Match is on Lawn 1, immediately in front of the club house.

Extremely grey day, was raining quarter or an hour ago but has just about stopped now.  Players practising most in some form of weather gear, only Mulliner in a T shirt.

This is actually the first match to start with Bast (Black) playing a ball to 2 yards S of the peg.  Rutger (Yellow) goes to the E boundary peg high.

Huneycutt (Blue) misses into corner 4 down the E boundary.  Maugham hits partner from A baulk.

Maugham makes hoop 1 with a ball at 2.

Maugham gets hampered after hoop 3 following a poor approach and misses what didnt look like all that difficult a hampered shot, refereed by venue ROT Don Williamson.

Bast rushes 3 yards past hoop 1 approaches well and makes hoop with a good ball at hoop 2.

Bast puts out a very poor hoop 3 pioneer 3 yards SE of hoop 6 and rushes on top of it after hoop 2.  There is a rough ball still at hoop 4 from the pick up - about 4 yards E.  Fails a runnable hoop 3.  Seemed to me that he played the whole turn at a very quick speed.

Rutger hits a mid lawn 7 yarder rushing it to the S boundary trying to get a rush on partner near hoop 4 with a take off - I dont think the ball at hoop 3 will rush to 1

Rutger gets a rush N and takes it to within a couple of yards of Black whihc he tries to cannon.  Plays it fantastically well.  The rush isnt quite as good and goes near hoop 5.

Approaches with an angled and is short.  Blue is just off the S boundary 10 yards E of corner 1.  Black is 6 yards N of hoop 2.  Red is 1 foot SE of hoop 3 and Rutger plays Yellow to 3 yards NE of red

Bast just misses

Rutger makes hoop 1 with a ball at hoop 2 has about a 5 yard return whihc he hits in the middle.

Rutger stops to discuss the leave before making hoop 4.

More discussion they are playing for some POPs on Blue

Gets a peel going to hoop 6.

The second POP fails after 1 back, more discussion.

Rutger is making an MSL with blue for 2 at hoop 2, balck for hoop 3 at hoop 4.  Dave is remember for hoop 4.

Black (Bast) is lifted from hoop 4and shoots down the W boundary.  HIts to the first applause of the day.

Rushes to within a foot of hoop 3 with a ball at hoop 4

Jim is on 2 back probably making a spread.

Trying to croquet Blue towards corner 2 making his leave it hits the hoop.  Seems to have decided to make 4 back as a result I am not sure that was the original plan.  Makes it.  There are 3 balls at 4 back and blue by 1back

Jim has made a reverse diagonal spread with yellow for 4back by the peg.  Danny is for hoop 2.  He is still playing quickly maybe it is his natural pace, never particulalrly noticed before though.

Dave lifts to b baulk and shoot at the ball by the peg, flicks it.  The rounds of applause are getting bigger, maybe deafening if linesy finishes!

Daves rush to hoop 4 hits the ball in the middle by the peg gets a reasonable result and apprasoches from 4 yards gets as hampered shot after running a trickyish hoop.

Misses the hampered shot again this one looked a bit more tricky.

So JIm has a 2 yarder to the S boundary behind hoop 4 rutgers balls is by the peg and Dannys ball 7 yards S of hoop 2.

Jim makes a good leave with Danny having a rush to hoop 2 from the W boundary level wired from Rutgers ball at hoop 3 with Daves ball 5 yards S of hoop 4.

Rutger moves to corner 1

Danny makes hoop 2 rushed to near corner 1 fails to get a rush and plays a very poor split going to the ball by hoop 4 sending the other ball towards hoop2 is 7 yards short dont even think he is going to take it going bakc to partner near corenr 1

Maugham shooting at the Americans in cornre 1 from by behind hoo 4.  Has a restalk after some spectatror movement.  Hits it liked it the momenbt he left the mallet

Dave plays lots of good shots and makes hoop 5 with a rush back to a ball by hoop 1 with a ball at hoop 6.  Must be a chance of a finish.

Dave is making the hoops look more difficult than anyone else though.  Settles for partner at 2 back and a controlled break.

Dave gets a peel but roquets partner after the hoop will be laying up pen and peg

Lots of discussion about the leave the Americans are 3 and 4back, the hoop 3 ball is the penult pioneer and the 4back ball is at rover.  Partner is 3 ayrds S of 4back

Dave looks like he is going to make a hash of making a reverse spread with black at the peg. 

