Maui Croquet Club News in 2003

CROQUET NEWS: MacRobertson Shield Won by Great Britain

18 November - 3 December 2006
Rich River Croquet Club, Moama, New South Wales, AU
Shepparton Croquet Club, Shepparton, Victoria, AU
compiled by Leo Nikora
scores by Australian Croquet Association
statistics by Chris Williams

Rank	Player
#1	Robert Fulford
#3	Chris Clarke
#4	David Maugham
#5	Johnathan Kirby
#6	Aaron Westerby
#8	Bruce Fleming
#10	Keith Aiton
#13	Ian Dumergue
#16	Paddy Chapman
#19	Martin Clarke
#20	Brian Wislang
#23	Jerry Stark
#26	Harley Watts
#28	Mark Avery
#30	Stephen Forster
#37	Robert Lowe
#43	Trevor Bassett
#53	Danny Hunneycutt
#66	Greg Bryant
#74	Shane Davis
#78	Rich Lamm
#84	Damon Bidencope
#92	Jeff Soo
#104	Bob Cherry

The 19th MacRobertson Shield, held at the Rich River Croquet Club and Shepparton Croquet Club, was won by Great Britain. Great Britain beat all three other countries, and won a total of fourty three matches.

Tests	Great Britain	Australia	United States	New Zealand
Great Britain	1st	19-2	9-2	15-6
Australia		2nd	14-7	11-10
United States			3rd	13-8
New Zealand				4th

The United States beat New Zealand to come in third. The United States won a total of twenty two matches.

Matches	Great Britain			Australia			New Zealand
United States	Fulford	Maugham		Fleming	M. Clarke		Westerby	Chapman
Stark	–20sxp, –16sxp	–17tp, –17tp	Stark	–17tp, –11tp	–2, –26	Stark	–24tp, +3otp, +26tp	+26tp, –26tp, +26
Soo	+26tp, –26sxp, –26sxp	–17tp, –25tp	Hunneycutt	–2, +8tp, –26tp	–4tp, +26tp, –26tp	Soo	+26, +26	–26tp, –26tp
	C. Clarke	Aiton		Bassett	Watts		Bryant	Davis
Hunneycutt	+21tp, –26, +26tp	–24tp, –25	Bidencope	+7, –20tp, +26tp	+17, –26tp, –11tp	Hunneycutt	–16, +15, +17	+15tp, +16tp
Bidencope	–26tp, –22tp	+17, –26tp, –26tp	Soo	+19tp, +17	+17, +26	Bidencope	–10, +9, +5tp	–20tp, +13, +11
	Kirby	Avery		Forster	Dumergue		Wislang	Lowe
Lamm	–6, –18	–26tp, –26tp	Lamm	+26tp, +5	–17tp, –26tp	Lamm	+12tpo, –26, –19	+26tp-0, –24tp, +7tpo
Cherry	–5, +23, –26tp	–5tp, –24	Cherry	–14tp, –23	+17tp, –26tp, –26tp	Cherry	+13, +26	–17tp, +23tp, +3tp

Matches	Great Britain			Australia			New Zealand
United States	Fulford C. Clarke	Aiton Kirby	Avery Maugham	Fleming M. Clarke	Dumergue Watts	Bassett Forster	Lowe Wislang	Bryant Davis	Chapman Westerby
Hunneycutt Cherry	–14, –26sxp(F)	+15, –26tp(A), –22	–26qp(A), +26tp(H), –26tp(A)	+26, –24, –14	–23, –26	+17, –20, –26	–17tp(L), –26tp(L)	+26tp(H), +16tp(H)	–7, –6
Soo Lamm	+26tp(L), –15, –12tpo(C)	–26tp(K), –26tp(A)	–7, –26tp(M)	+17, –17tp(F), –12tp(F)	+10, +17tp(L)	+8, +11	+22tp(S), +16	+26, –9tpo(D), +11otp(B)	+21, –25, –8
Stark Bidencope	–12tpo(F), –24tp(C)	+26tp(S), –15tp(A), +26tp(S)	–26tp (A), –14otp(S)	–25, –13tp(F)	+12, –17, –5tp(W)	+21tp(B), +17tp(S)	+2, –26tp(L), –17tp(L)	+8tp(B), –17tp(B), –23tp(D)	–12tpo(C), –26tp(C)

For results of other country matches, see Croquet Records Site.

Statistics

                 Total               Singles           Doubles
               Matches   Games    Matches  Games    Matches Games
              P W   L   P  W  L   P W L   P  W  L   P W L   P  W  L
 1 ClarkeC   15 14  1  33 29  4   6 5 1  14 11  3   9 9 0  19 18  1
 1 Fulford   15 14  1  33 29  4   6 5 1  14 11  3   9 9 0  19 18  1
 3 Aiton     15 13  2  35 27  8   6 6 0  13 12  1   9 7 2  22 15  7
 4 Maugham   15 12  3  35 26  9   6 5 1  14 11  3   9 7 2  21 15  6
 5 Avery     15 12  3  34 25  9   6 5 1  13 10  3   9 7 2  21 15  6
 6 Kirby     15 11  4  36 23 13   6 4 2  14  8  6   9 7 2  22 15  7
 7 Fleming   15  9  6  37 21 16   6 3 3  14  7  7   9 6 3  23 14  9
 8 Westerby  15  9  6  39 21 18   6 4 2  17  9  8   9 5 4  22 12 10
 9 ClarkeM   15  8  7  38 20 18   6 2 4  15  6  9   9 6 3  23 14  9
10 Soo       15  7  8  35 18 17   6 3 3  13  7  6   9 4 5  22 11 11
11 Dumergue  15  7  8  35 17 18   6 3 3  14  7  7   9 4 5  21 10 11
12 Chapman   15  7  8  35 17 18   6 2 4  13  5  8   9 5 4  22 12 10
13 Watts     15  7  8  36 16 20   6 3 3  15  6  9   9 4 5  21 10 11
14 Lowe      15  7  8  37 16 21   6 3 3  16  8  8   9 4 5  21  8 13
15 Lamm      15  6  9  36 16 20   6 2 4  14  5  9   9 4 5  22 11 11
16 Bidencope 15  5 10  39 15 24   6 3 3  17  8  9   9 2 7  22  7 15
17 Forster   15  5 10  33 12 21   6 3 3  13  7  6   9 2 7  20  5 15
18 Wislang   15  5 10  35 11 24   6 1 5  14  3 11   9 4 5  21  8 13
19 Huneycutt 15  4 11  38 14 24   6 3 3  16  8  8   9 1 8  22  6 16
20 Davis     15  4 11  36 12 24   6 1 5  15  5 10   9 3 6  21  7 14
21 Bryant    15  4 11  37 12 25   6 1 5  16  5 11   9 3 6  21  7 14
22 Stark     15  4 11  36 11 25   6 2 4  14  4 10   9 2 7  22  7 15
23 Cherry    15  3 12  37 12 25   6 2 4  15  6  9   9 1 8  22  6 16
24 Bassett   15  3 12  35 10 25   6 1 5  15  5 10   9 2 7  20  5 15

Peeling
Chris Clarke   23  11tp 1tpo (D) 11tp (S)
Keith Aiton    21  9tp 1tpo (D) 10tp 1tpo (S)
Bruce Fleming  14  9tp (D)  5tp (S)
David Maugham  13  4tp (D) 7tp 1tpo 1sxp (S)
Robert Fulford 12  2tp 1sxp (D) 3tp 6sxp (S)
Mark Avery     12  5tp (D)  7tp (S)
Robert Lowe    11  4tp (D)  7tp (S)
Harley Watts   10  4tp 1otp (D) 5tp (S)
Aaron Westerby 10  1otp (D) 5tp 2tpo 2otp (S)
Paddy Chapman  10  2tp 2tpo (D) 5tp 1otp (S)
Danny Huneycutt 8  3tp (D) 5tp (S)
Shane Davis     8  2tp 1tpo (D) 5tp (S)
Greg Bryant     6  2tp 1otp (D) 1tp 1tpo 1otp (S)
Rich Lamm       6  2tp (D) 2tp 2tpo (S)
Ian Dumergue    6  6tp (S)
Jonathan Kirby  5  3tp (D) 2tp (S)
Jerry Stark     5  3tp (D) 2tp (S)
Martin Clarke   4  4tp (S)
Stephen Forster 4  1tp (D) 3tp (S)
Jeff Soo        4  1tp (D) 3tp (S)
Trevor Bassett  3  3tp (S)
Bob Cherry      3  3tp (S)
Damon Bidencope 3  1tp (D) 2tp (S)
Brian Wislang   2  1tp (D) 1tp (S)

GREAT BRITAIN v. USA, DAY 10 - DOUBLES (Shepparton)
by Phil Cordingley

GB complete their comprehensive win over the USA by winning two of the last three doubles for an overall 19-2 victory.

Robert Fulford came close to another two sxp win in his and Chris Clarke's match against Bob Cherry & Danny Huneycutt. With four peels done and everything under control in game 1, he inexplicably clanged 2b from what looked like about a foot dead in front. He made no such mistake in the second, completing a text book turn for his 5th sxp of the tournament. After Chris had made the 1b leave in the first, the Americans had claimed a wiring lift. The referee had used a mirror placed on the ground at 45 degrees to the vertical to conduct the test. After much speculation, we later learned that this was to avoid the referee having to get down inelegantly to ground level to sight the balls. Either that or Danny was worried his make-up had smudged.

After a somewhat scrappy first, Mark Avery and David Maugham took the second clinically for a straight games win over Rich Lamm and Jeff Soo, David completing an 8th turn tp.

Two triples from Jerry Stark in his and Damon Bidencope's match against Keith
Aiton & Jonathon Kirby gave the Americans a second consolation win in the last match to finish. The match was characterized by good play mixed with errors by all. Keith Aiton got the Brits back in the match with a triple at the second time of asking in the second, after Jerry had taken the first with one of his own. Jerry then took the match out to much applause from the locals after the Brits' shooting deserted them in the decider.

We had been receiving reports of a Kiwi fight back in the final six singles of their match against Australia. After our match finished everyone piled back to Rich River to see if they could do GB a favour by completing it, but in the end Australia clung on for an 11-10 victory. So after tomorrow's rest day the fate of the 2006 MacRobertson Shield will be decided, fittingly, by a straight showdown between the hosts Australia and the holders Great Britain. New Zealand and the USA will similarly fight it out for the wooden spoon, and with it the honour of rendering a version of their National Anthem to all assembled at the closing ceremony.

