Marathon Matches and Moonlight at Compton

[<<] [>>] by Robbie Dodds at Compton
29th September (AC - Championships)

Twenty players arrived at Compton Croquet Club in Eastbourne on Friday morning for the South of England Championship. The weather was reminiscent of June and July, but the lawns were lush and green. Although the hoops were set to 1/32 of an inch, they seemed generous, and everything was in place for a weekend of adventurous play. Before lunch, Gabrielle Higgins had already dispatched me +16tp, +26tp. Gabrielle, as the tournament manager, was no doubt expecting more results to come in quickly as we enjoyed the lovely buffet provided by the club's welcoming volunteers.

Around the dinner table, rumours of marathon games were beginning to circulate. On returning to the lawns to begin my first Swiss match, I heard Gabrielle ask Thomas Cullis how his game against Mark Omerod was progressing. Thomas replied, "I'm trying. I've given him lots of chances; he just won't take them." This was one of the crucial first-round matches, while most other players had begun their first games in the second round after receiving first-round byes.

At about 3.30 p.m., I began my fourth game alongside Ian Lines and Pete Trimmer on Lawn Three. Their match had started shortly after my opening game against Gabrielle. I noticed that they had reached a three-ball ending, with the white ball in the box. Half an hour later, it was back on the lawn. After six hours, they had finally completed their first game and were starting their second. Pete finally won 2-0.

As the light began to fade, most of the players gathered around three laptops to play Code Names, while two or three matches were still being contested in the hope of avoiding an early start on Saturday. When someone remarked that it was getting dark outside, David Maugham replied, "There's a full moon-they'll be fine." His comment reminded me that Debbie Lines had mentioned, an hour earlier, how particularly lovely the moon looked.

Mark and Thomas did not manage to avoid an early start on Saturday, with Thomas eventually emerging as the winner. Gabrielle's headaches were not over, and she decided that time limits would have to be introduced: "What is the shortest time limit I can set?" She had to schedule the completion of her quarter-final against Debbie Lines for a bright and early 8.30 a.m. on Sunday.

Several triple peels were completed, with Robin Brown, David Maugham and Jeff Dawson all still in contention for the peeling prize. David managed five peels in his semi-final against Debbie, winning +15, -26tp, +17tp. In the other semi-final, Jeff Dawson beat Pete Trimmer -16tp, +26, +26. Notably, Nigel Matthews completed the third tp of his career. After a 22-year absence from the croquet world, Jeremy Dyer is back competing and may soon return to his previous level. I was on the receiving end when he completed a tp.

With the finalists decided as darkness fell and rain approached, the final will have to be played at a time and place yet to be arranged.

In the Plate final, Robin Brown beat Nigel Polhill +25.