Open Doubles Final commentary

[<<] [>>] by Andrew Gregory at Surbiton
11th July 2011 (AC - Championships)

The Doubles final will be starting shortly. Maugham's still in mufti. The final will be regular Advanced (not super) best-of-3. The Z final will be single game SuperAdvanced Patel v Death.

15:53

We've had the presentation of trophies so far earned. Reg won the Solomon trophy for peeling.

39/48 players completed TPs (or better) during the event.

Rutger's turned up.

16:06

	David "The Beast" Maugham		Mark "The Muppet" Avery
	Reg Bamford		Rutger Beijderwellen

16:07

16:09

G1T1 David Maugham Blue to 3y WSW of peg.

G1T2 Reg Bamford Red 13y N of 4th corner.

G1T3 Mark Avery Black misses Red from A-baulk.

G1T4 Rutger Beijderwellen makes target from B-baulk. Misses.

16:12

G1T5 Mark makes hoop 1 off Blue, with Yellow at 2. Would normally go round, but he's still not feeling 100%....

16:20

G1T5 Mark still going. He's left Yellow on the West wire of 1-back.

Lively debate as to relative merits of chocolate cake v coffee and walnut on offer at teatime. Both v good, anyway.

I should thank Dave Kibble for his recent work in making this sort of commentary a lot easier to do from my point of view. If there are any comments that our readers would like to make about the look of the commentary, especially the graphics, please email webmaster#croquet.org.uk

16:24

G1T5 Mark: Black to 4-back. Red in NSL position at hoop 4 (ie wired from A-baulk but rushable to 1). With Yellow where it is this is known as an MSL (Maugham Standard Leave). Leaves rush into lawn from 10y N of 4th corner.

16:24

16:27

Reg and Rutger are in the hut near 3rd corner (we're on lawn 2 still). They emerge. Eyeing up a target from A-baulk. No...

G1T6 Reg lifts Red to 3rd corner. Snicks Blue (23y).

16:30

G1T6 Reg (Red) rushes Black to 1. Makes hoop. Has break. I presume this pair will be unable to resist 1-back tactics.

16:34

G1T6 Reg has all the balls for a TPO, if he wants to...

On lawn 3 Rothman seems to be on a standard TP.

16:37

G1T6 Reg (Red) peels Black into jaws of 4-back after 3. Could be having the "NZTPO" tactics - one peel then a 1-back leave.

16:42

G1T6 Reg (Red) rushes Yellow North after 4. Rush-peels 4-back. A source indicates that it will be a 1-back leave. Reg is making 5 off Blue with Black and Yellow floating around 6.

16:50

G1T6 After 6 Reg (Red) rushes Black 4y shy of 1. Blue is 1yW of hoop 1. Crosswire not trivial. Red leaves Black 5y NE of hoop, Blue 4y SW of hoop. Is cross-wire good? Reg gives partner thumbs-up. Yellow is 2y SW of 3rd corner, Red 2y NE of hoop 3.

Y doubles final: Cumming & Rothman beat Murray & Hopgood +4tp(R) -8otp(R) +26p(R)

16:50

pen

16:52

G1T7 Dave (Blue) at Red (31y). Misses.

17:01

We're inviting bets as to: number of balls on lawn at end of turn; also location of red clip. My hunch is that Rutger will overcommit to the sxp and break down.

G1T8 Rutger Yellow roquets Blue. Croquets Blue 5y SE of 2. Red is poised at 1-back. Yellow makes 1 off Black, with forward rush. Black croqueted to 3, he's trying the peel before 2. Red goes through to 5y S of 2-back (!). Yellow has rush on Blue to 2. Makes hoop, has Eastward rush (not what he wanted). Rushes Blue 7y E of Black. Blue croqueted 2y E of 2-back. Makes 3 off Black.

17:13

G1T8 After hoop 3 Rutger (Yellow) rushes Black 3y E of 1st corner. Black is croqueted 4y E of hoop 1 (not in Blue's way!). Attempts 1 yard 2-back peel going to Blue. Red bounces off far wire to 18" East of hoop. Yellow rushes Blue near enough to 4. After 4, rushes Blue 9y E of 1st corner. Blue croqueted 2' E of hoop 6. Yellow not close enough to Red, clubs it beyond peeling posi. Should he / shall he switch to DPO? Red is croqueted 3y W of 5. Rushes Black 8' SSW of 5. Takes off to hoop, almost too far but OK. Roquets Red to between 1 and 5. Takes off to Black. Rushes Black 5' W of 6, rolls it into peeling posi for penult. Blue croqueted 3y W of 6. Yellow runs 6.