1. Chris Clarke & Robert Fulford beat Bob Cherry & Danny Huneycutt +14, +25sxp (F)

Game 1
1) Rob goes to II
2) Danny goes to optimum position on E boundary
3) Chris misses Danny from A baulk
4) Bob misses double from B baulk
5) Chris goes to 1b
6) Danny misses tea lady
7) Rob peels 1b before 2, 2b going to 4, 3b going to 6, 4b going to 2b. Peelee stays in jaws of 4b, Rob clangs easy 2b thinking about what to do about it
8) Danny goes to 4b with a spread
9) Rob misses long lift
10) Bob makes 1 & 2, gets hampered after 3 and misses sweep
11) Rob finishes from 2b & penult

Game 2
1) Bob lays standard E boundary ball
2) Chris goes to II
3) Danny misses partner from III to IV
4) Rob hits Bob from A baulk, fails to get a rush to 1 or roll up, joins partner in II
5) Danny hits opponents from 1 to II but clangs 1
6) Chris misses opponents at 1 from 2 into I
7) Bob hits 7 yarder at partner, makes 1, rushes partner to 2 but clangs it to cross wired position
8) Chris misses partner by IV from I
9) Danny misses opponents in IV from 2
10) Chris goes to 1b
11) Bob misses tea lady
12) Rob finishes (peels 1b before 2, 2b going to 4, 3b going to 6, 4b going to 2b, penult going to 4b, straight rover)

2. Mark Avery & David Maugham beat Rich Lamm & Jeff Soo +7, +26tp (M)

Game 1
1) Mark lays ss
2) Jeff goes to E boundary level with rover
3) David hits Jeff from A baulk but clangs 1
4) Rich hits 6 yarder from A baulk, goes to 4b with a 'B' spread (opponents balls open across peg). Croquets partner towards IV and goes to II.
5) Mark misses in II from B baulk
6) Rich lays up on E boundary by 4 with opponent balls at 1 & 3. Mark hits opponent on E boundary from 1, grovels through 1 and has to retire to E boundary near partner
7) Jeff hits partner on E boundary from 1, also grovels through it, but can hit escape ball. Jawses 4b peel after 3, grovels through 6 and has to hit escape ball. Does peel going to 1b anyway, but clangs 1b after overhitting longish approach short
8) David does spo, leaving partner (for 1) on E boundary with hoop 6 in way of roll up to 1b, himself in I
9) Jeff takes contact in I, but takes off the lawn N of Mark
10) Mark rushes to III, takes off to partner in I and leaves rush to 1
11) Jeff misses III to I
12) Mark gets going with good rushes to 2 and 3, but misses 3 yarder at hoop 4 pioneer, randomly finishing in the jaws
13) Jeff shoots at ball in jaws from 5, misses, but cannons off hoop to S boundary
14) Mark runs 4 from within jaws to S boundary, picks up Jeff and finishes

Game 2
1) Rich lays ss
2) Mark goes to optimum position on E boundary
3) Jeff misses Mark from B baulk
4) David misses Mark from A baulk
5) Rich misses opponents from ss position
6) Mark goes to 4b with an MSL
7) Jeff misses short lift
8) David runs hoop 1 by 18 yards, roquets hoop 2 pioneer and finishes

3. Keith Aiton & Jonathan Kirby lost to Damen Bidencope & Jerry Stark -26tp (S), +15tp (A), -26tp (S)

Game 1
1) Keith lays ss
2) Damon hits from I, croquets Keith towards II and goes to IV
3) Jonathan misses partner from B baulk
4) Jerry hits opponent double from B baulk, rolls off 1 from 8 yards, but clangs 2 after backward take off approach
5) Jonathan clangs 1 to W boundary off partner
6) Jerry misses partner 3 yards E of 4 from 2
7) Jonathan misses 8 yarder at partner
8) Damon goes to 4b with an MSL
9) Keith lifts ball on 2 and misses short lift
10) Jerry finishes

Game 2
1) Damon lays ss
2) Keith joins 2 yards E of ss
3) Jerry misses to level with penult
4) Jonathan hits 11 yarder from B baulk, goes to 4b, popping Damon to 2. Misses 4 yard rush on partner after laying spread
5) Jerry hits 6 yarder at the peg, rolls off 1 from 8 yards, but just grovels through. Hits hoop 2 pioneer, makes 2 and rushes escape ball into penult. Recovers and goes to 4b with an MSL
6) Jonathan misses short lift
7) Damon clangs 2 on Keith
8) Keith makes 1 with standard tp laid, but misses 3 yard return roquet after 2
9) Jerry lays up with rush between 1 and W boundary, opponent hoop 3 ball 4 yards N 4 and 4b ball 3 yards W of 2
10) Jonathan misses partner at 4 from 2
11) Damon clangs 2 on Keith again, but this time wired from him
12) Keith misses partner by 3 from 2 to E boundary
13) Damon runs 2 and misses double at 3
14) Keith finishes, with gratuitous combination peg out

Game 3
1) Keith lays long ss
2) Damon misses ss from I, going partially cross pegged
3) Jonathan misses partner from A baulk to 9 yards off B baulk towards 2
4) Jerry misses 9 yarder from B baulk to W boundary by 1
5) Keith misses partially cross pegged ball, bouncing off peg to 5 yards from partner
6) Damon hits 10 yarder from peg towards 2, goes to 4b with spread
7) Jonathan hits 4 taking short lift, staying by it
8) Jerry cuts partner to 4 yards E of 1, takes off back to ball by 4, sends it to 2 getting rush on peg ball to 1. Finishes.

GREAT BRITAIN v. USA, DAY 9 - SINGLES (Rich River)
by Phil Cordingley

The rout pretty much continues with GB winning the second series of singles 5-1 to take an overall 17-1 lead into the last day of doubles at Shepparton tomorrow.

The unlucky loser was Chris Clarke, whose shooting went off the boil as Danny Huneycutt made the most of his chances and luck to come from behind, Chris failing to take croquet after winning the first game with a tp. Neither player's shooting sparkled at the start, as game 1 reached the 7th turn before anyone took croquet. But thereafter Danny hardly missed a shot and Chris never hit.

Keith Aiton similarly came from behind in his match against Damon Bidencope, Damon taking croquet just once as Keith rattled off 5th and 6th turn tps in games 2 & 3. It was marvellous to see how, despite the obvious tension of being at 1-1 in a MacRob singles, the players were able to relax and enjoy a leisurely lunch before resuming hostilities.

Robert Fulford's imperious progress continued with another two sextuple victory, this time over Jerry Stark. Against any other opponent, Jerry's play would have given him every chance, as he hit the tea lady in game 1 and had a third turn ball round in game 2. Unfortunately for him the sliver he left in his own cross wire at one was enough for Robert to regain the innings and ultimately win the first, and Rob just hit on the 4th turn in the second, finishing from 1 & 1b on the 6th.

Jeff Soo struck first blood by having a 4th turn ball round in game 1 against David Maugham on the bowling green, but thereafter David had it pretty much his own way with two tps in a 17 turn victory.

As in his singles in the first series, Bob Cherry had the majority of play in game 1 against Mark Avery, the latter not taking croquet until he hit the last lift on turn 14. After one false start, Mark finished in two turns, 20 minutes after his doubles partner's match had finished. Game 2 looked like being pretty much a carbon copy until Mark bumped into peelee after the straight rover peel. Narrowly failing to peg out through 5, he finished next turn when Bob left a ten yarder for his single ball at the peg, which he nailed.

Plenty of errors on both sides in Jonathan Kirby against Rich Lamm in the sandpit, but Jonathan sticks to the task well and emerges victorious in straight games.

In the evening, the British team held its traditional (well, since 1993 anyway, we think) party to thank all the host officials, referees and helpers for all the voluntary effort that goes into making these events a success. It took the form of a barbie, with David Maugham stepping into the cook's shoes vacated by the absence this time of Colin Irwin, which he did magnificently.

1. Robert Fulford beat Jerry Stark +20sxp, +17sxp

Game 1
1) Rob lays ss
2) Jerry goes to optimum position on E boundary
3) Rob misses Jerry from B baulk to 6 yards S of ball
4) Jerry misses E boundary double
5) Rob hits 6 yarder, goes to 1b
6) Jerry hits tea lady, goes to 1b
7) Rob hits cross wire with forward ball, has a leave: opponent's hoop 1 ball on E boundary level with 3, 1b ball in II, Rob joined on S boundary behind 1
8) Jerry misses opponent from E boundary
9) Rob has stop shot approach to 1 off partner, after 1 rolls escape ball to 3 going to II. Thickish take off to get rush on peelee to 2, runs 2 hard to pick up ball just out of II. Finishes (peeling 1b going to 3, 2b going to 4, 3b going to 6, 4b going to 2b, penult going to 4b and rover straight)

Game 2
1) Jerry lays ss
2) Rob misses to 2 yards S of 2
3) Jerry hits from B baulk, goes to 4b with defensive leave
4) Rob hits from B baulk, goes to 1b popping Jerry to 2, leaving cross wire at 1 with hoop 2 ball 2 yards N of I
5) Jerry misses tea lady with hoop 2 ball
6) Rob finishes (peeling 1b before 2, 2b going to 4, 3b going to 6, jawses 4b going to 1b, penult going to 3b, and, despite rolling penult escape ball into rover pioneer trying to put it deep, rover straight)

2. David Maugham beat Jeff Soo +17tp, +25tp

Game 1
1) David lays ss
2) Jeff goes to E boundary just N of IV
3) David misses in IV
4) Jeff hits target in IV, goes to 4b, but fails to make a spread. Leaves David midway between 1 & 2, and just off mid point of E boundary, croquets hoop 1 ball to just out of II and goes to IV
5) David lifts ball W of peg and hits in IV. Goes to 4b, but fails to make an MSL, leaving ball on 2, ball just off mid point of E boundary and lays up tight in corner IV
6) Jeff misses in IV
7) David finishes

Game 2
1) Jeff lays standard E boundary ball
2) David goes to W boundary just S of II
3) Jeff misses partner from A baulk
4) David misses double from B baulk
5) Jeff tops rush to IV, fails to approach 1 off ball in IV, returns to partner on E boundary
6) David misses partner in II from 1
7) Jeff runs 1 but misses slightly hampered roquet at deep escape ball
8) David goes to 4b with an MSL
9) Jeff misses long lift
10) David finishes

3. Chris Clarke lost to Danny Huneycutt +21tp, -26, -26tp

Game 1
1) Chris lays standard E boundary ball
2) Danny lays 14 yard W boundary tice
3) Chris miss partner from III into IV
4) Danny misses tice to W boundary level with 2
5) Chris misses partner down E boundary from IV into III
6) Danny misses partner down W boundary into II
7) Chris hits 25 yarder at partner, fails to approach 1 off opponent ball, retires to partner on E boundary
8) Danny hits opponent on E boundary from1, approaches 1 and runs it to 2, hits partner in II, takes off to opponents, gets long angled 2 which he runs, makes 3 without a rush, tries to roll from II sending a ball to 5 getting a rush on a ball 3 yards NW of IV. Lands short and misses 7 yarder
9) Chris goes to 4b popping Danny to 3. Lays up tight in II with opponent's hoop 4 ball in IV, and hoop 3 ball on 2, un-rushable to 4
10) Danny misses in IV
11) Chris finishes

Game 2
1) Danny lays anti-Duffer
2) Chris dribbles to 2 yards out of II from B baulk
3) Danny hits Chris from B baulk, rolls to peg and partner and lays a rush
4) Chris misses partner at peg from A baulk
5) Danny goes to 4b with a spread
6) Chris misses long lift
7) Danny gets going. Tries to rush across for 4b peel after 6, but doesn't get position. Does 4b peel going to 3b, and penult straight to N of peg. Cannons peelee to rover, but gets stymied from escape ball after straight peel. Attempts to jump peelee, but doesn't really get off the ground, hits it, cannoning escape ball to S boundary. Fails split peg out attempt and pegs one ball out, leaving Chris a 7 yarder at peg ball
8) Chris misses 7 yarder
9) Danny pegs out

Game 3
1) Chris lays ss
2) Danny hits ss, fails to approach 1 with backward take off, dribbles to 6 yards E of peg
3) Chris misses partner from A baulk into II
4) Danny hits partner from A baulk, takes off to ball in II and gets in court rush! Misses 3 yard return roquet after 4, but hits ball in background! Goes to 4b with a spread
5) Chris misses partner at the peg
6) Danny gets the peels, but rushes peelee back into the jaws of rover retrieving it after 4b. Can just take off to penult, finishes

