[<<] [>>] by Ian Lines at Bowdon Croquet Club
26 Aug 2013 (AC - Championships)

A full field of 24 turned up to contest this year's North of England Championship at Bowdon. The weather was generally fine, with Monday providing clear blues skies and sunshine all day long. The lawns were running at about 11 seconds, and with a few slightly brown patches they could be a little tricky, particularly in the final where the hoops were set tighter than 1/32".

The big surprise in the main event was the excellent performance of Alan Mayne, the Bowdon Ground Manager, who beat David Walters 2-0, and then went on to beat Ian Lines 3-2 with his 'best day of croquet ever' - lots of long hit its, good croquet strokes, excellent rushes to hoops and few errors. Alan also managed to take a game off David Maugham in the semi-final (played super advanced).

The final between David Maugham and Simon Williams provided entertainment from 10am till 8.35pm, with the final game lasting over 3.5 hours (no idea how many turns - lots), including much cornering from David in a long tactical battle which amused the dwindling evening crowd. David eventually emerged as a worthy winner +26tp, -13otp, +17tp, -20tp, +3 as the light faded away.

Meanwhile the plate was being enjoyed by many, with Gabrielle Higgins losing out to Phillip Scarr in a two ball break competition play-off for the 8th spot in the plate knock-out. James Hopgood didn't play in the main event due to work commitments, but after losing his first plate game to a David Walters triple, James went on to win all his remaining games, beating Dave Kibble in the final to retain the plate and inch closer to David Maugham's tally of 18 plate (Class 3) wins.

Colin Irwin presented the Faulkner Cup to David and the Bowdon Cup to Simon. Thanks were also given to the entire catering team for the magnificent lunches and teas over the four days, to Alan Mayne for the excellent lawns, and to Barry Keen and Colin Irwin for setting the lawns and hoops.

Results and photos at www.bowdoncroquet.co.uk/

Main Event

Preliminary Round (best of 3)

David Maugham beat Tom Weston +18tp, +25tp

Simon Williams beat Richard H Smith +22tp, +24tp

Graham Gale beat Jerry Guest +25, +15tp

Kevin Beard beat Peter Balchin +18, +18

Debbie Cornelius beat Mike Sandler +16tp, +10tp

Sam Murray beat Barry Keen +2, +26

First Round (best of 3)

Ian Lines beat Phillip Scarr -9, +23, +17

Colin Irwin beat Gabrielle Higgins +10, +10

Alan Mayne beat David Walters +11, +17

David Goacher beat Brian Storey -5tp, +15, +25tp

Dave Kibble beat Chris Williams +22, -18tp, +26

Simon Williams beat Debbie Cornelius +26tp, +16

David Maugham beat Sam Murray +1tp, +20tp

Kevin Beard beat Graham Gale +17, -20, +19tp

Quarter Finals (best of 5)

Simon Williams beat David Goacher +17tp, +26tp, +25

David Maugham beat Colin Irwin +20tp, +25tp, +14tp

Kevin Beard beat Dave Kibble +25, -26tp, +17, +19

Alan Mayne beat Ian Lines +11, -6, +17, -26, +14

Semi Finals (best of 5)

David Maugham beat Alan Mayne +19tp, -12, +21tp, +10tp

Simon Williams beat Kevin Beard +3, -21tp, +9, +17

Final (best of 5)

David Maugham beat Simon Williams +26tp, -13otp, +17tp, -20tp, +3

Consolation Plate

Richard H Smith beat Tom Weston +12

Jerry Guest beat Peter Balchin +9

Phillip Scarr beat Mike Sandler +20

Brian Storey beat Tom Weston +17

Dave Kibble beat Richard H Smith +14

Chris Williams beat Jerry Guest +11

Gabrielle Higgins beat Mike Sandler +2

David Walters beat James Hopgood +7tp

Peter Balchin beat Francois Garcia +7 (t)

