[<<] [>>] by Jenny Williams
19th November 2006 (The MacRobertson Shield)

A few hastily scrawled notes to put some meat on the bare scores before I rush out - the two tests are at different venues today, so I've only got info from Shepparton GB v NZ doubles...

Fulford & Clarke v Bryant & Davis

Game 1

Bryant supershot, Chris went just out of corner 2, Shane hit.
In the croquet stroke Shane bounced the croqueted ball off hoop2 to about 6 yards from B baulk, and ended up rushing the supershot ball to nearer to corner 4 than hoop4. With this ball near B baulk, he was rather committed to making hoop1, but failed that, leaving all the balls to Robert. Rob failed to get any peels on oppos, but had an MSL leaving Shane's ball near hoop2 (Shane's arguably the better shot).

Shane missed the short shot by about 9 inches on the right giving Chris the opportunity to promote partner to 1 for an easy finish.

6th turn +26TP.

Game 2

Chris laid supershot ball. Shane to max dist spot on the east boundary. Rob hilled off joining up 6 yards away from Shane's all along east boundary. Greg wristed off the double. Rob to 4back with the same leave.

This time Greg lifted the ball at hoop4 and took the long lift.
Missed. Chris finished.

7th turn +26TP.

Clearly getting rough - it took the British pair an extra two turns to win this match.

Shepparton lawns pretty easy and hoops very easy.

Dave and Mark

don't know much about this one. Dave failed hoop 1 3rd turn in game 1 which let Aaron around, but didn't to much (anything) else wrong.

Paddy took croquet for the first time in the Mac, at game and break down, but stuck in 1. Oppos missed, but he didn't get going and Dave hit next turn. Tough initiation into MacRobertson play as Paddy starts his singles campaign taking on Robert on the fast (15sec) bowling green lawn (lawn 1 at Rich River)

In the other match the defensiveness of the kiwi pair seems to have been punished in the easy conditions:

Game 1

Jonathan tried to approach hoop 2 from a yard out of corner 2 with a takeoff from partner but came up short and retired into the corner. The kiwis had a ball that was about 2 yards east of hoop6 on the line to hoop3 (and the 4th ball south boundary behind hoop4).
Declining the 14 yarder (which didn't have enough room to get a ball to hoop3 if missed), they went a foot out of corner 3. Jonathan got going and failed 3back (hence the Aiton QP).

Game 2

the kiwis again cornered - and Keith finished with a TP.

So far Keith has been error free apart from a couple of missed 11-yarders.

The only news I've heard of the Aussie v USA singles is that Damon failed hoop6 on a TP to win the 3rd game.

Tomorrow it's USA v Australia doubles at Shepparton and the kiwis and brits are back at Rich River. Matches include:

Paddy v Rob on the quick bowling green
Brian v Chris on the spongy main lawns
Robert Lowe v Mark on the sand pit

Note to Digger: seems the error in the playing order was discovered after the first game had been completed - sounds like both sides were wondering if the other had been trying to do something inventive with their playing orders to try to gain a tactical advantage, though turns out it was just a managerial error.