4. Keith Aiton beat Damon Bidencope -17, +26tp, +26tp

Game 1
1) Damon lays standard E boundary ball
2) Keith goes to II
3) Damon misses partner from A baulk
4) Keith hits opponent from A baulk, goes to 4b but croquets opponent ball off W boundary after 3b laying a spread
5) Damon gets going. Rushes escape ball into the jaws of 5 after 2, and takes off into the jaws of 4, but can still hit the ball there. Goes to 4b, leaving hoop one ball on rover, 4b ball 3 yards off W boundary level with penult, and lays reverse rush 3 yards N of IV
6) Keith lifts hoop 1 ball and misses short lift
7) Damon jawses posthumous rover peel and pegs one ball out
8) Keith lifts hoop 1 ball from just off mid point of W boundary and misses partner on E boundary just N of IV
9) Damon runs rover from within jaws to S boundary, hits target on E boundary and pegs out

Game 2
1) Keith lays ss
2) Damon misses from A baulk to N boundary 5 yards E of II
3) Keith hits Damon from B, goes to 4b with defensive leave
4) Damon misses from B baulk into IV
5) Keith finishes

Game 3
1) Damon lays standard E boundary ball
2) Keith goes to II
3) Damon hits partner from B baulk, takes off and croquets ball in II to partner, goes to just off mid point of W boundary
4) Keith hits from III, goes to 4b with a spread
5) Damon misses short lift, ricocheting off hoop 4 to E boundary level with 4b
6) Keith finishes

5. Jonathan Kirby beat Rich Lamm +6, +18

Game 1
1) Jonathan lays standard E boundary ball
2) Rich lays Duffer tice
3) Jonathan hits Duffer, takes off to partner getting a rush, but crashes it into 4. Rolls back to E boundary and leaves a rush
4) Rich hits partner at peg, makes 1 but fails to approach 2
5) Jonathan misses partner at 4 from 3
6) Rich goes to 4b with a spread
7) Jonathan misses long lift
8) Rich makes 1 and has a leave after failing to approach 2
9) Jonathan misses opponent on N boundary
10) Rich gets going, but runs hoop 4 hard and misses the pick up on the ball in IV
11) Jonathan makes 1 but doesn't get going and has a leave
12) Rich misses double at opponent on E boundary by 4 from near 6
13) Jonathan goes to 4b, but having had perfect control at 1b ends up with a modified OSL, with 'peg' ball just off mid point of E boundary
14) Rich lifts E boundary ball and misses short lift
15) Jonathan goes to the peg, with peelee doing a bit of Wylie 'fussing' around 4b without ever actual making it. Same leave as after first break
16) Rich lifts E boundary ball and misses short lift
17) Jonathan clangs 4b on Rich's 4b ball
18) Rich hits 7 yarder from 4b to penult, goes to peg and pegs Jonathan out, leaving hoop 5 ball in IV and peg ball on W boundary level with 6
19) Jonathan misses 12 yarder from peg to W boundary
20) Rich puts Jonathan 3 yards E of 2, lays up in IV with rush to 5
21) Jonathan misses in IV
22) Rich gets going, but clangs a long approach to 3b on partner. Jonathan lifts to A baulk, hits 9 yarder at ball in front of 3b and finishes from 4b

Game 2
1) Rich lays standard E boundary ball
2) Jonathan goes to II
3) Rich misses partner from A baulk
4) Jonathan hits opponent from A baulk but fails to approach 1 and retires to partner in II
5) Rich retires to IV from 1
6) Jonathan takes off to ball in IV, but sends strikers ball off by opponent on E boundary in subsequent croquet stroke
7) Rich lays up between 1 and W boundary with rush to 1
8) Jonathan hits opponent from 2, goes to 4b with a spread
9) Rich plays W boundary ball from where it lies, and misses target on E boundary
10) Jonathan goes to the peg, with more 'fussing', with a flattish spread
11) Rich hits long lift, goes round, but mis-approaches 3b and retires to IV
12) Jonathan plays peg ball, joined with opponent at peg. Lays up 3 yards out of II with rush to 4b, with opponent 3b ball 3 yards off midpoint of W boundary, hoop 1 ball in IV
13) Rich misses partner in IV from W boundary
14) Jonathan rushes partner to penult, takes off to IV to get a rush to 4b, makes 4b and finishes

6. Mark Avery beat Bob Cherry +5tp, +24

Game 1
1) Bob lays ss
2) Mark goes to midpoint E boundary
3) Bob misses Mark to 3 yards N IV
4) Mark misses ss from A baulk
5) Bob hits partner on E boundary from ss position, fails to approach 1 and has a leave
6) Mark misses from 1 to 2
7) Bob goes to 4b with a spread
8) Mark misses long lift
9) Bob fails to roll off 1 from 5 and joins partner by 2
10) Mark misses from 1 to 2
11) Bob has a leave
12) Mark misses 13 yarder
13) Bob goes to the peg with a spread
14) Mark hits lift but sticks in 1 on partner
15) Bob misses Mark at 1 from IV
16) Mark goes to 4b, fails attempt to leave peg ball on back of 1, has an OSL
17) Bob misses lift
18) Mark finishes

Game 2
1) Mark lays ss
2) Bob goes to midpoint E boundary
3) Mark misses from B baulk into IV
4) Bob misses partner from A baulk, leaving ball in contact
5) Mark misses target on E boundary from ss position
6) Bob makes 1 but clangs 2
7) Mark misses partner in IV from 2
8) Bob runs 2 and misses partner at 3
9) Mark goes to 4b with a spread
10) Bob misses short lift
11) Mark goes round but, having left escape ball N of rover, elects not to Irish straight rover peel from short range, and bumps into peelee trying to run hoop gently. Peg out attempt through 5 misses narrowly. Pegs one ball out
12) Bob hits ball by peg from midpoint W boundary, fails to get rush to 3, and rolls partner into 2 trying to lay up in II, lays up with it
13) Mark hits resultant 10 yard free shot at peg from 4.

GREAT BRITAIN V. USA, DAY 8 - DOUBLES (Shepparton)
by Phil Cordingley

GB wrap up the test against USA with two days to spare, sweeping the second series of doubles to take an unassailable 12-0 lead.

The major point of interest being who would score the winning point. Chris Clarke and Mark Avery were ante post favourites, on the assumption that their respective pairs would win relatively quickly, and they are their respective designated tpers. In fact it did become a race between the two, but only because Keith Aiton and Jonathan Kirby had finished first with back to back 26tps to put us 10-0 up.

Mark had first crack, but took three attempts to make hoop 1 before finally taking the decider with a tp against Bob Cherry and Danny Huneycutt. This after he had taken the first with a quad after David Maugham had inexplicably stuck in 3b on the first break, and Bob and Danny had gritted their way back with a Huneycutt tp in the second.

In the meantime, Chris needed no second invitation to complete his tp for a straight games win against Damon Bidencope and Jerry Stark to clinch the win.

After lunch half the team went off to a nearby fauna park to cuddle koalas. Unfortunately for them, most of the animals apart from the dingoes showed rather more sense by staying in the shade. So definitely a case of mad dogs and Englishmen and a couple of Scots out in the midday sun. (That joke ? P. J. Kirby).

1. Chris Clarke & Robert Fulford beat Damon Bidencope & Jerry Stark +12tpo (F), +24tp (C)

Game 1
1) Chris lays ss
2) Damon to just S of optimum position on E boundary
3) Rob misses Damon from B baulk to 6 yards S of ball
4) Jerry hits ss ball from A baulk, goes to 4b with an NSL
5) Robert hits long lift, makes 1 off 4b ball, rushes to S boundary, and croquets it into jaws of 4b! Has tpo, with Chris' ball in II, peg ball on E boundary by three, wired from roll to II
6) Damon takes contact from ball in II and rolls into lawn going to E boundary ball. Goes off S boundary trying to roll off 1
7) Chris misses partner 3 yards N of 6 from S of peg to N boundary
8) Damon goes to E boundary 3 yards N of peg high
9) Chris hits partner, rolls to S boundary just out of I and lays rush, boundary ball wired
10) Damon goes to IV
11) Chris rushes to E boundary and rolls to N boundary just out of II and lays rush to 1, boundary ball wired
12) Damon goes 4 inches N of IV
13) Rob taps partner & lays wired rush to 1
14) Damon adjusts in IV
15) Chris makes 1, lays up on N boundary with rush to 2
16) Damon goes to I
17) Chris makes 2 and lays up in III with rush to 3
18) Damon goes 4 inches N of I
19) Chris lays wired rush to 3
20) Damon deems
21) Chris rushes too close to 3, leaves wired rush by 3
22) Damon goes to N boundary 1 yard E of II
23) C makes 3 & 4 and stick on wire of 5
24) Damon nicks ball by peg from II, rolls off 1 from 5, but clangs 2, ending tight on wire
25) Chris joins partner N of 2
26) Damon goes to midpoint W boundary
27) Chris rushes to II and lays rush to 5
28) Damon goes to S boundary 1 yard E of I
29) Chris rushes to S boundary 4 yards E of I, takes off to get rush to 5, makes 5, rushes back to S boundary. Croquets ball to 2b getting rush to 6, makes 6 & 1b on 2 ball break, finishes

Game 2
1) Damon lays ss
2) Chris shoots hard and hits from A baulk. Croquets Damon to just out of II, and goes to IV
3) Jerry misses in IV, leaving double
4) Robert hits double in IV from A baulk, rushes to II. Goes to 4b popping Jerry to 3, with Damon's ball (for 1) in jaws of 2, Jerry in IV and laying a tight rush in II
5) Damon misses short lift in II
6) Chris finishes

2. Mark Avery & David Maugham beat Bob Cherry & Danny Huneycutt +26qp(A), -26tp(H), +26tp(A)

Game 1
1) Mark lays ss
2) Bob goes to optimum position on E boundary
3) David hits from B baulk, sticks in 3b from nowhere
4) Danny misses target of escape ball at 3b and ball on E boundary
5) Mark roquets partner, peels 3b going to balls on E boundary, finishes.