17:17

Sorry i'll try to update more often.

G1T8 Rutger (Yellow) peels Black into jaws of penult going to Blue. Rushes Blue to 1-back. Makes hoop, roquets Blue toward N bdry. Blue croqueted to 4' NW of 3-back. Yellow rush-peels Black to 1y SW of peg.

17:20

G1T8 Rutger Yellow is for 2-back. He's thinking, presumably as to whether he can squeeze in another peel or two on Red. He croquets Black S of 2-back, rushes Red to hoop (but not in front). Approaches hoop. Roquets Red in hoop-stroke. Red is 1y NW of Black. More thinking.

17:25

Reg is on the lawn. There's an awful lot of pointing going on.

Z final: Death beat Patel +11qpo

17:31

At least 5 minutes since the last stroke.

G1T8 Rutger (Yellow) stops Red to 1y NW of rover, roquets Black. Black is croqueted 2y W of rover. Yellow makes 3-back off Blue, has rush toward rover. Rushes to 3y WNW of rover. Stops Blue 1y SE of 2-back. Tries to rush Black to peeling posi at rover. Gets rover peel with rush on Red to 4-back.

17:34

G1T8 Rutger (Yellow) rushes Red 1y NNW of 4-back. Makes hoop, has rush pointing South (and a bit West). Rushes it 4y E of 2-back. More thinking.

17:40

G1T8 Rutger (Yellow, now for penult) croquets Red to 1yNW of rover. Rushes Black to Blue, Blue to 3y beyond of penult. Crowd wonders if a POP on Blue for the Clips is in order. Yellow approaches penult with Blue between peg and rover. Runs hoop, rushes Red to S bdry. Croquets Red to almost touching peg, rushes Black, makes rover off Blue.

17:44

G1T8 Blue is croqueted halfway between hoops 1 and 2. Reg and Rutger are having a tactical discussion by standing on different parts of the lawn. They're currently twenty yards apart. Yellow pegs out Black. Rushes Red off middle of E bdry. Takes off back to peg. Pegs out Yellow.

17:45

box

17:46

G1T9 Dave Blue takes contact off Red. Rolls to 10' position. Red is 5y SE of 2. Runs hoop 1 by 3 yards. Blue misses Red (15y).

17:47

box

17:49

G1T10 Reg Red takes 5' posi at 2-back.

G1T11 Dave overhits posi at 2 - 3y hoop.

G1T12 Reg runs 2-back. Takes 4' posi at 3-back.

G1T13 Dave runs 2. Thinks. Goes off 8y E of 2nd corner.

17:49

box

17:51

G1T14 Reg takes 9" posi at 3-back.

G1T15 Dave declares.

G1T16 Reg takes 4" posi at 3-back.

G1T17 Dave declares.

G1T18 Reg now almost in jaws.

17:55

G1T19 Dave declares.

G1T20 Reg runs 3-back to 5' W of 4-back. Discussion. Red to 14y S of 2nd corner.

The ROT is looking up the Impasse rules.

17:56

box

17:57

G1T21 Dave Blue hits Red. Rolls to 3 - 3 yards short. Red is 6y NNW of 4. Takes non-wired 2 yard posi.

17:59

G1T22 Reg Red to just S of 2nd corner.

G1T23 Dave Blue to 1' posi at 3.

18:04

G1T24 Thinks... Reg (Red) is shooting at Blue (20y). Misses.

G1T25 Dave's turn to think. He runs hoop 3 first, then roquets Red (6y). My expert would have tried the roquet first. Good roll to 7' posi. Fails hoop. That was a chance.

18:04

box

18:10

G1T26 Reg Red hits 4-yarder, rushing Blue off 13y N of 4th corner. He's rolling to 4-back. Good stroke. Runs hoop to boundary, has rush to penult. Rushes to 2y SE of hoop. Grovels through hoop, just enough to have a go at Blue. The Ref is on. Hits Blue to 2' W of peg. Approaches rover. 15 degree hoop. Runs it to boundary. Hits 4-yarder.