Danny lifts the blue and takes the shot doiwn the W boundary from corner 1.  Has a complete bevel and goes off about 11 yards N of corner 1.

rutger rushes directly on to the line of the ball in the middle.  Copes easily and makes penult under control with a ball at rover.

RUTGER AND MAUGHAM +15

Black not sure who to 5 feet SW of peg.  Rutger to peg high on the E boundary.

Hunneycutt hits from corner 3 down the E boundary. consrevative croquet stroke not putting a ball too near hoop 2 doesnt really get a rush has to approach hoop 1 from 8 yards N and slightly W takes off to 2 ayrtds runs it with no wire to a yard short of hoop 2.  6 yarder back at yellow hits still a lot of work to do.

Danny makes 2 off the ball by hoop 1 now has croquet near the middle of the W boundary with a ball between 5 and the peg

Fails a very runnable hoop 3

Dave hits his 6 yarder

Dave rushes to a yard from hoop 1 with a break ahead of him.

He starts popping early jawsing the balck after hoop 1

Gets the rush peel making hoop 3 off partner with a ball at hoop 4 and the ball being popped 7 yards S of hoop 2

Dave pops hoop1 again with a big croquet stroke trying to send the peelee to hoop 2 for a peel before hoop 6

Dave manages to jaws the second pop before hoop 6 in any case.

So the US are on 3 and 3 the leave is black in hoop 2 blue in corner 4 and GB have a rush on the West boundary 11 yards S of corner 2 pointing pretty much north, looks like it must be a double from corner 1

Sure enough the ball in hoop 2 is lifted and is taking the double from by corner 1, this really doesnt give much away.  Jim changes his mind and is taking the 13 yarder at partner.  Misses it. 

Rutger is approaching hoop 1 from 4 yards with partner at hoop 2 and the other ball is 4 yards E of hoop 4.

After positioning peelee and not getting a rush to hoop 3 he opts to rush to another ball by hoop 4 which he plays badly and fails again to get a good rush to hoop 3.  Is approaching hoop 3 with a take off from N boundary in fornt of hoop  1 back.  Clubs it, no hoop attempt possible.

So the American balls (both for 3) are at hoops 2 and 4.  Both the GB balls at currently at hoop 3 but Rutger has a shot left.

Rutger goes to 9 yards S of corner 3 guarding the shorter of the two shots.  Danny hits from hoop 4 to hoop 3 (15 yards).  Makes hoop 3 but all the balls are N of hoop 6.

Gets a break going

On three back trying to make a reverse spread with Rutgers ball by the peg

The red is very deep and near the E boundary.  The rush is on the W boundary about 11 yards S of corner 2

Rutger is going to shoot from b baulk at the US balls.  Misses.

They have decided against stopping for lunch.  It has started to lightly drizzle.

Overhits the stroke trying to get a rush to hoop3 plays the cut he has well but is still approaching from 5 yards SW.  Gets about 1 yard position and runs it, has other balls at hoop 4 and hoop 2

Takes off into the hoop 4 pioneer knocking it 8 feet E pof the hoop, poor approach and fails 1 yard 30 degree hoop ending cross wired.

Rutger thinks he might have a lift with his ball by hoop 2

Rutger is swinging and Dave is looking at whether they think the ball behind hoop 4 is open.  They have decided to make a claim, Chris Irwin wanders out.

If they get it the ball behind hoop 4 is about 6 yards from the end of a baulk

It is obviously close it is all about a hampered backswing.  Chris Irwin dares to touch the rubber at the top of Rutger's grip to have a go herself.

She awards the lift presumably she is off to wash her hands now!

Misses it was no more than 5 yards

Dont think the ball on hoop 4 can hit anything, definitely cant run the hoop

Danny has a 9 yarder at Rutger.  But they are playing with the ball by the hoop which has an eleven yarder at the ball W of hoop 5, misses it

Rutger misses the 9 yarder back at Danny to the end of A baulk.

Danny absolutely snicks it, there is plenty of tension in the air now!

Danny plays to makes some hoops but ends up approaching 4back from 12 yards W of the hoop gets a long angled hoop which he fails bouncing off to 2 yards N of hoop 6.

Rutger hits about a 14 yarder from hoop 2 to partner on the W boundary.  Good chance this he is for hoop 3 with a ball there and another ball near hoop 6.

Puts partner to hoop 4 and rushes the ball by 6 to the middle of the E boundary.  Needs to do a bit of work to get a rush to 3 the ball can only be 2 or 3 ayrds in so not much sapce behind ity.