Game 2
1) Danny lays standard E boundary ball
2) Mark goes to W boundary 4 inches S of II
3) Bob hits partner from III, but takes off lawn 1 yard N of II
4) David misses in II
5) Bob gets cannon in II, rushes to S boundary, rolls off 1 and goes to 4b with a spread
6) David misses long lift
7) Danny rushes peelee to 2 feet in front of 4b after 4, gets 4b peel and finishes

Game 3
1) Mark lays ss
2) Danny goes to optimum position on E boundary
3) David misses from A baulk
4) Bob misses double from B baulk
5) David goes to 4b with an MSL
6) Bob misses long lift
7) Mark clangs angled 1 off partner
8) Bob misses Mark from IV to W boundary 3 yards N of I
9) Mark hits 10 yarder at partner, clangs 1 again
10) Bob misses 10 yarder at partner across peg.
11) Mark misses partner at 2 from 1 to N boundary
12) Danny hits 10 yarder from peg to 2, has a leave: opponents 2 yards off W boundary by 2 and 3 yards off E boundary by 4, but leaves a double on E boundary by 3
13) David hits the double from W boundary and has a leave
14) Danny misses partner near III from W boundary by 1
15) Mark finishes, with the aid of rolling of 2 from 3

3. Keith Aiton & Jonathan Kirby beat Rich Lamm & Jeff Soo +26tp(K), +26tp(A)

Game 1
1) Keith lays ss
2) Rich goes to optimum position on E boundary
3) Jonathan hits Rich from B baulk, fails 10 yard backward take off to 1, goes to midpoint W boundary
4) Jeff misses double from A baulk to N boundary behind 2
5) Jonathan hits 8 yarder at partner, rolls N boundary to directly in front of 1b getting rush on ball by 2 to 1. Makes 1, but gets cross wired from hoop 2 pioneer in front of 1b, and fails to hit it through hoop
6) Jeff rolls up to 1 from 5 yards on Keith but clangs
7) Keith goes to 4b with a reverse NSL, with a rush on W boundary 10 yards out of II, cuttable into the corner or to 2
8) Jeff lifts ball on 2, misses short lift but hits hoop 2 and finishing short of W boundary
9) Jonathan finishes with a standard tp

Game 2
1) Jeff lays ss
2) Keith goes to optimum position on E boundary
3) Rich misses Keith from B baulk to IV
4) Jonathan misses Keith from A baulk
5) Jeff misses opponents from ss position
6) Jonathan goes to 4b with a spread
7) Jeff hits opponents on E boundary from where he lay and clangs 1 again
8) Keith misses partner on E boundary from 2
9) Rich hits 5 yarder at partner, approaches 1 from S boundary and clangs on GB forward ball
10) Jonathan has a leave, opponents on W boundary by 1 and N boundary by 2, Keith with a rush to 1 on midpoint of E boundary
11) Jeff misses opponents on E boundary from N boundary
12) Keith hits hoop 6 putting out hoop 4 pioneer after 2, but finishes anyway

GREAT BRITAIN V. USA, DAY 7 - SINGLES (Rich River)
by Phil Cordingley

As with yesterday's doubles, GB swept the first series of singles 6-0 to take a 9-0 lead in their test against the USA. Such is the dominance of the GB team, the USA will need to win tomorrow's doubles at Shepparton by at least 2-1 to avoid overall defeat with two days and nine matches to spare.

The day started on a rather sombre note as Chris Clarke informed us that his Mother had, not unexpectedly, passed away overnight. Under the circumstances then Chris did well to maintain his concentration well enough to win his match against Damen Bidencope in fifteen turns, Damen failing to take the brief chance he had in the second.

Today saw arguably the highest quality match of the event to date, as Robert Fulford defeated Jeff Soo in three with two sextuples after Jeff had taken the first with a 5th turn tp, no croquet. This is the first time a Mac match has been won with two sextuples. Rob's sextuples looked as assured as most competitors' triples.

At the same time as Robert was finishing his second sextuple, Keith Aiton suffered the unkindest cut when, having completed the peels and run the hoops, his sextuple attempt failed in the second against Danny Honeycutt with a grievous! Shortly after Danny went off the lawn next to Keith in a croquet stroke for Keith to finish. Together with his tp in the first, this was a comfortable win for Keith.

It took David Maugham and Jerry Stark some time to get going in the match on the sandpit. Indeed of the first ten turns eight were without croquet, at which point the score was 1-0 to Jerry. Jerry then had a ball round, and after a couple of errors of his own, David finished in two turns. In a much better quality second, David clinched the match with a 6th turn tp after Jerry had hit the lift and had an equalising ball on the 5th.

Mark Avery is clearly right back to his best crunch 'em up Mac form, as he beat Rich Lamm in 12 turns, Rich managing just one croquet stroke, hitting on the second turn of game 2.

In a classic, nervy MacRob scrap, by the time Jonathan Kirby had taken the first in three hours and twenty minutes against Bob Cherry, Chris Clarke and Mark Avery had been finished their matches by very nearly two hours. The second only came in five minutes shorter, it taking Bob 100 minutes to get to rover and rover before Jonathan took croquet. Despite Bob's generosity in leaving two last shots of around 14 yards, Jonathan was unable to take full advantage as Bob equalised. But Jonathan showed no mercy as he won the decider with a seventh turn tp, no croquet to complete the day's rout.

1. Robert Fulford beat Jeff Soo -26tp, +26sxp, +26sxp

Game 1
1) Jeff lays ss
2) Rob goes to E boundary 4 inches out of IV
3) Jeff hits in IV, goes to 4b with defensive leave
4) Rob misses from B baulk into IV
5) Jeff rushes IV and gets a cannon after 2, finishes with a standard tp

Game 2
1) Rob lays ss
2) Jeff misses from I to level with penult
3) Rob misses from B baulk into IV
4) Jeff misses double from I into III
5) Rob plays ss ball, hits partner in IV, runs 1 to N of 2, rushes hoop 2 pioneer to 3, makes 2 off hoop 1 escape ball and goes to 1b
6) Jeff misses tea lady
7) Rob finishes

Game 3
1) Jeff lays ss
2) Rob goes to middle of E boundary
3) Jeff misses Rob from B baulk to 9 yards S of ball
4) Rob hits double from B baulk, goes to 1b, no pops
5) Jeff misses tea lady
6) Peels 1b going to 1, peelee ending up 2 yards in front of 2b. Peels 2b after 1, 3b before 4, jawses 4b going to 6, peels penult going to 4b, rover straight. Finishes

2. David Maugham beat Jerry Stark +17tp, +17tp

Game 1
1) Jerry lays ss
2) David goes to peg high on E boundary
3) Jerry misses David from B baulk to 9 yards S
4) David misses ss ball from A baulk
5) Jerry misses 9 yarder into III
6) David misses partner on E boundary from middle of N boundary
7) Jerry plays ss ball and hits David on E boundary. Fails to approach 1, joins partner in III
8) David misses partner on E boundary from 1
9) Jerry makes 1 and fails 2
10) David misses 10 yarder
11) Jerry goes to 4b with a spread
12) David hits long lift, rushes into peg on way to 1, rolls it off from hoop 5. Clangs 3
13) Jerry misses from 1 to 3
14) David makes 3 but misses 3 yarder on hoop 4 pioneer
15) Jerry hits with forward ball from 4 to 5 and has a leave
16) David plays hoop 1 ball and hits 18 yarder at partner on S boundary. Goes to 4b with an NSL
17) Jerry lifts 4b ball from hoop 4 and misses partner from A baulk into 2
18) David gets balls out for 4b peel before 6 and finishes

Game 2
1) Jerry lays ss
2) David goes to peg high on E boundary
3) Jerry misses David from A baulk
4) David hits double from B baulk and goes to 4b. Attempts NSL but fails to get hoop 4 ball wired from A baulk. Runs off to II for Southern Cross (hoop 1 ball on E boundary hampered from opponent ball on hoop 4, 4b ball in II, other opponent ball in standard NSL position SW of 2)
5) Jerry lifts hoop 4 ball and hits in II. Runs a 2 yard 45 degree hoop 1 and goes to 4b with an NSL
6) David lifts hoop 1 ball and shoots at target from A baulk, hitting the ball on hoop 4. Finishes

3. Chris Clarke beat Damen Bidencope +26tp, +22tp

Game 1
1) Chris lays standard E boundary ball
2) Damen goes to II
3) Chris dribbles to partner from A baulk
4) Damen misses in II.
5) Chris rushes directly to 1 and makes it. Taking croquet in corner II with a ball 3 inches away, fails to get a rush to 2 by bumping into it. Plays good stop shot approach and picks off 5 yarder after running 2. Goes to 4b with an MSL
6) Damen lifts ball on 2 and misses short lift
7) Chris clubs his hoop 4 pioneer into the peg, jawses 4b peel, but a good roll across going to 6 gets the standard tp back on schedule and he finishes

Game 2
1) Damen lays standard E boundary ball
2) Chris goes to II
3) Damen hits partner from A baulk, and has a dream leave by croqueting ball in II to partner
4) Chris misses from III into IV
5) Damen gets going but mis-approaches 3. Elects to shoot at Chris in IV rather than run to II. Misses
6) Chris goes to 4b, popping Damen's hoop 1 ball to 3. Lays up tight in II with ball in jaws of 2 and ball in IV
7) Damen misses in IV (thus denying himself a go at the Spooner error)
8) Chris does 4b peel with hoop 4 pioneer in IV and finishes

4. Keith Aiton beat Danny Honeycutt +24tp, +25

Game 1
1) Keith lays ss
2) Danny goes to E boundary wired from end of A baulk by 4
3) Keith misses Danny from A baulk
4) Danny hits double from B baulk, but misses hampered stroke after 2
5) Keith goes to 4b with a spread
6) Danny misses long lift
7) Keith rushes into peg going to 1. Goes to ball in IV and rolls to 1, escape ball hitting 5 and staying close. Runs 1 to 6 yards S of 2, but misses pioneer
8) Danny hits partner on S boundary from 5. Approaches short of 3 after getting rush on ball by hoop 2. Scatters escape ball to W boundary, joining 5 yards wide of partner by 4
9) Keith misses partner on W boundary from N boundary behind 2
10) Danny hits 5 yarder gently leaving it at 4, but fails 3b on Keith's backward ball
11) Keith finishes

Game 2
1) Danny lays ss
2) Keith misses from A baulk to level with penult
3) Danny misses Keith from B baulk to ?
4) Keith hits partner from B baulk and goes to 1b
5) Danny misses tea lady
6) Keith peels 1b before 1, makes 2 off peelee but peels 2b after 2, jawses 3b after 4, peels 4b with thik take off going to 1b pioneer S of the hoop, peels penult going to 3b. Irishes straight rover peel strikers ball ending up in the jaws but having run the hoop. Hits deep ball, cannons peelee to somewhere N of 1, takes off from rover to get a rush, has the grievous!
7) Danny lays up in I with Keith at 2 wired from the peg
8) Keith misses in I
9) Danny lays up just S of III
10) Keith misses from I into III
11) Danny lays up in I
12) Keith goes to midpoint of W boundary
13) Danny makes 1, rushes to W boundary, croquets partner to 3 but goes off lawn (just) by Keith
14) Keith finishes

5. Jonathan Kirby beat Bob Cherry +5, -13, +26tp

Game 1
1) Jonathan lays ss
2) Bob goes to optimum position on E boundary
3) Jonathan misses from B baulk going to 4 yards S of ball
4) Bob misses double from B baulk into IV
5) Jonathan gets hampered after 1, and bottom bevels sweep shot with two referees in attendance
6) Bob hits resultant double from 2. Roll approach to 2 hits wire hard but lands in jaws. Mis-approaches 5 and scatters escape ball, join 9 yard from partner by 6
7) Jonathan misses from 4 to 6 to N boundary just E of II
8) Bob hits partner and lays up in III
9) Jonathan corners in IV
10) Bob goes to 4b with a B spread, but joins up anyway
11) Jonathan misses 8 yarder, peg ball at partner
12) Bob sticks in 2b with 2 peels done
13) Jonathan plays hoop 1 ball and has spo, leaving hoop 2 ball on N boundary directly behind 2, peg ball in IV
14) Bob takes contact in IV and rolls to 5 feet in front of 2b. Runs it and rushes to W boundary. Rolls off 3b from there to 5 feet slightly angled, but clangs
15) Jonathan joins partner on N boundary behind 2
16) Bob takes position at 3b
17) Jonathan plays with peg ball, moves Bob and lays rush to 2 from N boundary
18) Bob goes to E boundary level with penult
19) Jonathan runs 2 and rushes just S of E boundary ball. Stops it a yard in and rushes to 3. Makes 3 and rushes to III plays split too wide, ending up with a Westward rush. Lays up in II
20) Bob hits from 5, rushes to W boundary level with 3b, fails to approach and takes position wired from escape ball
21) Jonathan hits partner on N boundary behind 2 with hoop 4 ball from 3b and finishes