Reg and Rutger Win Game 1 +10

18:11

Match Score
Bodger & Interesting	1	0	Beast & Muppet

18:12

	Rutger "The Bodger" Beijderwellen		Reg "Interesting" Bamford
	David "The Beast" Maugham		Mark "The Muppet" Avery

18:14

G2T1 Reg Black to 2y NW of 5.

G2T2 Dave Red misses Black 3y ESE of 2.

G2T3 Rutger Blue hits Black from end of A-baulk.

18:17

G2T3 Rutger has clipped Black SE of peg. Rolls to Red, has 5' rush. Cuts it 5y WNW of hoop 1. Overapproaches hoop. This looks tricky - 4' 45 degrees. Fails hoop. Mark has 4-yarder.

18:20

G2T4 Mark Yellow hits Blue to 7' W of hoop. Takes off to Red, rushes Red not well. Has 3-yard take-off approach. A little short, but it's good enough. Has break.

18:23

G2T4 Mark not looking happy out there, but plodding round. That's an excellent croquet stroke after 3, he's fully in control now.

18:27

G2T4 Mark has stuck in hoop 6 from nowhere, off Black.

18:27

18:31

Blue is at 2, Red at 1. That's the problem with early 2-back pioneers, not good when you break down.

G2T5 Reg and Rutger squinting by hoop 6. Black about 2" from Yellow. Can't believe if this isn't easy from one side, maybe Reg wants to hit the other. Ref is on also having a good look. Hits the South side, rush-peeling Yellow.

18:36

G2T5 Reg Black takes off to Red, makes 1. Now has full control after 2.

18:39

G2T5 Reg Black: how far will he go?

18:44

G2T5 Reg Black has just made 4, and has wandered off to consult with partner. It looks like a 1-back leave folks. The crowd is disappointed he didn't go for the LSPPO.

18:50

G2T5 Reg Black to 1-back. Red is 4' ENE of hoop 1; Yellow 8' WSW of hoop 1. Blue is 2yS of 3rd corner, Black 4' NE of hoop 3.

18:50

18:51

G2T6 Dave Red misses Blue (31y)

18:56

G2T7 Rutger Blue peels Black through 1-back before 2.

19:00

G2T7 Rutger Blue peels Black through 2-back before 4. The hoop 5 pioneer is 3y E of hoop 5.

19:06

G2T7 Rutger Blue has rushed Red 3ySE of 6 after 4, consults with Reg (dunno why?). Take off to Black short. Good roll sends Black 18" SE of 3-back, gets rush on Yellow. Makes 5, rushes Yellow to 4th corner. Yellow is croqueted 4' NE 1-back.

19:08

G2T7 Rutger Blue looking for spot to which to rush Black for 3-back. Rolls peel, ends up 7y from Red. Misses it.

19:09

19:12

Unclear why Rutger didn't get close to Red with the Roll shot.

Some of us will be here till the bitter end. Death is here till the end of the bitter.

G2T8 Dave Red misses Yellow (10y) to 2nd corner.

19:14

Black is 3y SE of 4-back, Blue 4yN of 1st corner.

G2T9 Black to 3rd corner.

19:17

G2T10 Mark Yellow hits Red (9y). Rolls up to 1-back. (One of my experts wanted a ladies' leave). Sticks in hoop. A reverse ladies' leave?

G2T11 Rutger Blue shoots at Yellow, missing.

19:22

Mark and Dave thinking. Dave has 9-yarder for ladies' sextuple (!)

G2T12 Mark: Yellow runs 1-back, rushes Red 4yE of 2nd corner. Yellow rushes Blue into 3rd corner for the cannon. Taking some time.

19:30

G2T12 We're not sure what's happened. Looks like Mark's had some sort of gentle worm, followed by some cut rush of Black which may have been some sort of fault. The ref is on. A fault has been called, i think. Balls are being replaced - do oppos want them replaced? Three players and ref are looking, Rutger wandering along S bdry. I think they're attempting a reconstruction. My expert thinks he's faulted Blue with his mallet. Still some handwaving. Seems jovial enough. The balls have been put back where they ended up after the faulty stroke.

19:30

19:37

The ref confides that it was concluded that Blue could have moved only due to Mark's mallet snicking it.