Hits it in the take off.  Approaching for 4+ yards

Absolutely clubs a sort of drive approach his ball finished level with the hoop

The Americans have about at 8 yarder with a ball half way between 3 and 4 (the hoop 4 ball) and their other ball on the E boundary a few yards fuether N.  Daves ball is 2 yards NE of hoop 4.

Still discussing what to do

Goes to corner 3 it is still drizzling very slightly so I cant get outside for a decent view of this interaction

Jim misses the 8 yarder at partner

This is a good posituion Rutgers shot from corner 3 is a bit shorter but leaves a ball at Jims hoop.

Rutgers shot is maybe 12 yards Daves from hoop 4 is about 13 apparently it is a very slight target.

Dave moves his ball to the mkiddle of the N boundary.  A WIDE JOIN!!  I would never have called that.

Jim has an OK looking 4 foot rush to hoop 4

Makes hoop4 with a 3 yard rush pointing at hoop 6.  Takes it to the N boundary in front of 1back

Gets a rush on tyhe ball in the middle of the boundary to 2 yards S of corner 3

Take off is short, no rush.

Plays a good pass roll approach getting a four yard straight hoop but turns it down an goes bakc to partner in front of 1 back

Rutger shoots from hoop 5 at the US balls and misses

Jim gets a ball all the way to hoop6 but has to apprioach hoop 5 from 2 yards S of the peg whihc he played with a backward roll.  Made the hoop hitting the peg giving him only a 9 yard return which he missed.

Rutger misses from hoop 6 to corner 3 but this leave him a rush to hoop 4

Jim hits his 6 yarder from the boundary in fornt of 3 back back at partner - that needed hitting.  It goes somewhere a bit awkward so that hoop 5 is in the way of his take-off.

This game is becoming a commentators nightmare, it was easier doing all three earlier!

Takes off to corner 3 and gets a rush to hoop 6 which he takes to 2 yards SW of the hoop.

Gets a rush to corner 3 and opts to get a rush on the other ball to 1back, goes a few yards past but approaches well and makes the hoop

He now has croquet in the middle of the N boundary with a ball 4 yards E of hoop 3 and the other ball 2 yards in front of hoop 5

Has to roll to the ball by 5 from hoop 3 plays it wwell and gets a 3 yard rush and a good ball at 3back.  Rushes it to 4 yards SE of 2back gets a 1 yuard staright hoop, runs it.  Control at last I can try to get lucnh if it hasnt finished!

Rushes partner to verey plausiblke striaght peeling postion at 4 back, turns it down but looks like he wants a posthumous one.

Looks like it has ended horribly on the wire.  Making penult off the 4 back ball and the hoop 3 ball is at rover.

Lots of discussion about the leave he is making rover without going to the ball in the hoop

Yellow the hoop 3 ball is placed 5 yards NE of hoop 4, red is rushed to the peg and they try to get into spread position taking off to the ball in 4back.  It comes out of the hoop and bounces towards hoop 6. 

I think the red and yellow are open, he is laying up with a rush on the W boundary level with hoop 2.

rutger lifts yellow and is going to take the short lift from b baulk.  Misses.

Poor rush to 4back goes to 5 yards straight in front

5 foot hoop grips a bit but goes through has croquet N of 4 back with the penult pioneer 2 yards S of penult - gets a rush on it all over

HUNEYCUTT & BAST +15

The Americans are ready, Rutger is talking to Rob and Dave is playing a computer game.

Rutger (yellow) goes to 3 yards NW of 5.

Bast goes to between hoops 3 and 4 peg high.

Bast played Black.  Dave shoots at black from b baulk, just misses.

Huneycutt is shooting at partner towards corner 3 misses by a foot to 9 yards S of corner 3 on E boundary

Rutger plays the supershot ball and shoots at partner in corner 4 missing.

Its going to Huneycutt to take the Americans 10 yarder another very poor stroke misses.  GB balls are in contact in corner 4, Rutger is going to play

Rutger plays a good first croquet stroke putting a ball to hoop 2 getting a rush on the ball in the middle back to the ball on the S boundary.  Rushes to a yard in fornt of hoop 1.  Makes it, should be a ball round

No need for any interaction between Dave and Rutger who goes round and makes a diagonal spread

Think Dave is quite surprised when he gets up and doesnt see an MSL.

Bast plays the ball at the peg from where it lies at the balls on the E boundary, slightly hampered.  Hits it.

