Welcome to the Mt... blue skies, some reasonable level of talking bollocks and a pretty nice venue has made for a good start to the NZ Open Doubles.
Lawns are about 10 seconds and pretty flat, hoops have been set reasonably well but are giving up after a few days in the sand base court and we've seen some pretty good matches so far.

Skinley K
Hogan B
Fordyce Y
Hakes R

Current clippage;
Y on Penault
R on 2b
B on 1b and K has a chance for a break currently approaching H2

I've arrived after a leisurely morning, but my understanding is that B and K won the Opening with Hogan sticking in 6, Fordyce hit (AGAIN!!!!) and had another good turn to 4b with a spread to make that 5/6 turns with no errors for him so far. Skinley missed the lift and then I arrived to see Hakes overapproach 2b from 2ft with a good 3b pioneer and penault peele 1ft in front.

Had to go and play a doubles game.. but that's done now so I'm back to the thing I'm much better at. Great off the lawn =)

Lots of interaction since. Clips now;

K on peg
B on 1b
R on peg
Y on penault

Hakes currently making a leave

I've just heard that Hakes made a few errors and looked like he was pushing pretty hard to try and get the DP finish when he had a laid break to the peg after hitting the lift and didn't complete the turn. The leave for penault and peg vs 1b and peg is going to be..

B (1b is 6yN of C1)
K is in the box
R is in the box
Y (penault) is between 3 and 4

Hogan goes to b baulk and takes 1y position at 1b

Y goes 6ySE of 4b

Hogan goes 1ft in front of 1b

Fordyce effectively deems

Hogan goes to 6"

Forcye deems

Fordyce*

Hogan goes to 3"

She's thrilling stuff!

Fordyce goes to NB hampered from the ball just out of 1b
Hogan runs 1b to 2y 20 degrees.. massive shot if he runs this and takes position at 3b

Has a go at the hoop but lands on the wire.. should be all over now

Fordyce takes 1y position. Runs it off the SB and gets a good kicker to finish halfway between 1 and 5 on the SB. Has a lot of B in the jaws but I don't think they should take it on

Takes it on... that hit a lot of wire!

Our high quality officials says that it hit.. max power and moved it out of the jaws by about 1y but fairly confident that it hit

Now croquets B to the NB level with 6 and it's pretty rubbish.. can't take position unless it's ugly or it will be a wiring lift

Leaves himself 1y 30 degrees but it is open. Most other people that would be a problem, but the way Fordyce is currently playing after his recent NZ open GC victory, I think that's a gimme

Hogan misses the 20 yarder by a foot and hits rover. Fordyce roquets that, but then plays a poor croquet shot and finishes in worse position than he originally was. Wanted to take the hoop on but after a 3 minute discussion, they decide to go 10y of C1

Hogan misses

Fordyce croquets Hogan towards the NB and gets 2y position. Starts stalking and Hakes walks onto the lawn and Edmund restalks and goes for it rather than taking tight position

Big thrash at the hoop and hits outside wire finishing 5y E of rover

Hogan takes 4y position

Fordyce goes 7yNE of the peg

Hogan tries to take tight position but finishes 6" SW of h1 leaving Fordyce a big wiring spot to take position at Rover (I think its a pretty big wired spot)

Takes 1yish position

Hogan takes position

Fordyce turns down the hoop and roquets Hogan off the SB (maybe he wasn't in position?)

Croquets Hogan towards the NB and gets an identical position as before. This time he takes 1ft position rather than having a go at the hoop

Hogan misses the 20 yarder and that's this one all over