Game 2
1) Bob lays standard E boundary ball
2) Jonathan lays Duffer
3) Bob hits Duffer, puts it to the peg and lays rush to it from optimum position on E boundary
4) Jonathan misses from II into IV
5) Bob just clips rush to 1, fails to roll it off and retires to partner by 2
6) Jonathan misses partner in IV from 1
7) Bob goes to 4b with a spread
8) Jonathan misses long lift
9) Bob's straight rover peel sticks on wire, strikers ball ending in un attemptable position. Runs off to II
10) Ball on rover un-rushable to 1, so Jonathan lays up with 5 yard join on W boundary by 1
11) Bob misses opponent from II, going into I
12) Jonathan misses 5 yard pick up in I
13) Bob rushes partner to 3 yards N of peg, attempts to approach rover putting partner 3 yards out of IV. Doesn't get position, so retires to IV
14) Jonathan hits partner 1 yard off N boundary behind 2 from I, goes to 4b with an MSL
15) Bob lifts ball on 4 and hits short lift. Stops Jonathan's 4b ball towards IV, rushes other ball to N boundary behind 2 and rushes partner to rover. Runs it, has posthumous peel and leaves rush to the peg by rover
16) Jonathan hits 14 yarder from E boundary to rover with 4b ball. Has a leave: Bob in front of 1 and 2 yards off midpoint E boundary, Jonathan rush to midpoint E boundary from N boundary behind 2
17) Bob misses partner from 1 to midpoint E boundary
18) Jonathan gets balls out for standard tp, scarifices rush in order to do 4b peel straight but only jawses. Mis-approaches 4 from 2 feet to the side. Scatters hoop 5 pioneer to N of 1 going to N boundary behind 2
19) Bob dribbles at partner at 3b from N of 1 and hits, knocking it wired from the peg. Rolls to S boundary, leaving Jonathan a 14 yard 'last' last shot for the second time
20) Jonathan runs 4b from in the jaws, misses partner behind 2
21) Bob finishes

Game 3
1) Jonathan lays ss
2) Bob goes to midpoint on E boundary
3) Jonathan misses from Baulk to IV
4) Bob misses partner from B baulk
5) Jonathan hits opponents from ss, goes to 4b with a spread
6) Bob misses short lift
7) Jonathan finishes

6. Mark Avery beat Rich Lamm +26tp, +26tp

Game 1
1) Mark lays standard E boundary ball
2) Rich misses it from A baulk leaving a double
3) Mark hits, goes to 4b with attacking leave
4) Rich misses from B baulk
5) Mark gets angled straight rover peel position from about nine inches.
Irish peel goes through about six inches, strikers ball in jaws. Runs hoop
gently, cannons peelee out and finishes

Game 2
1) Mark lays ss
2) Rich hits and lays close cross peg
3) Mark joins up to E of balls by peg
4) Rich misses from A baulk
5) Mark goes to 4b with an MSL
6) Rich misses short lift
7) Muppet finishes

GREAT BRITAIN V. USA, DAY 6 - DOUBLES (Rich River)
by Phil Cordingley

On the whole, a much better day for the croquet team than the cricket team, as Great Britain took a rather flattering 3-0 lead on Day 1 of the test against the United States after being under the cosh for much of it. The temperature rose to around 30 (I guess), which along with grass cutting meant the bowling green, which had slowed to 12 from an initial 15 Plummers, returned to a somewhat tricky 14. Tricky not so much because it was that fast per se, but because the players had been playing on lawns at mostly 10 or 11 for the previous five days. Not least to suffer from this was none other than Robert Fulford. He and Chris Clarke were pushed all the way by Lamm and Soo, and at one point in the second Robert sent his own ball off the lawn on consecutive croquet strokes. When was the last time anyone saw that? Chris demonstrated what a sympathetic partnership they are at heart by doing exactly the same himself in the decider. Another rarity was seeing Robert finish from 4b and peg after Chris has refused a delayed tp opportunity to take the second. Rich Lamm had put the Americans game up with a solid tp as Chris & Rob failed to take croquet in the first. Jeff Soo had finishing turns in both the second and third, but failed to get going both times by over-hitting 20 yard approach rushes. Chris, who had started to look a bit tight in the second, completed a fine tpo to give us the initiative in the decider.

Apparently fully recovered from their colds, David Maugham and Mark Avery made light work of a strong-on-paper American pairing of Damen Bidencope and Jerry Stark, needing just 11 turns in total. Mark obliged with a 6th turn tp after David went round on the 4th turn in the first. And Mark also finished off the contact in game 2 when Jerry had tpo'ed after David's 3rd turn ball round.

Late afternoon excitement was provided by Keith Aiton & Jonathan Kirby against Bob Cherry & Danny Honeycutt. Jonathan played well all match, shooting well and having 3rd 4th and 3rd turn balls round respectively. Keith wasn?t quite up to the completely ruthless standard he set himself against the Kiwis, but did complete a faultless 6th turn triple off a missed lift to equalise in the second. The Brits had looked well in control in the first, but a couple of missed opportunities and missed lifts by Keith allowed the Americans to take first blood. An early lunch clearly revived the Brits as just described, and a repeat performance seemed assured as Keith embarked on a 5th turn tp in the decider, with every ball on a blade of grass until he inexplicably stuck in 4 with one peel done. Bob Cherry got going from this, but repaid the compliment by sticking in 5 from nowhere on Keith, leaving him a laid double. Keith needed no further invitation and duly completed the first day sweep.

1. Chris Clarke & Robert Fulford beat Rich Lamm & Jeff Soo -26tp (L), +15, +12tpo (C)

Game 1
1) Rich lays standard E boundary ball
2) Chris goes to II
3) Jeff hits partner from A baulk, digs out ball in II and lays rush to it from E boundary
4) Rob misses 17 yarder at partner from A baulk into II
5) Rich fails to get going
6) Rob misses partner from 1 to 3 yards N of 3
7) Jeff hits seven yarder at partner from 2 to N boundary and goes to 4b with a spread. Lays up 5 yards N of IV
8) Rob misses short lift
9) Rich finishes

Game 2
1) Chris lays ss
2) Rich goes to optimum position on E boundary
3) Fulford misses Rich from B baulk to 6 yards S of ball
4) Jeff misses ss ball from A baulk
5) Rob hits 6 yarder, goes to 4b with an MSL, popping Jeff to 2 on way to 5
6) Jeff misses short lift
7) Chris fails 5 yard backward take off to 1, scatters opponent ball away, joining partner 7 yards wide
8) Rich hits 10 yarder at partner, rolls partner from peg to 2 getting rush on W boundary ball. Goes to 4b with a hoop 2 NSL, leaving hoop 4 ball just off E boundary S of 4
9) Rob lifts hoop 2 ball and hits 13 yarder at partner. Rolls partner towards I going to opponents on W boundary. Partner ends 1 inch in from S boundary, but strikers ball goes out by 1 inch
10) Jeff does thick take off from Rob to I, rolls Chris? ball to 3 going back to partner on W boundary, but clangs difficult 2 back to W boundary after rolling off
11) Rob misses 8 yarder from 6 to 3 into III
12) Jeff misses 13 yarder at partner on N boundary behind 2
13) Chris misses 7 yarder at partner from 3 to III
14) Jeff rolls partner to 4b going to opponents in III, but over-hits rush from III to 2 to W boundary. Leaves roll approach short, and runs away to E boundary 2 yards N of IV
15) Chris rushes 5 yarder from III to 4b to W boundary. Rolls to 3 getting severe cut on partner just off N boundary, but cuts it to within 4 yards of ball just out of IV. Takes off and gets rush to 1. Fails to rush back to partner just off E boundary level with 4 after 1 or 2. No rush after 3, but can roll escape ball to 5 going to partner to set up delayed tp, but elects to take off and put partner to 5. Fails to rush partner to peeling position after 5, so elects for safe ball to peg, popping Jeff to 3 after 1b. Attempts to leave opponent hoop 3 ball on midpoint of W boundary, opponent 4b ball in IV and Rob a tight rush out of II, but croquets partner onto 4 going to rover, leaving it un-rushable to II. Rushes opponent ball 4b ball to IV after rover, takes off and taps partner, and attempts to roll partner to II and himself to 4 yards S of II from 4, but in ensuring he avoids the peg, leaves himself midway between opponent ball and II
16) Jeff hits Chris from 9 yards, sends him to 2 yards off N boundary just E of mid point. Rolls Rob from II to I, but sends him off, strikers ball bumping into 4 on way to IV and staying there
17) Chris misses 30 yarder at partner just out of I
18) Jeff misses 8 yarder at partner just out of IV
19) Rob goes off lawn in thick take off from I to IV, putting partner 2 or 3 yards off W boundary level with penult
20) Jeff stops partner towards 4 and rushes Rob?s ball off W boundary, stops him into the lawn, getting 1 yard rush on Chris, which he misses, landing 4 yards E of 4b
21) Rob finishes from 4b

Game 3
1) Rich lays standard E boundary ball
2) Chris goes to II
3) Jeff hits partner from A baulk, digs out ball in II and lays rush at it from E boundary
4) Rob misses partner to II
5) Rich goes to 4b with an OSL
6) Rob misses short lift
7) Jeff again over-hits his rush, this time to 4 yards past 1, and sticks in it
8) Chris hits sweaty 4 yarder at ball in hoop, has tpo, leaving partner ball in II, himself on E boundary 7 yards out of III, with 3 impeding roll to II
9) Jeff lifts to III and hits 7 yarder, cutting it in court. Takes off long to 1, takes position
10) Chris goes to IV
11) Jeff runs 1 by 1 foot and misses Chris in IV
12) Chris takes off the N boundary going back to partner in II
13) Jeff goes to S boundary 5 yards out of IV
14) Rob takes 1 yard rush to wired position on N boundary and leaves in court rush
15) Jeff goes to E boundary 3 yards S of III
16) Rob over-hits cut to 1 to 1 yard off S boundary. Leaves rush to 1 with boundary ball wired
17) Jeff goes to IV
18) Rob cuts to just off W boundary and again leaves rush to 1 with boundary ball wired
19) Jeff shoots and misses
20) Rob rushes Jeff to W boundary level with 2, plays thick take off putting Jeff to 2 and getting rush to 1. Finishes

2. Mark Avery & David Maugham beat Damen Bidencope & Jerry Stark +26tp (A), +14otp (S)

Game 1
1) Damon goes to E boundary
2) Mark goes to II
3) Jerry hits partner from III, digs out corner II ball and lays rush to it from E boundary
4) David hits from III, goes to 4b with an MSL
5) Damen misses long lift
6) Mark finishes

Game 2
1) Mark lays ss
2) Damen misses from I
3) David hits double from A, goes to 4b with defensive leave
4) Jerry clips E boundary ball, has tpo leaving his ball in II and partner on E boundary level with rover
5) Mark rolls off hoop 1 to 3 or 4 yards, slightly angled, runs it, rolls off 2 from II, finishes

