3 and leaves a 4 yarder on Y at hoop 2. Snicks the wrong side

Michael is agriculturally carving a break out - perhaps that should be ploughing a furrow?

Michael sends his hoop 6 pioneer clonking into the peg

This trying to be an NSL............but it could turn into anything

R is 1y W of between 1 and 2

Y is 1 inch E of hoop 4

K is 7y N of C4

U retires to C2

This is called a "Southern Cross"

GB find a defensive shot - that is unusual for this pair.

Y shoots at R - from C3.............snicks it

Stephen has rolled down to C1 and left a rush for R

K shoots at R.................misses narrowly

Aiton has made 1 and has all the balls for a TPO on Wright

U is jawsed in 4-b after hoop 3

Chris has lost his connection so I will fill in for now.

Keith has done the third peel before 3back

Keith pegs U out leaving Paul for 1, with Stephen's Y in corner 2 and R just N of peg high E boundary putting hoop 5 in play for the roll up

Paul rolls up from R, short by 3 yds, R 3yds WSW of peg, Paul takes 5ft straight position.

R to corner 4

Paul runs 1 by 2 feet, shoots at R in corner 4...

misses

Y is in C2, R is 2 yards S of Y. K is shooting from C4....................misses.

Didn't look like that went very straight

Y has made hoop 1 without aforward rush, but K is still 2Y SES of C2

Excellent croquet stroke...that should be 9-4 GB

Misapproaches hoop 2, so he can't run it

Looks like they're discussing the merits of C1 and C4

Y retires to just E of C1

K shoots at R - 12 yarder..................................misses

R joins Y very very close. R is 1 foot N of C1.

K shoots at RY......................misses narrowly

This will be a good turn if Stephen finishes from here

Stephen blobs hoop 2. Skinley has a shot for the game

K shoots at RY.......................hits Y peeling it through 2. That's a laid 3-ball break to equalise

Skinley fails hoop 2 from nowhere

R hits its 3incher on K and is making a leave with K NW of hoop 2 and RY near C4

With NZ doing well on the other lawns, that was a big error from Skinley. GB don't want this match to be taken to a decider

RY have left a reverse rush

K is shooting again...................red is wired, so just Y to hit......................misses narrowly

Stephen scampers onto the lawn like an eager puppy.

Y has made hoop 3, but without a forward rush. K is 2y WNW of C4

Discussion

Y rolls R 5y SW of hoop 5 and finishes level with hoop 4. He's put his clip on and is declining the 5 yarder at K.

Y retires to C1

K has a 14 yarder at R which would miss to 8y N of Y

Opts to take position at hoop 2 - I hate that

Finishes 7 feet in front of hoop 2 and only slightly angled

I fancied K to 14y E of C1

R plays 3y E of C1

K shoots at Y......................misses

Another chance for GB to get to 9

Stephen has made hoop 4. Just one reasonable croquet stroke required now

inches short of perfection

good rush finishes 2y NNE of hoop 5.

Backward take-off is good

3ball break is established

Stephen walks after the ball before hitting it and is lucky to grovel through hoop 6. Big thanks to the hoopsetters for the new holes todsay - the hoops sound much better.

Y retires to C1.

K has a 2yard hoop 2 or a 7 yarder at R.

Quite rightly takes the 7 yarder..............

misses.

Another let-off for GB

R joins Y 2y E of C1

K shoots again........................misses badly

I'm not going to say that Stephen should finish this time

and it's a good job, because his first croquet is dreadful and his rush to 1-B is pointing E. He rushes Y 11y N of C4 and is looking at making a leave near C3 - not a great position

R is croqueted 2y N of C3.

Y goes into C3.

I'd be slightly concerned if we were losing the other two matches.

Oh yes.... we are losing the other 2 matches

K shoots again......................hits Y

I am beginning to feel the need for some underlines, but I'm resisting at the moment

Skinleys first croquet stroke is poor and his very short rush points at C1.

Cuts it to possible the worst possible as it hits hoop 3 - is it in the jaws?

No, looks like he can just about try the roll in front of hoop 2.

Sens R 4Y SE of hoop 2 and has a 5 foot 20 degree hoop... about as good a result as he could get.

Blobs hoop 2

R has a pretty sweaty 4 to 5 yarder at K. I fancy R to C1

From the shot GB are taking, I have to assume K can't run hoop 2 and is in a hopeless position.

They are looking at Y at R......Y might even have a lift, but I still like R to C1

No, Y has gone just N of C1. This indicates that K can't run 2 or hit R but could have hit Y

No, K runs hoop 2 and now has a 5 yarder at R. Fulford has just decribed the last choice as inconceivable.

Fortunately K misses R and finishes 8 feet in front of hoop 5

R should be going to C2. James wants to shoot Y at K. That's probably why he's typing now rather than playing

R plays 5 feet S of C2.

Fulford says, "How can you not go into C2 there?"

K misses Y

Stephe tries to roll up to 1-b but is nowhere near.

K is 5y E of C1

R is 6y S of hoop 2

Y retires to the N boundary 7y E of C2

If there was ever an opportunity for a cuddle, this is it

K 9y S of C2 looks very playable to me.

K tries to take position at hoop 3 and gets 7foot 2 degree position. Gets a round of applause for a bad tactical decision

Y hits R..........should finish

Takes off to get a rush on K to 1-b and ends up with a rush to C4.

Rushes K to C4 ......that wasn't I thought K would be at this stage.

Takes off back towards R and plays off the lawn 18y N of C1

Lunch

K plays to the N boundary in front of hoop 3

Y hits R and is walking down to C1 to make a leave

Y has a rush NE on the S boundary 5y E of C1

K attempts hoop 3.............fails to 4 feet SW

Hilditch asks Aiton whether he is enjoying this game of handicap doubles

Y starts another finishing turn

Y runs 1-b and hits K. R is 2y NW of hoop 5

Only manages to rush R 3y E of 2-b.......discussion

Rolls up to 2-b. 2 foot straight...................he's through. All over now.

GB win +26TP (A) +11TPO (A)

Test score GB 9 NZ 4