Good morning from Cheltenham.

Mark Suter v David Maugham will be on lawn 8.

Jamie Burch v James Death will be on lawn 1.

Best-of-3 matches.

There are several, maybe 15 students here,an event I believe Eugene Chang was instrumental in organising.
They'll be having fun on lawns 9 and 10, and let's hope enjoying the Opens ambience.

Cloud cover at present, but it's going to be hot today (mid 20s) and hotter tomorrow.
Not enough to undo the slowing of the lawns by yesterday's rain, sadly.
It might be easier to commentate now chaps aren't breaking down every 5 minutes.
Also we may see TPOs, even an SXP attempt? (Sam Murray has cancelled his sextuple challenge.)

Death and Burch practising. Nothing happening on lawn 8.

2 out of 4 on my predictions yesterday. If players played like they did yesterday, I think a Suter v Death final is favourite.

Jamie Burch v James Death Game 1

G1T1 Death Yellow 10y N of 4th corner
G1T2 Burch Black just S of 2nd corner
G1T3 Death Red at Yellow from A-baulk. Misses to 18" North of Yellow

Maugham and Suter practising
Yes I'm trying the italic thing again.

G1T4 Burch Blue shoots from B-baulk. Misses to 5y N of 4th corner.

G1T5 Death Red rushes Yellow v close to Blue. Little technical yields rush to Black. Rush goes 3y away. Gets cut rush on Black, can only cut to halfway between 1 and 2. Blue is 5yN of 2. Thick take-off, joins up. Maybe target?

G1T6 Burch Black misses Red / Yellow
G1T7 Death Yellow makes 1 off Red.

G1T7 Death Yellow croquets Red to 3 going to Black. Takes off to Blue. Takes off to hoop. Makes it for the break.

###Mark Suter v David Maugham Game 1###

G1T1 Maugham Yellow 11y N of 4th corner
G1T2 Suter Blue just S of 2nd corner
G1T3 Maugham Red at Yellow from A-baulk. Hits.

Hmm can't do italic headings.

G1T3 Maugham Red takes off to 5y from Blue. Hits. Rolls it 12y South. Leaves 1y rush.

G1T7 Death Yellow fails 4.
G1T8 Burch Black picks up break.

G1T4 Suter Black shoots from B-baulk, missing to 1' W of 4th corner.
G1T5 Maugham Yellow rushes Red to 1y N of Blue. Rush to 1 about 3y shy. Makes 1y hoop, no rush.

G1T8 Burch has reached hoop 5.

G1T5 Maugham Yellow's croquet stroke after 1 is pretty good, bit short with both balls. Picks up break.

G1T8 Burch Black has reached 2-back. Blue already safely near 2nd corner.

G1T5 Maugham Yellow has 4-ball break.

G1T8 Burch Black has made 9 hoops. Red is left 6y N of 4th corner. Yellow in or very near 4th corner. Black into 3rd corner.

G1T9 Death lifts Yellow, taps Black out of the corner. Croquets Black 4y NE of 1. Or more relevantly 3y W of 5. (Yellow is for 4, remember. Did Burch remember?)
Death scoops to 4 from E bdry, thru hoop. Rushes Red near Bllue, picks up break.
Don't quite understand what Death's up to, I think he's stopping at 1-back.

G1T5 Maugham Yellow has made 9 hoops. Red is near 2nd corner. Black in 4th corner. Blue is 5y W of 4th corner. Yellow into 3rd corner.

Death's stopped at 6. He didn't mean to do that. He meant to have 3 hoops and a defensive OSL.

G1T10 Burch Blue makes 1, with rush to Black (which was in middle of E bdry).

G1T6 Suter lifts Black to Red, take off to Yellow, take off to Blue, gets rush! Not a good rush. Grovels thru 1, turns out to be Murray control (ie an undeserved forward rush).

G1T10 Burch Blue fails to peel Black thru 4-back after 3. Rush-peels it after 4.

G1T6 Suter Black picks up break.

G1T10 Burch Blue jawses penult peel after 6. Rush-peels it after 1-back. 3-back pioneer is well short (~7y), so peelee is sent to 3-back.

G1T6 Suter Black has reached hoop 6.

G1T10 Burch Blue has chance of rover peel after 3-back, but undercuts rush across. Will need a straight rover peel to finish.
Or strop as I call it. (STraight ROver Peel). It hasn't caught on,

These are best-of-3 matches. Still up to 4 games of the Doubles Championship to be played.
It's a shame Burch v Death are not playing a best-of-5. Would it be so heinous to have one semi best-of-3, the other best-of-5?

