Kia Ora tatou,

Welcome to the final day of NZ vs USA. Everything up for grabs and the highest pressure day so far. After the Kiwi team finished day 3 7-4 behind, they needed to win well on day 4 to keep their test hopes alive. The team had their best day of the test without firing on all cylinders.

All 3 doubles matches were won 2-0 by NZ including a heavy upset between Rothman and Maloof vs Hogan and Shilling with the Kiwi pair playing well to grab at critical point for NZ. Unfortunately I missed all of the action, but fortunately our final team member arrived and Harps and I heard some exciting news one our drive home from LAX. There was one point up for grabs still with g3 of the pegged down doubles game being played between Shilling and Hogan vs Huneycutt and Morgan.

Whoever won this game would take an 8-7 lead into the final day. Current situation;

Hogan on h1 and Shilling on the peg vs Huneycutt on 2b and Morgan in the box. Huneycutt has last taken a shot and there are 3 balls over near the EB. Hogan has a rush to h1 slightly inlawn or a 3 yarder on Huneycutts ball which is south of him. For those of you who don't know, Hogan has about a 15:1 ratio on his stop shots and he played a great turn for the majority of the time to close out the match and give NZ an 8-7 lead. Particular highlights from what
I gather included; running h5 then rushing his reception ball into the jaws of h5. Then played a cracker of a croquet stroke - clubbed it through as some form of drive and it was apparently going off the lawn by about 15 yards, but hit the peg and bounced off into position at 1b leaving him a sweaty 5 yarder at h6 which he hit and then finished. Never in doubt.

A new day today and a critical one for both teams. The matches we have are;

Lawn 1
Shilling vs Lawrence

Lawn 2
Garrison vs Maloof

Lawn 3
Hogan vs Huneycutt

Lawn 4
Chapman vs Rothman

Players are now warming up. NZ needs 3 points to win the test and America requires 4

Both teams will be chasing every point and it will be interesting to see how the players cope under the higher levels of pressure. Clarke vs Morgan is a late start and then Hakes vs Soo will be the last match on.

Warm ups have been stopped and referees are now checking the hoops