New club - new competitions - not so new cups

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Lining up the pegout

On a warm August Bank Holiday Saturday the new Frinton Croquet Club held an Association Croquet Tournament to delight members. The cups on offer, for the first time ever, were the Founders Cup (for Doubles) and the Coaches Cup (for singles). The tiny solid silver cups had been found in the darker recesses of the Frinton Lawn Tennis Club committee room - and as it turned out dated back to pre-second world war. One member put it that they weren't big enough - another added yes but clearly they are excellent quality.

Even for a new club the croquet being played was excellent quality too with the John and Susie Anderson doubles team seemingly at war with one and other but outplaying Ann Evander and Gillian Greenslade to win the Founders Cup. John being one of the coaches in the club even demonstrated a full roll to ill effect digging a hole in the lawn in the process (and he is not meant to be a rabbit).

The singles competition comprised of a crowded field with lots of exciting play. First year novice player Samantha Flaherty coming back from a couple of months away due to illness played some really good shots demonstrating her mastery of the play, if not mastery of the strategy yet - she will be one to watch in the future. Roger Mansfield was unlucky to be drawn against an on form Richard Everett but showed good hoop running ability equally Rita Smith also showed exemplary hoop running in her match against Susie Anderson.

The final between Ann Evander and Richard Everett was a keenly anticipated match by the (international) crowd with Richard taking a commanding very early lead with one of his clips on rover and the other pegged out. Ann then really got into gear. With her clips on hoops One and Three, with only 3 balls left on the lawn, every hoop she scored gained a bigger and louder applause from the crowd. At one point she did let Richard in but he missed the long shot. Ann then got back in again and got her front ball to rover. The crowd was ecstatic with comments such as "that will worry Richard" ringing across the lawn. Eventually the partisan crowd did not get its wish with Richard Everett taking his last ball to the peg.

The first ever awarding of the new croquet trophy's were then presented with Richard Everett winning the singles Coaches Cup and Susie and John Anderson winning the doubles Founders Cup. Judging by the raucous nature of the crowd a good time was had by all.