The ball going to hoop 2 goes very deep behind the hoop rushes well to hoop 1 and makes it without a rush, still some work to do.

rushes a bad pioneer to hoop 3 and now needs to take off for a rush to hoop 2.  Is short is going to approach from 4 yards W off Daves ball gets a 4 foot 20 degree hoop and runs it should get round from here.

Dave is wittering on about having a leave named after him and his partner not making it.

Jim has to appraoch hoop 4 from about 4 yards straight gets a slightly less than 1 yard straight hoop and fails it spinning out of the hoop giving Dave a 3 yarder with two other balls at hoop 5.

Dave makes hoop 1 but rushes partner into hoop 5 so has to play a big croquet stroke going to a poor hoop 2 pioneer.  Approaching from 6 yards straight gets a 5 foot 10 degree hoop.  Hits the ball on his backswing has to restalk, runs it.  Peelee is nearly in the jaws, may be able to peel before 3.

Misses a 3 yarder after hoop 2 that he was just trying to hit in the middle.  Amazing.

Huneycutt hits the ball near the jaws of 4back, it bounces away.  Ball behind hoop 2 and a ball 15 yards N of corner 4 on W boundary.

Rolls over from hoop 3 does get a rush to 1 or the other ball.  Is approaching with a backward roll from the N half of the lawn,  Gets a 4 foot slightly angled hoop runs it. 

Return roquet after the defensive roll up is about 8 yards and he misses it.

Rutger shoots from hoop 2 at the US balls and hits.

Puts the hoop 2 ball 5 yards W of hoop 1.  The hoop 4 ball 5 yards NE of hoop 4 and lays up fairly tight in corner 3.

Jim corners the ball by hoop 4 into corner 2.  (the US balls were cross wired).

Makes hoop 3 and rushes to N boundary in front of 1 back.  Take off is short of the ball in corner 3.  One of the best shots of the day as he rushes something that looks scarcely cuttable to within 5 yards of the ball by hoop 1.

Overhits the croquet stroke getting a rush pointing at hoop 2 instead of hoop 4 rushes it to 3 yards NE of hoop 3.  Plays an aggressive long range roll as there is a ball at hoop 5

gets an 8 foot 20 degree hoop which he hits straight into a wire

Jims ball is at hoop 5 with a 6 yarder with two balls at his hoop (hoop 4)  Danny has about a 4 yarder at hoop 4 and a ball on the boundary in front of 1back (he is for hoop 2)

Danny plays.  Hits Daves ball to near the peg and then gets a good rush on Jims ball which he rushes to 2 yards from the ball on the N boundary.

Makes hoop 2 and gets a rush on the other ball by hoop 2 to hoop 3.  Making hoop 3 with a ball by the side of the peg and another ball by hoop 2.

Has to make hoop 4 from 2 yards to the side off Daves ball (which is for hoop 4).  Makes it.

Complete control making hoop 5

Rutger playing conquest on his iphone, Dave playing solitaire on his netbook.

Looks like they are going for another reverse diagonal spread with the 4 back ball by the peg.

After an awful lot of thought dave lifts his ball and shoots at oppo down the W boundary missing badly.

Bast grovels straight to 4 grovels through and has a very difficult hampered shot.

This looks impossible you wouldnt try it if it wasnt off partner

Has decided it is impossible, now has to decide where to go, yellow gets a lift if he goes anywhere in the SE quadrant.  I suspect this will take some time.

Quickly go to Robs call slightly W of the end of A baulk.  Their balls are about 7 yards apart.

Yellow joins red. They are across corner 2 with no rush,  The americans acre actually 9 yards apart, go to take it.

Snicks it.

Takes off doesnt get a good rush to 5 has to approach from two yards E of hoop 1.  Clubs it impossible.

Dave has got a 15 yarder across the lawn which they are going to guard, leaving themselves another pseudo join.

Red is 2 yards SW of hoop 2, yellow if 2 yards NE of the peg.  Blue is 3 yards SW of 4 and balck is on the E boundary 11 yards N of corner 4

Rutger misses red with a poor looking swing.  US have a 9 yarder.

Jim misses Dave has a five yarder with 2 balls at his hoop.  Come on Dave!

Hits the middle - applause for Maugham hitting a 4 and a half yarder!!!