Burch wins Game 1 +21tp

G1T6 Suter will be making 9 hoops.

G1T6 Suter will be making 9 hoops.

Two errors from Death presented Burch with his two breaks.

G2T1 Death Red 10y N of 4th corner.
G2T2 Burch Black Duffer tice. Shorter than he wanted, you'd think. ~2y N of 6.
G2T3 Death Yellow hits Black. Leaves Black 4y NW of peg, with rush to it from 12yN of 4th corner.

Suter Black to 4-back. Has left Blue 1y E of 2nd corner, Red and Yellow both in 4th corner, Black into 3rd corner.

G2T4 Burch Blue misses Yellow from A-baulk.
G2T5 Death Red fails 1 off Black
G2T6 Burch Black misses whatever he could see of Red, bounces toward 1st corner.

Maugham lifts Red to Black, croquets Black 3y N of 1, going to Yellow. Has leave in 4th corner.

G2T7 Death Red can't hit Black, runs short angled hoop hard to Yellow. Makes 2 and 3 off Yellow, Blue is waiting at 4.

G1T8 Suter Black at Red / Yellow. Has to restalk a few times for spectators milling round 4th corner. Misses, only just.

G2T7 Death Red will be conceding contact.

G1T9 Maugham Red makes 1 of Yellow. Now approaching 2 from near 2nd corner. Doesn't reach. Yellow ball is 4y SW of 3. Thinking where to put Red...

G2T7 Death Red has made 9 hoops. But misses something after 3-back to give Burch an easy pick-up.

G1T9 Maugham Red off E bdry, 8 or 9y S of 3rd corner.

At least Death had already got Yellow nr 2nd corner, but that's scant consolation.

G2T8 Burch Blue's rush to 1 not good, but he copes.

G1T10 Suter Blue hits Black (30+ yarder)

G2T8 Burch Blue is going for TPO (hurrah). Jawses peel after 3. Rush-peels Red after 4

G1T10 Suter Blue immediately croquets Black to 4-back for the triple peel.. Some good strokes and he's away.

G2T8 Burch Blue peels Red thru penult after 6.

G1T10 Suter Blue has some cunning bombardment of peelee. Peels Black thru 4-back after 3.

G2T8 Burch's break is a little ragged. Has reached penult with 2 peels of TPO done, and peelee at rover.

G1T10 Suter Blue fails to get Northward rush after 4. Shouldn't matter too much.

G2T8 Burch is in good shape to complete TPO.

G1T10 Suter Blue does get forward rush after 5.

G2T8 Burch Blue has made irish peel at rover, rushes Black off E bdry. Decent rush to the peg. One or two balls off?

G1T10 Suter Blue fails penult peel after 6.

G2T8 Burch Blue pegs out Red, retires to 2nd corner.

Black looks to be 7y N of 4th corner, so hoop 4 may be in play for the approach to 1.

G2T9 Death lifts Yellow to Blue, takes off to Black. Rolls up to 1, tries to take wired position.

G1T10 Suter Blue crashes thru 2-back, and the hoopsetter has to be called to reset the hoop! Black is still on wire at penult.

G2T10 Burch Black to 4th corner.
G2T11 Death Yellow runs longish hoop 1 to N bdry, hits 9-yarder at Blue. Scoop to 2 from 2nd corner. Runs 4' hoop.

G2T11 Death Yellow approaching 3 from 7y W, short, takes wired posi.
Except it isn't wired.
G2T12 Burch Blue hitsYellow.

G2T12 Burch Blue takes off to Black, rolls toward 1st corner.

G1T10 Suter Blue has made 3-back without a rush. Reasonable roll and he'll be going for penult peel before 4-back.

G2T13 Death Yellow attempting six yard hoop 3. Bounces off 4' E of hoop. That could be his last shot.

G1T10 Suter Blue fails penult peel before 4-back.

G2T14 Burch Black makes 1 and 2 off Blue, and has 3-ball break.

G1T10 Suter Blue needs straight double peel.

G2T14 Burch Black fails 3. His first error of the match.

G2T15 Death has 4-yarder at ball in middle of hoop. Gets it. Now Death has finishing turn.

Will Death or Suter finish first?
Will Suter finish?

G2T15 Death has reached 2-back.

G1T10 Suter's irish peel of penult goes well. Peelee is inches off left hand-wire of rover.

