[<<] [>>] by John Taylor at Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards
15th May 2001 (International)

Block 1

Reg Bamford SA
Trevor Bassett AUS
Chris Clarke ENG
Jacques Fournier USA
Simon Williams IRE
Tony Le Moignan JER
Wynand Louw SA
Ren Kraft USA

Block 2

Robert Fulford ENG
Ed Cunningham IRE
Helene Thurston AUS
Mik Mehas USA
Matthew Burrow JER
Jeff Soo USA
Ian Burridge WALES
Louis Nel CAN

Block 3

David Maugham ENG
Stephen Mulliner ENG
Brian Wislang NZ
Martin Clarke AUS
Johnny Osborn USA
Leo McBride CAN
Doug Grimsley USA
Malcolm O'Connell SCOT

The players in Block 1 had Sunday off so the results for today show only players in blocks 2 & 3.

Sunday Results

Robert Fulford beat Matthew Burrow +15
Jeff Soo beat Mik Mehas +11
Helene Thurston beat Ian Burridge +4
Louis Nel beat Ed Cunningham +17
David Maugham beat Martin Clarke +26 TP
Brian Wislang beat Johnny Osborn +13
Leo McBride beat Stephen Mulliner +26 TP
Malcolm O'Connell beat Doug Grimsley +7 TP
Robert Fulford beat Jeff Soo +12 TPO
Matthew Burrow beat Ian Burridge +13
Mik Mehas beat Louis Nel +26 TP
Ed Cunningham beat Helene Thurston +2
David Maugham beat Johnny Osborn +20 TP
Martin Clarke beat Leo McBride +14
Brian Wislang beat Doug Grimsley +26
Stephen Mulliner beat Malcolm O'Connell +26
Robert Fulford beat Ian Burridge +6
Louis Nel beat Jeff Soo +20
Ed Cunningham beat Matthew Burrow +5 TP
Mik Mehas beat Helene Thurston +1 OT (21-20)
David Maugham beat Brian Wislang +20
Stephen Mulliner beat Martin Clarke +26 TP
Johnny Osborn beat Malcolm O'Connell +4
Leo McBride beat Doug Grimsley +16

Monday

A lot of TPs and a TPOT today. So far all but two games have gone to completion in the allotted 2 hour and 15 min time.

Fulford sets the pace with 5 wins and his pal Maugham is leading block 3. I'm proud of our northern neighbours as the Canadians, Nel and McBride, are playing well. Soo is trying to remind the world that the USA has learned the game. Ireland and the Isle of Jersey should be happy with Williams and Burrow.

Remember Block 1 and 3 have only had one day's play as block 3 was off today and block 1 was off on Sunday. Block 2 will be off tomorrow. With block play you sometimes have to wait until the last game is played to see how things sort out but trends are developing.

The top player in each block will enter the Medallist block and decide where their medallist play can seed them in the ladder. Top medallist goes straight to the final, while medallist 2 and 3 are seeded into the semi-final and the 4th place level respectively. The 2nd through 6th place in the blocks are seeded into the knockout ladder where they can work their way up the top and meet the medallists. The best of the 7th place block finishers also gets out to enter the bottom of the ladder.

The other two 7th place block finishers and the three 8th place block finishers begin a plate ladder on Thursday.

Enough from me. Here are the Monday Results:

Reg Bamford beat Chris Clarke +26 TP
Trevor Bassett beat Jacques Fournier +13 otp
Simon Williams beat Ren Kraft +26 TP
Wynand Louw beat Tony Le Moignan +13 TP
Robert Fulford beat Helene Thurston +26 TP
Ed Cunningham beat Mik Mehas +7 TPOT (25-18)
Matthew Burrow beat Louis Nel +18
Jeff Soo beat Ian Burridge +14
Reg Bamford beat Jacques Fournier +26 TP
Chris Clarke beat Simon Williams +23 TP
Tony Le Moignan beat Trevor Bassett +17
Wynand Louw beat Ren Kraft +26 TP
Robert Fulford beat Mik Mehas +21 TP
Matthew Burrow beat Helene Thurston +4 TP
Jeff Soo beat Ed Cunningham +17 TP
Louis Nel beat Ian Burridge +10
Simon Williams beat Reg Bamford +26 TP
Jacques Fournier beat Tony Le Moignan +26 TP
Chris Clarke beat Wynand Louw +26 TP
Trevor Bassett beat Ren Kraft +13 TP

Tuesday

Well, everyone has played 5 of their 7 block games and leaders are developing. England's Chris Clarke leads block 1, Robert Fulford leads block 2 and Stephen Mulliner leads block 3. Jersey still has Matthew Burrow in 2nd for block 2, Block 1 has Wynand Louw from South Africa in 2nd and David Maugham from England is holding the 2nd place in block 3.

Maugham and Mulliner play each other tomorrow so there may well be a swap in standings for that block.

Only two sextuples have been attempted so far. Reg Bamford did both but things went awry both times. He still managed to win one game but lost the other and now is in 4th place in his block. He hopes to improve that tomorrow.

Ren Kraft has a solid grip on the 8th place in his block which I'm sure will surprise the fans who have followed his career throughout the history of the WCC. Ren has a perfect record of 0 wins while his closest challenger has 2 wins already.

We had a couple of interesting rules "innovations" today. First, Leo McBride marked and lifted a ball which was interfering with his shot except the opponent objected when he noticed the lifted ball was in one of his and not from the other game. Later in the day Tony Le Moignan tried to use the dreaded "centre court cannon" until his opponent pointed out that cannons can only be used at the sidelines. OOPS!

The players all went to watch the New York Yankees play baseball with the Oakland "A's" tonight while I had to sit here and do the results for you. At least I will get to bed sooner and I don't have to play croquet tomorrow.

Tuesday Results:

Leo McBride beat David Maugham +19
Doug Grimsley beat Johnny Osborn +3 TP
Martin Clarke beat Malcolm O'Connell +15
Stephen Mulliner beat Brian Wislang +26 TP
Reg Bamford beat Tony Le Moignan +8
Wynand Louw beat Simon Williams +1 OT (25-24)
Jacques Fournier beat Ren Kraft +21 TP
Chris Clarke beat Trevor Bassett +26 TP
David Maugham beat Doug Grimsley +26 TP
Leo McBride beat Malcolm O'Connell +18
Stephen Mulliner beat Johnny Osborn +26 TP
Martin Clarke beat Brian Wislang +15 TP
Wynand Louw beat Reg Bamford +9 TP
Tony Le Moignan beat Ren Kraft +18
Simon Williams beat Trevor Bassett +16
Chris Clarke beat Jacques Fournier +17