3. Keith Aiton & Jonathan Kirby beat Bob Cherry & Danny Honeycutt -15, +26tp (A), +21

Game 1
1) Keith lays ss
2) Bob goes to II
3) Jonathan hits in II, makes 1 but rushes escape ball into penult after
2. Makes 3, rushes ball in jaws of penult just S of peg and rolls off 4. Goes to 4b with defensive leave
4) Danny hits on E boundary from A baulk. Plays poor approach to 3 and sticks
5) Jonathan has a leave: opponents? balls by III and on E boundary level with rover, Keith on S boundary with a rush to 1
6) Danny misses opponents from III, hitting hoop 1 but going to S boundary
7) Keith fails 2 after rolling up from 18 yards with standard tp laid
8) Bob hits 7 yarder at 2, runs a tricky hoop 1 but fails to roll off 2 from W boundary. Joins partner in lawn at 3
9) Keith misses 7 yarder at partner on W boundary from 2
10) Bob goes to 4b with a spread
11) Keith misses short lift
12) Danny sets up for delayed 4b peel going to 6, but fails to get forward rush after 5 and misses 3 yarder at peelee
13) Jonathan has a leave with opponents 1 yard out of III and just off W boundary level with 6, Keith on S boundary behind 4 with rush to III
14) Danny misses opponents from III
15) Keith makes 2 and but clangs 3 with standard tp laid after rolling up to angled position from 5 yards in front
16) Bob goes to the peg with a spread
17) Keith misses short lift
18) Danny finishes from 4b

Game 2
1) Damon goes to E boundary
2) Keith goes to II
3) Danny misses partner from III into IV
4) Jonathan hits in IV, gets rush on Damon?s ball to II and rushes into corner for a cannon. Goes to 4b with a spread
5) Danny misses short lift
6) Keith finishes

Game 3
1) Keith lays ss
2) Danny goes to 1 foot S of II
3) Jonathan hits in II, rolls ball down W boundary short of 1, makes 1 and picks off ball on W boundary. Goes to 4b with defensive leave
4) Bob misses on E boundary from A baulk
5) Keith picks up standard tp but sticks in 4 from nowhere with 1 peel done
6) Bob pops Keith to 5 and gets going, but repays favour by sticking in 5 leaving Keith a laid double peel
7) Keith finishes

Bidencope/Stark lost to Clarke/Fleming 1-26; 14-26tp
by George Latham

Game 1

Stark won opening but stuck in hoop 2. Clarke made 9. Bidencope misses lift. Fleming makes 12 and 3 peels but roquets partner ball after rover peel. The long peg out was unsuccessful but opposition balls were distant when striker ball was pegged out. Bidencope misses. Game finished.

Game 2

Clarke made the first 9, followed by a Bidencope 9. Fleming 17yd lift and Stark proceeded on a finishing break only to stick in hoop 5. Fleming accepted the gift and tripled out.

Soo/Lamm defeated Dumergue/Watts 26-16; 26tp-9
by George Latham

Game 1

After winning the opening Soo stuck in hoop 1. Watts was progressing to 3B but missed 7yard rush. Lamm made 9. Dumergue misses. Soo makes 4 with 1 peel sticking in 5 th hoop. Dumergue quadruple peel ended after 1 peel and 6 hoops. Soo finishes with a double peel.

Game 2

Super-shot opening by Lamm.l Dumergue misses. Soo fires firmly at double but misses into B-baulk. Watts made 9 with 1 peel on Lamm. Lamm misses lift. Dumergue misses rush to 1 and Soo makes 9. Lift missed. Lamm and Soo finish.

USA vs Aust Day 4
by Eileen Soo

Today was singles at Rich River. A fresh wind was a good thing, keeping the ever-present flies on the move. The "chance of thunderstorm" didn't result in any rain. Overall, the American team looked relaxed and more confident on the Rich River courts today. Most players had a court that suited them: Rich Lamm, the speed demon, on Court 1; Bob Cherry on a court that plays similarly to his home club of Pinehurst; and Jeff Soo got court 6, which has the familiar bumps and irregularities of his home club of Stoneridge. The others had no trouble making do with the even pace and smooth surface of the other courts. Or it may be that everyone is settling in on the fourth day, having overcome jet lag and the inevitable changes that international travel brings up. ("Uhm, why doesn't this electric plug work? And I need a power converter? Uh oh..")

A small difference in terminology came up during a sideline discussion with an Australian referee: what we Americans inaccurately call an "on-time triple" (that is, not a delayed triple) is called a "standard triple" by the rest of the world. I'll try to use the more general term standard triple, but you'll have to forgive me if I slip. I am also reporting scores in the usual American way, since not all American readers are familiar with the conventional Association way.

Court 1, the lawn bowls green, had Rich Lamm playing Stephen Forster. The speed of court 1 was expected to favor Lamm's playing style, and it did. Lamm opened with a super shot, and Forster shot to outside corner 2. Lamm hit the corner 2 ball and and made 9. He left a backwards "ducks in a row": more or less a diagonal spread minus the ball on the west boundary. Forster missed the long shot into corner 4. Lamm got a slight rough start to his break. After stopping opponent to 2, he rushed his partner into 5. Lamm decedied to roll to corner 4, setting a trap. Forster shot he ball from near 1 but missed. Lamm was then set to go. He tripled for a score of 26tp-0

The second game took a bit more work and was more scrappy. With Lamm and Forster getting on 9-hoop break each. Forster took his second break with blue to peg. Lamm missed the lift. This put Forster with a ball on peg and 3-back, and Lamm with red on 4-back and yellow on 3. Forster failed 3-back, letting Lamm play the 4-back ball. He took it to peg, pegging out Forster's blue. Lamm then separated. Forster shot with black at every opportunity, long shots all, but never hit in. He tried 3-back from the boundary and missed. Later, Lamm's trap in corner 3, with yellow for 3, and missed. This let Lamm in to finish. 26-21.

Court 2 was taken to three games, Bob Cherry took the first game, 26tp-9, while Dumergue took the second 26tp-0. Both these games took classic form, with no real surprises -- clean, competent work by both players. The match resumed after lunch, with increased and gusty winds. Dumergue took control right away with solid break by yellow, setting a perfectly wired diagonal spread, black at peg. Cherry lifted blue for the long shot but missed. Red did a nice triple, with the only excitement occurring with his straight rover peel. The peel resulted in yellow through the hoop by about 10 inches, red close in front of rover, and blue straight behind rover about 2 yards off of the south boundary. Dumergue had to jump to clear yellow to save the triple. He did a clean jump hitting blue. Now he was faced with a long cannon to get yellow from behind the hoop. This succeeded, moving yellow 4 feet east of the hoop and giving Dumergue an easy rush to the peg. Game score 26tp-0.

Court 3 had Jerry Stark playing Bruce Fleming. In game 1, Stark took yellow on the first break to 4, then Fleming took the second with black setting an NSL with yellow on 4. Stark hit in with yellow and took it to 4-back. Fleming hit in with blue, and did a standard triple to win 26tp-9.

Game 2 had a bit more interaction, with Stark hitting on on third turn. He moved Fleming's yellow ball from the east boundary out to super shot position, setting black with a rush towards yellow. Red took the long shot but missed, and Stark was in, taking the break 'round and setting an NSL with yellow a bit off 4 but hampered on blue and black. Fleming took the long shot with yellow and hit blue. Fleming got hoop 1, but retreated from hoop 2, leaving black a long shot on blue near the east boundary. Black missed, allowing Fleming to take yellow to 4-back. He set an NSL with black about 1 inch off 4. Stark chose the short shot with blue, hitting yellow. Blue got the first peel of a standard triple in, but it came to a stop when a hampered shot after 5 resulted in a missed roquet on yellow. Red played from there on in, finishing a standard triple to win 26tp-15.

Court 4 was allocated to Danny Huneycutt vs. Martin Clarke. This went to three games, with Clarke taking the match. Game 1 saw lots of play from both sides. Huneycutt got the first break with red, setting a diagonal spread with blue at the peg. Blue took the long shot and missed, so Huneycutt took yellow around. The balls never fell right to get the triple, so Huneycutt left the court with his one peel done, setting a diagonal spread with blue at the peg. Unfortunately, blue was not quite wired from red on the east boundary by 4, allowing Clarke to hit in with a bare nick on red. He took his nine, setting the almost mandatory NSL with red at 4. Red took the long shot and missed; Blue did the triple, with a straight rover peel, winning 26tp-22.

Game 2 started with a second turn hit by Clarke with black, leaving yellow out mid-court and black on the west boundary slight south of peg high. Huneycutt shot red at black from corner 1 and missed to corner 2. Blue shot at black from the east end of A-baulk and missed. Red took the return shot, hitting to start his break. Huneycutt set a diagonal spread with blue not quite wired at peg. Clarke declined the lift, shooting black at blue. Black thunked off the peg, landing near 4. Yellow took the break, ending with a standard triple. Final score 26tp-0.

Game 3 was pretty much the same as 2, with players reversed. Clarke got in with black on the fifth turn, setting an NSL with yellow just off 4. Yellow took the long shot and missed, letting blue start it's break. Clarke got a delayed triple with a straight rover peel. Bad luck placed blue in a straight line with black and red, with no possible shot at red. Blue roqueted black to get a clear but very long shot at the peg from approximately 2 yards off the south boundary. Black hit yellow on it's way to the peg, landing about a yard away from peg, somewhat west. Clarke rushed red to near peg, then used it to cannon black into the peg. Clarke did a lot of work for it, but he did get the peg out. Score 26tp-0.

Court 5 had Damon Bidencope playing Trevor Bassett. The first game started well, with Bassett taking black to 4-back, then Bidencope hitting in with yellow for a break. Bassett missed the lift, and red started it's break. Bidencope tried for the triple throughout, but things didn't jell. He got two straight peels, with the penult peel from a solid 8 feet out. Bidencope did not attempt the straight rover peel, choosing to get the hoop and set a leave. After careful thought, he placed blue against rover and black about 5 yards south of 2. Red and yellow were on the east boundary, about hoop 5 high, wired from blue. Blue took the open shot on black and hit but failed to start a break. After a few missed shots on both sides, blue started a break with a solid chance of a standard triple, but he broke down at 3-back. Bidencope shot in with yellow to score rover and peg out. Score: 26-20.

In game 2, Bassett shot blue at black on the east boundary on the third turn. He decided not to dig Bidencope's red out for corner 2, instead setting a rush to 2. Yellow took the long shot and missed into corner 4. Blue tried to get a break started, but ended up in the jaws of 1. Red made it to 6 in several break attempts, only to stick in 6. Bassett took control of the game from there, pulling out a triple to finish 26tp-6.

Game 3 saw a third turn hit in with Bidencope's red on yellow on the east boundary. This allowed him to pull black off the west boundary and set a rush on the east. Blue missed the long shot, letting Bidencope try to get a break started. After a few tries, red got in and made its nine, leaving blue against 4 and black against 2. Bassett lifted black for the short shot and missed. Bidencope then ran a tidy standard triple to win 26tp-0.

Court 6 finished earliest today, with Soo besting Watts in a quick two. In game 1, Soo took the first break with yellow, then Watts took the second break with black and set an NSL with red on 4 and blue and black about peg high. Red took the long shot and hit blue. He pegged out with a standard triple, 26tp-9. Game 2 was just as quick. Soo put black out about midway between 6 and peg, and Watts placed yellow on the west boundary, between peg and 2 high. Blue shot at yellow and hit, letting Soo make a third turn break. He left black with a rush on yellow on the east boundary, and blue close to the west boundary a bit above peg high. Red took the long shot and missed. Black came in and started well, but accidentally roqueted his 4 pioneer on a croquet stroke, which made it difficult to place after 4. This made the triple harder start. Soo got the 4-back peel fairly late, not allowing enough time to finish the triple. He set a diagonal spread with yellow at peg, and Watts chose to lift yellow to the A-baulk for a 25 yard shot at red and missed. Blue came in to finish, 26-0.

