Philip Brabazon won the Ramsgate Handicap Weekend
[<<] [>>] by Philip Brabazon
6-7 Jul
2002 (AC - Handicap)
Fourteen players including visitors from Medway, Compton, Dulwich, Parsons Green, Nottingham and Brussels were given a warm welcome by Ramsgate for the handicap weekend event.
Although overcast, the rain made just one fleeting appearance and even the usual brisk breeze posed a challenge on Sunday afternoon only. Amongst the field was Dennis Shaw, a founder of Ramsgate but now playing out of Compton, who thanked his opponents for giving him such a restful weekend as he accepted the wooden spoon. That Croquet can be a cruel game was brought home to Farook Malik. Having pegged out his opponent's (Jeremy Hackett) green and with brown for Rover, he was allowed to edge his second ball one hoop at a time on its second circuit as Jeremy preferred to lurk on the boundaries rather than take a shot. Just as Jeremy was about to realise the riskiness of his 'safe' strategy, Malik missed a short roquet after surprising his opponent and delighting the audience by taking the last three hoops in a single break, giving Jeremy a do-or-die half lawn shot that he pulled off and from which he exited for victory.
Come Sunday afternoon the various debates over what methods a manager can use to determine a winner in the event of a draw were academic as Philip Brabazon was the sole competitor to come through the Swiss format on five wins out of five, with David Tester in the runner-up spot. Praise must go to Mary Currie (Manager) and Roy Ware (Secretary) for the smooth running of the event and to the Ramsgate members who laid on the appetising and ample lunches and teas.