Takes off short this is longer than the last one, hits it no applause this time.  Partner is 5 yards W of hoop 2

Gets a dolly rush out of 4 and smacks it straight into the middle of his perfect hoop 5 pioneer which ends up 4 yards w of the peg

Setting up for a delayed peel before 6 making hoop 5 off the ball by the peg

Gets a rush out of 5 with a couple of ragged balls by 4 back

rushes on top of peelee so changes his line of play and it now playing to make 6 off partner and rush it across after the hoop

Gets no rush out of 6 after approaching it poorly.  Peelee is going to 2back

Setting up for an STP

plays the 4back peel as an irish.  needs a ref to judge the shot at oppo, cant be that difficult as the roquet on partner is a trivial alternative.

Hits it and is playing a cannon, the angle isnt aparticulalrky good one.  pretty good result as peelee goes 1 yard SE of penult

rushes it 18 inches dead in front it is all there now.  the cannoning ball is at 4back

absolutely shooking irish peel of penult, peelee is through but the hoop is impossible

plays a scatter whihc he plays as well as possible but we still have, rutgers ball for rover 3 yards south of penult, daves ball on the E boundary level with hoop 6.  Blue has a five yarder at it from NW of it.    Black is level with hoop 4 on the boundary

Black is lifted and is making a double of the ball by 4 back and daves ball on the boundary 5 yards behind it in the bakcground.  The near ball of the doubel is about 8 yards away.

hits the near ball, he is for hoop 5

plays several really good shots in a row and is approaching hoop 5 from a yard with a good ball at hoop 6 and partner two ayrds in from the middle of the e boundary.

still playing good shots and aggressively setting up a peel attempt before 1back with his 1back pioneer at 4back

After 6 rushes into the escape ball at 4 back knocking it to a dreadful position due N of the hoop

Is playing to make 1 back off partner putting the intended escape ball to 2back.  Needs a good croquet stroke.

gets a rush pointing at hoop 6 and only rushes it to 9 yards e of 1back 

over rolls hoop is impossible.  The GB balls at 4 back and 2 back are cross pegged.

Jim goes 4 yards S of corner 2.  blue is 3 yards SW of hoop 2

Jim is sort of guarding both the GB shots

dave is putting his gloves on his ball is the one near 4 back I think this gives Jim a bit of a longer shot if he misses it.  Hitting this on the left potentially gives a finish

Misses on the side that lengthens Jims shot it is about a 6 yarder.

Misses it.  Dave has a 5 yard rush to penult.

missed it

club members cant belieev what they are watching.  Clarke has his head in his hands cant look

black wibbles up at blue never getting within a yard and ending up 3 yards NW of it.

Rutger has a 14 yarder at the US balls and hits it.

bast is black for 1back

danny is blue for 4 back

yellow is rutger for rover

red is dave for penult

rutger has croquet on n boundary 10 yards E of corner 2.  balck is 2 yards W of hoop 2 red is 2 yards south of corner 2

takes off getting a rush to rover, plays it wellish to 4 yards NW of peg 

Sorry NW of rover.  Approach finished by the side.  Goes to 3 yards S of red on the boundary.  The ball behind rover is a yard N of the end of a baulk

Americans arent even out of their chairs yet.  Blue at red is about 19 yards.

Decide to take blue at red.  Hits in the middle.  Presumably will try to make hoops.

Plays a croquet shot getting a ball to 4bakc and arush to 4back, just stays on - brave shot.  Makes 4back

Has about a 6 yard return has a ball at penult whihc he put there in his approach to 4bakc.  hits it.  US are favourites now.

Making penult off yellow with red at rover.  black is still on the end of a baulk

the locals are turing up after work I bet they cant believe there is still play going on.  The GB team certainly cant!

34 genuine spectators

Missed 2 on the roof.  leave discussion is over we are playing shots again

couple of poorish shots is approaching rover form 4 feet directly behind

runs a 9 inch angled hoop

has croquet off red 9 yards s of hoop 3 yellow is two yards west of penult and black is a couple of feet from rover

takes off from red leaving it roughly where it was, rushes yellow to 9 yards south of corner 2.

Lays up 5 yards N of corner 4 on the west boundary with a rush in lawn.

yellow at red could certainly have the other balls in the background if they want

Rutger is taking yellow at red from b baulk with the balls in the background

think he probably hilled off one of the balls in the background.

gets yellow 5 yards N of hoop 4 rushes to perfect position for putting the ball to 2 back getting his rush to 1back.  Rushes to 5 yards in front

Approaches hoop to 4 feet runs it with a rush the 2 back pioneer is near hoop 5 but apart from that there shouldnt be any problems.

Approaching 2 back from a yard SE

runs 9 inch 30 degree hoop easily everything is perfect now.

Makes 4 back with everything still under control

BAST & HUNEYCUTT +5