As of today, the Australians have won this test. The Aussies earned it and are properly happy. The Americans are out practicing as I write this report, looking to close the gap through the rest of the test. We return to Shepparton tomorrow for more doubles; the homemade lunch and tea cakes may make up partially for today's disappointment.

Mac Day 3, US and Australia at Shepparton
by Eileen Soo

Day 3 was doubles at Shepparton. It is a beautiful club with a wonderful sense of hospitality. We had a lovely homemade lunch and tea, along with solicitous care from the ladies in charge of the catering. The Americans got their first taste of homemade Lammingtons -- I think we'll request extras for our next visit. It is no hardship to travel an hour to get there, if we're going to have such a great place to play.

Court conditions were good, with a moderate pace and a few odd patches or bare spot. For those coming from Court 1 at Rich River (the ice rink), the pace probably seemed glacial. Most players seemed to adapt well, with only a few overrolls or poor hoop approaches due to misgauging the speed of the court. Unfortunately, the US only took one match, but the two lost matches went to three games. There was certainly no shortage of croquet today.

On court 1, Danny Huneycutt and Bob Cherry played Bruce Fleming and Martin Clarke. Fleming took the first break in game 1, Huneycutt missed the lift, Clarke tripled and pegged out. Fast and clean.

Game 2, Huneycutt got in first but just rearranged the court after Clarke missed short shot at the US balls on the east boundary. Huneycutt left Fleming's red ball in corner 2, but moved Y to behind hoop 3 and rejoined partner near corner 4. Cherry, playing blue, got a cannon just outside of corner 4, managing a clear rush on yellow to hoop 1. Cherry made several difficult plays to pull red out of corner 2 and bring black out of the corner 4 area. His only small difficulty was some bald patches behind hoop 3, but he was given relief by oppo and referee. Cherry left a diagonal spread with yellow at peg. Clarke lifted yellow for the long shot and missed, leaving Huneycutt to start with black. After some scrappy back-and-forthing, Huneycutt got a rough-and-ready break going. He managed two peels of his triple before a series of deep pioneers and less than perfect rushes resulted in an angled shot at 3back. Red had a 3 yard shot at blue, allowing Fleming into the game. In his usual no-fuss style, he took the break around leving a diagonal spread with blue at peg. Huneycutt took the long shot and missed, giving Clarke a chance. A 5 yard roll up to hoop 1 left him with a poor hoop shot, which he missed. Huneycutt was then in again and took his ball to rover. His leave placed yellow near 4back and red close to the west boundary, peg high. Yellow hit in but took a couple af attempts to get a break started, then only progressing to 3. Black then hit in to finish his break, with an eye on peeling blue at rover. He got the straight rover peel with control but roqueted blue coming through the hoop. A long peg out attempt left blue near 6, red near 4, and yellow behind 2. Black, of course, pegged out. After a brief lunch break, Fleming lifted red to B-baulk and hit in on yellow. Coming through short at 4back, Fleming missed a long shot on yellow as the penult pioneer, being unable to roquet blue. Fleming missed, allowing Cherry to hit in and peg out.
Final score 26-12.

Game 3 began on the wrong foot for the US, with Huneycutt leaving black at a very short Duffers tice. Clarke hit in with yellow as the third ball and moved black to near peg, then joining partner on the east boundary. Cherry shot at yellow with blue but missed. Fleming took red for a reasonably uneventful 9 hoop break, with only a small matter of a jawsed rush at 5 requiring a little care to fix. Huneycutt took the long shot with black and missed; Clarke then started break with red. An upcourt rush after 4 went right into the jaws of 4, requiring attention after scoring 5 to get the break back on track. The triple began to look less likely, as Clarke has no 6 pioneer, had to use his intended escape ball at 4b to make 6. Clarke took the break to peg, leaving an unwired diagonal spread with black near peg. Huneycutt and Cherry now had a chance to turn the 21-0 game around, since black had a shot at blue from beside the peg. Huneycutt made the roquet and started his break. After scoring hoop 2, a rush on red towards hoop 4 clanked right into hoop 5. This left Huneycutt scrambling to pull balls in place to make hoop 3. A long roll-up gotblack to an unmakeable position by hoop 3. After careful consideration of red's potentially wired position 5 inches in front of 5, Huneycutt shot black to midway on the West boundary. Fleming made the roquet on black and finished up in short order.

The match on court 2 also went to three games, but that was mostly due to errors by the Aussie team. The US played competent, clean breaks but failed to make the long hit-ins and long roquets that would have let them take control.

Game 1 began with a break to 4back by Watts. Stark lifted the yellow ball from peg postion, missing the long shot. Dumergue took the next break but broke down at 5. Stark took over with yellow, setting an NSL with black by 4. The Aussies lifted black for the long shot but missed, letting Bidencope in for his break to peg with red. A few bits of bad luck with ball postions required careful consideration before he made a reasonable, though unconventional leave. Black missed its lift, allowing Stark to take yellow to peg and finish the game.

Score of 26-14.

Game 2 began with a fairly normal opening. Stark took blue to the east boundary a little south of 4. Watts shot red to just outside corner 2. Bidencope shot black to one yard above hoop4, about 2 yards north of partner. Watts shot yellow at black and hit. The break never got started as Watts stuffed hoop 1. The play became scrappy, with several chances by both sides. Watts got control and took his ball to 4-back, setting an NSL with black at 4. Bidencope lifted black for the long shot and missed. Play again went back and forth, with Bidencope getting his nine and setting an NSL. Red missed the long shot; Stark tried to get started but clanged on 1, with blue sitting on the left upright. This proved a problem for the US in subsequent turns; the Aussies deliberately forced black to shoot as they rearranged the balls on court over the next few turns. After Dumergue scored 2, he and Watts debated how to get blue off the upright and into play. They decided to leave it there, forcing red to do some heavy two-ball work to get around the court. He made it though 5 but stuffed 6. A miss by black at yellow allowed red to make 6 and pickup the break, finally moving blue off the upright when making 2-back. Red made it to peg and set a diagonal spread with blue by the peg. Blue missed the long shot, allowing yellow to finish up.
Score of 26-9.

Game 3 had scrappy play, with the Australians stuffing hoops and the Americans missing the long shots left by the Australians. The game took awhile to get going, as both sides spent time rearranging the balls on court until Dumergue was able to get a rush to 1 and start his break. His only slow down was the rush of his 5 pioneer to the jaws of 5 from the wrong side. Luckily, he had enough ball on the correct side to do an Irish peel and continue to an NSL, with blue jawsed in 4. This looked like an oopsie, as Watts came out to consult on the rest of the leave. Bidencope lifted black to the B-baulk for the long shot and missed between red and yellow to corner 4. Watts came in, but had to get blue out of the jaws of 4, so he was unable to start a break. This left blue (by 3) or black (by 2) long shots back to red and yellow in corner 4. Bidencope took the shot through a reasonable opening in the furniture but missed. Yellow was then off on a break with one peel, only to stuff 5 from what seemed to be a straight on shot. Stark played blue and made a tidy break to end with an NSL, yellow on 4. At this point, red was on penult, yellow on 5, blue on 4back, and black for 1. Yellow took the long shot and missed, letting black in. Black scored 1 but then got poor position at 2. Bidencope tried the short, angled jump shot but missed, landing close on the playing side of 2. Red took a shot from near 3 and hit, resetting the court with a rush for yellow onto midcourt. Black went for the long roquet and hit, so Bidencope was off on his break. He looked for the triple peel, but a couple of poor strokes resulted in no reasonable peel shots. After consultation with Stark, Bidencope set a flat diagonal spread but with blue and black set closer to 4-high. We later found out this was due to a mistroke when placing yellow at peg. At this point, the crowd was uncharacteristically quiet. We had a good gallery of spectators who were all following the game intently. Whether American or Australian, this one had become a nail-biter. Sideline instructions from Stark to the balls during Bidencope's play ("Sit down!", "Slow, now!") were clearly audible. Unfortunately, we think that Dawson balls don't understand Amerincan English.

Watts started with yellow after hitting the short shot from A-baulk. A poor cut rush on red left him far from 5, so he chose to rearrange the court and retreat with partner in corner 1. Black attempted to hit red or yellow but missed, so Watts was in. Watts' confident but careless style was truly evident during this break, with several pioneers placed about 3 yards from their usual position and a few hoop shots that were more difficult than necessary. He is a great shot, so all worked out, but not without some real speculation from the sidelines about whether he would finish. The contrast with his teammate Fleming's careful style was never more evident.
Final score was 26-21.

Court 3 had its share of excitement, with Rich Lamm and Jeff Soo playing Trevor Bassett and Stephen Forster to three games and a win. The first game was pretty unexceptional, Forster having the first break with black. Soo followed with yellow in a solid break, popping Bassett's blue to 3. Blue took the long shot and missed, letting Lamm get started. An unfortunate take-off after three put red out of bounds near blue at corner 4. Basset took his break to 1-back, with two peels done, but stuck in the jaws at 1-back. Lamm picked up his break but a few hampered strokes made his life difficult. A hampered stroke out of 3-back left him a longer shot at his ball near penult, which he missed. Blue came back in the game, got the rover peel, and pegged out to win the first game.
Score 26-18.

Game 2 had the unusual sight of a Standard Opening -- the classic, yet one I've not seen in test play often. Forster hit in with black on the tice and took his break 'round, setting an NSL with yellow on 4. Lamm took the short shot with red and hit black. He took his break to 5, but stuffed it. Black hit in on yellow, then peeled red on the roquet, leaving it behind 2. Yellow went to near 1, and blue was left with a rush towards two. So far, a very classic game. Yellow hit, allowing Soo to start his break, popping blue through 1. At 1-bakc, though, he got in a tangle, needing to jump blue to score. His jump shot hit the crown and bounced back. Blue then had an easy start to his break but got a hampered stroke out of 3 and faulted on his sweep shot through the hoop. Red got with the balls spread about the court but managed to pull a break together. Unfortunately, a failed roquet after 1-back let blue back in, only to jaws at 5 with a too gentle hoop shot. Lamm was able to resume his break and go to peg. The leave was a bit off, blue having a shot on black from near the peg, so red went to corner 2 and placed yellow near corner 4. Bassett shot blue hard at black, losing blue to the nearby streets through a gap in the bottom of the fence. Play was delayed until someone went all the way around the fence to retrieve the ball. Blue reset the court. Lamm shot red at oppo balls but missed. Play became scrappy after this, with several break attempts ending in wide joins. Black got the next break together but got fouled up near penult, allowing Soo to finish his break with yellow and peg out.
Score: 26-15.

Game three began with a lot of back and forth play -- roquets were made but shots went off or the player failed to get hoop position. Soo managed to get the first break with yellow and set a good leave -- an NSL variation with black on 4 and blue a bit off 2. His approach to partner on the east boundary was a bit off, so In order to get good boundary position, he jumped partner to get both balls on the boundary, 1 yard apart about 4-high. Blue took the long shot but a bounce of the ball took the shot wide. Lamm took red to rover on a fine break, setting a diagonal spread with blue at peg. Blue's short shot went awry and clanked off hoop 4 to the boundary. Yellow came in but got a poor apporach to 4-back. Soo opted to retreat to corner 2, leaving red by penult, blue on east boundary, and black deep behind 3. Forster shot black at blue but missed, allowing Soo to take the shot on yellow, hit, and finish the game.
Score: 26-0.

