[<<] [>>] by Michael Poole & Frank Hughes at Sussex County Croquet Club
25 May 2012 (AC - Longman Cup)

Canterbury beat Sussex 5-2 on Friday 25th May at Southwick

Results

(Canterbury names first)
Frank Hughes(11) and Yvonne Hill(12) beat David Gillett(6) and Steve Lewenden(14) +1T
Michael Poole(6) lost to Alan Theobald(7) -4
Brenda Porrer(14) beat Richard Jackson(3.5) +1T
Michael Poole(6) beat Richard Jackson(3.5) +12
Frank Hughes(11) beat David Gillett(6) +1T
Yvonne Hill(12) beat Alan Theobald(7) +5
Brenda Porrer(14) lost to Steve Lewenden(14) -4

The match was far closer than the score suggests. In the morning Canterbury's Brenda Porrer was one point ahead of Richard Jackson when time was called after 3.5 hours.

In the other singles Michael Poole, for Canterbury, and Alan Theobold both had chances to clinch a close-fought game but it was Theobald who triumphed. In the doubles Yvonne Hill and Frank Hughes fought a dour battle with Sussex pair David Gillett and Steve Lewenden. With minutes to go before time Hill ran a tough hoop to give the visitors a 2-1 lead at lunch.

In the afternoon Jackson's decision to attack Poole's balls when they close and on the boundary proved fatal. Jackson usually failed to hit in, leaving Poole chances to make breaks and take the game 26-14.This left Canterbury needing to win only one of the last three singles to go through. With around half an hour to go they looked capable of winning them all.

Hughes seemed to have his match against Gillett secure but two late errors narrowed his victory, on time, to one point. Hill avenged Poole's morning defeat by beating Theobald 26-21 but Porrer narrowly lost to Lewenden.