British Open Quarter Finals - live as it happened

[<<] [>>]

Cheltenham Croquet Club (Photo: Samir Patel)

0845: Yesterday was dry until quite late, meaning that the lawns got gradually quicker. Today's forecast is wetter, but the "look out of the window" forecast is similar to yesterday. I'm not sure if anyone timed the lawns; I'd guess at about 10 seconds. The top four seeds (Fulford, Bamford, Aiton, Maugham) are up against Cumming, Kirby, Wicks and Patel, of whom only Kirby was seeded.

1010: Looks like the combined talents of the nation's meteorologists beat looking out of the window. Conditions overcast, with patchy light drizzle.

• Fulford v Cumming on lawn 8
• Aiton v Wicks on lawn 9
• Bamford v Kirby on lawn 10
• Maugham v Patel on lawn 11

1015: Wicks has the first supershot, followed by Bamford, Fulford, Maugham.

1020: First breaks to Fulford (3rd turn), Patel and Aiton (4th turn), Bamford (5th turn).

1054: Fulford, Aiton have won their first, but Cumming and Wicks have first break in their second game. Bamford is on a TP following some interaction after Kirby hit the tea-lady. Maugham is on a TPO after more interaction after Patel failed 1 after the missed lift. It's now raining hard. Your commentator is in the dry, but not looking forward at taking a wild guess about how hard to hit the roll to hoop 1 off the contact.

1132: Wicks wins the second (I think 26tp). Bamford won his first, probably 24tp. Patel +13otp (off the squeeze, there had been a POP earlier). Cumming looks to have had most of the play in their second and seems to have a delayed double to win it.

1156: Wicks has a spread after first break to 4-back. Keith is for 1 (R) and 2 (Y), not sure if that was a pop, but Wicks has left R by 2 in the spread. Bamford and Maugham are on SXPs. Cumming looks to be in a break.

1229: Fulford is laying for an SXP in game 3. Patel is 2 and 4-back against 2-back and penult. Bamford is 2-0 up. Wicks has hit Aiton's leave, for 1 and 4-back v 2 and 4-back

1308: Fulford 2-1 up (2xSXP v 1xTP). Wicks on TP for 2-1 up. Bamford 2-0 up and in break. Patel 2-0 up and lunch.

1333: Fulford 2-1 up and on SXP in fourth game (currently 4 and 2-back). Wicks 2-1 up and laying NSL after first ball to 4-back. Kirby 0-2 down, but in fourth turn for 2-back, after Bamford went to 3-back third turn. Looks to be having an NSL too. Patel/Maugham having chicken curry.

1359: Heavy downpour, just clearing. Maugham on 5th turn break to 4-back. Wicks has finished his TP to win 3-1. Reg is starting his quad for 3-0.

1404: The plate looks to have gone onto lawn 8, so Fulford must have won 3-1

1425: Bamford has finished his quad to win 3-0, meaning Fulford v Bamford in one Semi, and Wicks v the winner of the last quarter. Maugham has just won the third +26tp

1521: Patel wins the 4th +26tp

Quarter Final Results:

• Wicks bt Aiton -26tp +26tp +16tp +26tp
• Patel bt Maugham +13otp +8tp -26tp +26tp
• Fulford bt Cumming +26sxp -26tp +16sxp +26sxp
• Bamford bt Kirby +24tp +26sxp +17qp