G2T13 Will Rutger remember his lift? No. Or maybe didn't want it? Blue roquets Yellow, croquets Yellow 4y E of 1-back going to Red. Roquets Red. Rolls Red 1y W of 4-back getting rush on Black to 6. (Black was 5y E of hoop 6.) Rushes Black to 6. Can attempt rush on Black for 4-back peel after 6. Clubs / undercuts it.

19:42

G2T13 Rutger Blue has optimistic peel attempt after 6. Leaves Red (2-back pioneer) 4' W of 4-back. Makes 1-back off Yellow. Rushes Yellow 2y E of 4-back. So no 3-back pioneer anywhere near 3-back either. Yellow is croqueted 4y W of 4-back. Black is peeled through 4-back. Rush to 2-back undercut: ends up 3y W of hoop. Reasonable approach, fails hoop.

19:43

pen

19:45

G2T14 Mark lifts Yellow. Presumably takes his 2 easy hoops and has powerful leave?

19:47

G2T14 Mark doesn't hit Blue gently enough, so has to do nasty little take-off approach. Fails 2-back.

19:48

pen

19:52

Can Rutger hit Yellow through hoop? no.

G2T15 Rutger Blue at Red (9y). Centre-ball. Black is 3ySE of 3-back. Croquets Red 4y E of peg getting rush on Black. Makes 3-back, rushes Black near 1st corner.

19:54

G2T15 Rutger Blue croquets Black to penult. Three turn NZSXP (or NedSXP?) still very much alive. Makes 4-back off Red with Yellow also at penult. Needs straight double peel to finish.

19:59

G2T15 Rutger Blue lining up straight slightly angled peel on Black. Irish peel, Black sails 6y past rover, Blue ends up in jaws of penult. Yellow is croqueted 2y SW of peg. Red rushed of S bdry behind Black. Rushes Black. Well he's made sure Black is on playing side of rover. Five-yard peel attempt coming up...

20:06

My expert's money is on Black off the lawn! (Not literally.)

Rutger's professionalism leads him to ask that a chair in front of the hut is moved so he can see the wires of rover clearly.

G2T15 Rutger Blue fails to peel Black, which bounces off 4' to West of hoop. Reg is on lawn again. Blue runs hoop to bdry. (Crowd constructing unlikely ways to finish this turn.) Red is rushed to middle of W bdry. Takes off to Yellow, cuts it to 4y SE peg. Reg back on lawn.

20:08

G2T15 Rutger Blue takes off to Black, cuts it to 2nd corner. Leaves rush for Black pointing South.

20:08

peg

rov

20:10

G2T16 Dave lifts Red to B-baulk. Hits Black (13y), cutting it S of Blue.

20:14

I have had an email from Martin Stephenson:

"Was at Kings Cross when Mark stuck in 6. Am now in W Riding of Yorks".

G2T16 Dave Red has made 1, attempting 2-back peel after 1. Yellow ends in front of hoop. Big roll coming up from near 5. Blue is close to 3, Red going toward 2nd corner... and it's just off the lawn.

20:15

peg

rov

20:20

Sorry darts fans: i need to report Phil C beat James D 3-2 3-2 3-0. Phil had a 174, but also choked on a 180.

G2T17 Reg has to doff his tracksuit. Coming to look at Yellow. Black roquets Red, takes off to Blue, which is just SE of hoop 3. Takes off into wire - can just nick Blue. He's taking off to Yellow. Ends up 1y NW of Yellow.

20:24

G2T17 Reg Black bounces Yellow off wire of 2-back to 3y NW of rover! Only the World no. 1 can do 120 degree cut rushes! We think Reg owes hoop-setter a pint for the nice firm 2-back. Runs rover to bdry. rushes Yellow to middle of East bdry. Take-off to Blue. Rush to within 2y of peg.

20:25

Bamford & Beijderwellen beat Avery & Maugham +10 +18

20:25

Match Score
Bodger & Interesting	2	0	Beast & Muppet

20:26

Apparently I can go home now. If you have been, thanks for following.

Jul 11 00:13

And now I am home, I shall rectify my error in not thanking Phil Cordingley for all the graphics. Thanks Phil! Thanks also to Dave Kibble for all his work on the commentary interface.

And so to bed.