Tom Weston beat Barry Keen +4

Richard H Smith beat Phillip Scarr +14

Debbie Cornelius beat Brian Storey +7tp

Chris Williams beat Gabrielle Higgins +17

Graham Gale beat Sam Murray +5

James Hopgood beat Peter Balchin +21

Jerry Guest beat Mike Sandler +8

Phillip Scarr beat Francois Garcia +11

Gabrielle Higgins beat Barry Keen +26tp

David Goacher beat David Walters +3tp

Chris Williams beat Sam Murray +3tp

Barry Keen beat Mike Sandler +14

Phillip Scarr beat Graham Gale +7tp

James Hopgood beat Colin Irwin +24tp

Debbie Cornelius beat Tom Weston +24

Dave Kibble beat Peter Balchin +24

Richard H Smith beat Brian Storey +5

Gabrielle Higgins beat Sam Murray +25tp

Tom Weston beat Peter Balchin +25

David Walters beat Barry Keen +22tp

Francois Garcia beat Mike Sandler +5

Colin Irwin beat Brian Storey +26tp

David Goacher beat Jerry Guest +3

James Hopgood beat Chris Williams +2tpo

Dave Kibble beat Graham Gale +16

Debbie Cornelius beat Phillip Scarr +16

Gabrielle Higgins beat David Walters +14

Ian Lines beat Richard H Smith +10

Brian Storey beat Jerry Guest +25

James Hopgood beat Graham Gale +6

Mike Sandler beat Peter Balchin +7

Colin Irwin beat Dave Kibble +17tp

Barry Keen beat Francois Garcia +26

Chris Williams beat Phillip Scarr +26

Ian Lines beat Gabrielle Higgins +26

Sam Murray beat Tom Weston +5

James Hopgood beat Jerry Guest +26

David Walters beat Richard H Smith +12

Brian Storey beat Graham Gale +14

David Goacher beat Debbie Cornelius +25

Barry Keen beat Peter Balchin +19

Phillip Scarr beat Colin Irwin +6

Graham Gale beat Peter Balchin +20

Colin Irwin beat Mike Sandler +10

Gabrielle Higgins beat Francois Garcia +25tp

Sam Murray beat Richard H Smith +20

Ian Lines beat Peter Balchin +26tp

Jerry Guest beat Barry Keen +4

Phillip Scarr beat Brian Storey +19

Graham Gale beat Mike Sandler +17

Jerry Guest beat Francois Garcia +26tp

Gabrielle Higgins beat Brian Storey +26tp

Colin Irwin beat Richard H Smith +17

Debbie Cornelius beat Sam Murray +4

Phillip Scarr beat David Goacher +1 (t)

Quarter Finals of Plate

James Hopgood beat Phillip Scarr +26tp

David Goacher beat Ian Lines +26tp

Chris Williams beat Alan Mayne +7

Dave Kibble beat Debbie Cornelius +5

Semi Finals of Plate

James Hopgood beat David Goacher +17

Dave Kibble beat Chris Williams +11

Final of Plate

James Hopgood beat Dave Kibble +19tp

SUMMARY

David Maugham (-2) 13/16 12 tp, 1 otp

Kevin Beard (-2) 8/13 2 tp

Simon Williams (-2) 12/16 6 tp,

James Hopgood (-2) 8/9 3 tp, 1 tpo

Ian Lines (-1.5) 7/12 1 tp

David Walters (-1.5) 3/7 2 tp

David Goacher (-1.5) 6/12 3 tp

Chris Williams (-1.5) 6/10 2 tp

Colin Irwin (-1.5) 6/11 2 tp

Gabrielle Higgins (-1.5) 6/10 4 tp

Dave Kibble (-1) 8/14 1 tp

Brian Storey (-1) 4/11 1 tp

Alan Mayne (-1) 6/12

Phillip Scarr (-0.5) 7/13 1 tp

Debbie Cornelius (-1) 6/10 3 tp

Graham Gale (-0.5) 6/12 1 tp

Sam Murray (0) 4/10

Richard H Smith (0) 3/10

Tom Weston (0) 2/8

Jerry Guest (1.5) 4/10 1 tp

Mike Sandler (2.5) 1/10

Francois Garcia (2.5) 1/6

Barry Keen (7) 3/9

Peter Balchin (5) 1/11