During parts of the play, the Austalian players who were finished spent time practicing their roquets and two-ball work. They looked pretty serious, especially Bassett. We're looking forward to tomorrow -- singles at Rich River --to bring up the American score. The US team is in a serious mood. The court assignments put Lamm on the ice-skating rink of court 1, which should suit his game. Soo is out in the hinterlands on court 6. THe rest of the team is on the predictable courts 2-5. Weather predictions are for 37C (about 100F) and chance of thunderstorms. Locals tells us there is no question of IF we will get the thunderstorm, it's just a question on when. Maybe the rain will slow down the flies.

Mac Day 2 - US at Shepparton by Eileen Soo Day 2 at Rich River was pretty good but could have been better for the US. We had chances, but not all of them panned out. The weather was great -- warm, but not too warm. The flies, however, aren't taking a vacation -- they may become a deciding factor in some games, as they buzz the players unmercifully. Many players carefully stalked a shot only to back off and stalk again due to an aggressive fly buzzing on their nose.

On the good side, Jeff Soo has won his match agaist Trevor Bassett in two. The first game played through in quick order with a TP from Jeff, but the second game had chances for both sides. Jeff missed a roquet, slowing down his progress, but he finished out with a 26-9 win.		Soo v Bassett - Soo won +21, +17 by Kate Fox Game 1 Bassett won start and made 5, Soo hit made 9; Bassett missed lift shot. Soo tripled. Game 2 Soo won opening by following Bassett into corner 2 with 3rd ball. Bassett missed with 4th ball - Soo made 9. Bassett missed lift; Soo made 5. Bassett set. Soo missed Bassett made 9. Soo hit took second ball to peg. Bassett missed. Soo finished.

Jerry Stark lost in two games (26-24, 26-0), even though he generally likes a fast court. He attempted a triple in the first game but broke down after two peels, with a split shot to 2b gone awry. Martin Clarke went round, peeling Stark's forward ball and giving contact. Stark took his lone ball through 2back with a massive roll up, then did a large roll-up to get 3back. He then failed 4back. After some back and forthing, Stark eventually got 4b and penult. Stark missed a 4-1/2 yd hoop shot at rover, ignoring Clarke's two balls joined up in corner 2. Clarke then finished out. The second game went faster, with Clarke taking control.		Stark v Clark - Clark won +2, +26 by Kate Fox Game 1 After opening positioning, Stark made 9 with 2-4 leave. Clarke missed lift, Stark made it to 2 back with 2 peels done. Clarke hit went to peg, peeling stark through Rover and pegging it out. Stark took contact in corner 2 , rolled to 2 back, ran long hoop, made 3 back and stuck in 4 back. To and fro until Stark bounced off rover to set court for Clarke who finished. Game 2 Clarke won opening gambit and fashioned a break to of 9. Clarke made 12 with a 4 back peel of partner. Stark missed and Clarke finished.

Bob Cherry had the misfortune to move from the ice skating rink (Court 1) to the very different Court 6 (the paddock) for today's games. Court 6 has almost no roll, which caused a lot of poor hope approaches and poor rush positions yesterday in the GB v. NZ match. Stephen Forster adapted faster, winning in two with scores of 26tp-12 and 26-3. Forster plays with an elegant side stroke, which makes him a pleasure to watch. First game had a clean start with each hitting and going to 4b. Cherry broke down on his second break, and Forster finished -- a quick game. The second game was generally scrappy, with Forster generally keeping control.		Cherry v Forster - Forster wins +14tp, +21 by Kate Fox Game 1 Forster hit 4th turn and made 9. Cherry hit lift made 9. Forster missed lift; Cherry made Hoop 1, was hampered but set with partner. Forster missed. Cherry continued, but took off to go out beside Fortser who tripled. Game 2 Forster sets anti duffer, Cherry missed. Forster sets. Cherry made 2, stuck in 3. Fortser hit made 9. Eventually Fortser hit after 2 hoops from Cherry making 8 with 1 peel, finally finishing.

Rich Lamm had similar results in his game against Ian Dumergue, losing 9-26tp and 0-26tp. Dumergue is playing well above his 6th place in the Aussie line-up; we'll have to see where he is placed in the next test. In the sixth turn, Lamm took his ball to 4back, setting a diagonal spread leave. Dumergue hit in then never looked back. Lamm missed his lift, allowing Dumergue to finish. In the second game, Lamm opened with the super shot, and Dumergue shot from corner I and hit. He attempted a two ball break but was hampered out of 2. He retreated to near corner 2. Lamm shot and missed the corner 2 ball. Dumergue then hit the corner 2 balls and went round, setting a diagonal spread. Lamm missed the lift, and Dumergue finished the game.

The games to watch through the rest of the day were on courts 2 and 3. Damon Bidencope and Danny Huneycutt took their matches to 3 games, giving the US a bit of hope. Ultimately, we lost the matches but definitely saw some good croquet.

On court 2, Danny Huneycutt took on Bruce Fleming. Game 1 had chances for both, but Fleming finally ended it with a triple. Score 26tp-24. The second game again had plenty of chances for both. A missed 4 yd. roquet by Fleming left Huneycutt a chance to pick up his second break at hoop 2. He managed a triple but (in true Huneycutt style) not without a couple of heart stopping moments. A nearly hampered shot near the peg after scoring 5 required a referee to come out and remove the peg extension. Huneycutt got that roquet and continued in fine form until rover. After a straight rover peel, Huneycutt managed to leave his striker ball tightly between partner and opponent balls, hampering his shot for the roquet on opponent. He pulled this out and manages to cannon partner position behind rover, only to overshoot his rush postion to take partner to peg. Huneycutt did a fine cut rush to get a 2 yd peg out. Third game, Fleming took his 9 and set a New Standard leave, a popular leave so far in this test. Huenycutt chose the long shot and missed to corner 4, allowing Fleming to do a precise delayed triple. Fleming provided non of the excitement we had watching Huneycutt; his play was calm, precise and never in doubt. The only small issue was a hampered stroke after hoop 6 and a close approach on the penutl peel after scoring 3back. Fleming ended with a classic straigh rover peel and pegged out.		Huneycutt v Fleming. Fleming won +2,-8tp, +26tp by Kate Fox Game 1 Standard opening. Fleming 5th turn 9. Huneycutt missed lift; Fleming missed return roquet after 2 back with one peel completed. Hunnicutt made 9. Fleming missed lift and Hunnicutt went to peg with two peels. Fleming hit lift and pegged out opponents ball after taking 3 back ball to peg. Fleming finished after cross court leave. Game 2 Huneycutt super shoot opening. Fleming responded peg high on east boundary, when Huneycutt hit and made 9. Fleming missed lift. Huneycutt made 1 and stuck in 2. Fleming hit and made 9. Hunnicutt hit and tripled out. Game 3 Fleming made first break, Huneycutt missed 17 yard shot and Fleming tripled out.

Damon Bidencope and Harley Watts played on court 3. The games had good play from both sides, with Bidencope winning game 1 26-9 and Watts taking game 2 26tp-0. The third game had more excitement, with chances by both sides. Watts ended up winning 26tp-15 after a failed hoop 5 by Bidencope. Watts took the long shot at Bidencope's diagonal spread to get the second break. He then popped Bidencope's back ball to 3, hoping to make his life more difficult. Bidencope hit in with his back ball and chose to play conservatively, setting a rush towards hoop 3 on the east boundary. Watts missed the almost full-court shot at partner, to end up with both balls behind hoop 2. Bidencope managed to get the 4back peel before hoop 6, but a poor rush left him a ball right on the upright of 6, on the wrong side. Bidencope got an awkward hoop position and ended up with a not-quitejawsed yellow on his hoop shot. Bidencope called the referee to check the hoop tightness, as it was possible that the ball had stuck in it's path through the hoop. After thorough testing, the ref decided that the hoop was good and Bidencope's final position -- not quite 1/2 in with the ball resting off center and against the left upright -- indicated that his ball wasn't stuck. Watts then took over and did an easy on-time triple to win. Of note is that Watts plays with a rather spiffy hig-tech mallet made by Fenwick Elliot. The design is Space Age, with an ovoid center cut-out in a shiny graphite composite head -- way cool.		Bidencope v Watts - Watts won -17, +26tp, +12tp by Kate Fox Game 1 Corner 2 response by Bidencope with second ball, Watts hit with 3rd ball and set. Bidencope hit and made 4, missing a10 yard roquet, Watts missed a 10 yarder and Bidencope missed a 12 yarder. Watts hit 16 yarder and set leave which Bidencope hit and made 9. Watts hits and makes 9. Bidencope hits sets and finally wins. Game 2 After hitting with 4th ball and setting Bidencope missed and Watts made 9. Bidencope misses 17 yard lift shot and Watts triples out. Game 3 Bidencope won opening and madse 9. Watts hit 17 yard lift shot amd made 9 popping Bidencope through hoops 1 and 2. Bidencope hit and set. Watts missed and Bidencope made it to hoop 6 with on epeel. Bidencope made a further 6 hoops before Watts finally hits and triples out.

Following up the on the Aussie line-up kerfluffle, Bruce Fleming is holding up well with wins in both doubles and singles. He is definitely up to the pressure of being the top spot, as if any of us had doubts on that matter. Trevor Bassett, moved from top stop to number 3 position, and has lost both his doubles and singles matches. The 5th and 6th placed Stephen and Ian are both looking mighty strong for being the lowest ranked players. We'll have to see what happens to these postions for the next test. The Brits finished early at Shepparton, having taken all three doubles matches. Both the Brits and the New Zealanders returned to Rich River for practice in preparation for tomorrow's play. The US and Australian teams are playing doubles at Shepparton on Day 3.

Stark/Bidencope defeated Bassett/Forster 26tp(B)-5; 26tp(S)-9
by Kate Fox

Game 1 – Bidencope opened with ball peg high on east border; Forster responded to corner 2. Stark missed partner from B baulk. Bassett hit corner 2 and put croqueted ball out. Bassett hit 25 yards and failed at hoop 2. Opponent missed. Bassett progressed to hoop 4 but missed roquet. Forster made 2, but take off to partner went out. Eventually Stark hit and made 9 and Bidencope tripled.

Game 2 duffer tice missed by Stark. After Stark made hoop 1 he missed hampered stroke. Forster hit opponent at hoop 1 and made 9. Bidencope hit and made 9. Forster missed and Stark tripled out.

Cherry/Huneycutt lost to Dumergue/Watts 3-26, 0-26
by Kate Fox

Bowling green very fast

Both sides took over an hour to adjust to speed of court. Eventually Dumergue made 7 and failed at 2B; Cherry progressed from Hoop 2 to 3 before taking off into a hoop. Watts finally hit and went to peg; Dumergue hampered after penult; finally stepped up and finished.

Game 2 – Dumergue 4 th turn 9; Watts 12. Dumergue finished.

Lamm/Soo lost to Clarke/Fleming 9-26; 26tp(F)-0; 26tp(F)-9
by Kate Fox

Duffer tice each game; 3rd ball fired from B-baulk at first ball East border and missed.

Game 1 – Lamm hit 5th turn for steady 9; Clarke missed leave from B baulk; Soo went out after 3;
Clarke made 9. Soo hit leave from A baulk and went to peg from hoop 4; Fleming missed 14 yard shot at 4th corner leave; Lamm finished.

Game 2 – Lamm hit duffer 4th turn and made 9; Clarke hit leave made 9. Soo missed leave Fleming tripled.