G1T10 Suter is peeling rover from 1' in front. Peelee thru, striker's ball jawsed.

G2T15 Death is in control at 4-back.

Suter's rush to peg should be good enough.

Suter calls for referee. Not sure why. Peg not straight?

Death wins Game 2 +12otp

Suter wins Game 1 +16tp

Both matches are lunching. And so am I.

Jamie Burch v James Death Third and deciding game

G3T1 Burch Yellow 9y N of 4th corner
G3T2 Death Black just S of 2nd corner
G3T3 Burch Red at Yellow from A-baulk. Misses to 18" N of Red

G3T4 Death Blue misses Red / Yellow to 4y N of 4th corner.
G3T5 Burch Red rushes Yellow to Blue, Blue to Black, Black to 1, makes 1.

G3T5 Burch Red picks up break. Then fails 5 from nowhere.

G3T6 Death Black organises break then fails 1.
G3T7 Burch Yellow hits Black, grovels thru 1, but not hampered. Has the break.

David Maugham won this championship in 2005. None of the other semi-finalists has reached the final before.

G3T7 Burch Yellow can make 9 hoops conceding just a lift, as the Red clip is on 5.

Suter v Maugham game 2 (Suter 1-0 up)

G2T1 Suter Blue 14y N of 4th corner.
G2T2 Maugham Yellow just S of 2nd corner.
G2T3 Suter Black at Yellow from B-baulk. Hits

G3T7 Burch surprising crowd by going to run 4-back.

G2T3 Suter rolls Yellow between 1 and 2. Leaves himself rush from about 11y N of 4th corner.

G3T7 Burch has made penult. Oppo is confused.

*G2T4 Maugham Red at Blue from A-baulk. Hits.

G2T4 Maugham Red at Blue from A-baulk. Hits.

G3T7 Burch has run rover. Blue is in 4th corner, Black 6y N of 4th corner. Red near 2nd corner, Yellow into 3rd corner.

Clips: Burch Red 5, Yellow peg; Death Blue 1, Black 1.

G2T4 Maugham has 4y backward take-off to 1. Makes it. Has break.

G3T8 Death Blue taps Yellow, croquets Yellow 2y NW of 5, hits Black, rolls toward 4th corner, leaves rush.

G2T4 Maugham Red has 4-ball break.

G3T9 Burch Yellow hits Black.

G3T9 Burch Yellow leaves Black between 4 and 4th corner, Blue 1y W of 3, Red / Yellow near 2nd corner with rush for Red.

G2T4 Maugham grovels thru 4, ref on, sweep shot hits.

G3T10 Death Blue misses Red. That should be his last shot.

G3T11 Burch fails hoop 5.

Not a good rush to hoop, not a good approach, poor hoop stroke.

G3T12 Death Black makes 1, chance of break.

G2T4 Maugham grovels thru 2-back, ref on, sweep shot, this is difficult, misses.

G3T12 Death Black has 4-ball break. Temporarily devoid of expert help, I'm betting on going all round and pegging out Yellow.

G2T5 Suter lifts Blue into contact with Yellow near 2nd corner. Thick take-off to Red and Black by 1.

G3T12 Death Black is making 1-back.

G2T5 Suter has 4-ball break.

G3T12 Death Black is up to penult.

Not at all sure what Suter is doing. There's no hoop 4 pioneer, and Yellow is by 1. Maybe it bounced off peg when I wasn't looking? Or is he thinkng of POPs?

G3T12 Death Black pegs out Yellow. Blue is near 2nd corner, Black in 3rd corner.
Red clip is on 5, Blue clip on 1.

G2T5 Suter Blue is approaching 4 from E bdry. Not bad. Runs hoop by 6". Hits 6-yarder. Has break back.

G3T13 Burch Red takes croquet off Blue. Rolls Blue nr 3 going to Black. Red goes off lawn a few yards W of B-baulk.

G3T14 Death Blue to 1st corner.

G3T15 Burch Red hits Black (15y).

G2T5 Suter Blue fails 5.

G3T15 Burch Red takes off 8y short of Blue, hits. Approaches 5 from 1st corner. 3y hoop. Runs it to N bdry. Has 9-yarder at Black. Hits.

Blue is maybe 3y SW of peg.
G3T15 Burch Red rolls out of 3rd corner, putting Black behind 6, not getting rush on Blue. Take-off to 6. 5' hoop. Runs it. Snicks short return roquet. Good croquet stroke.

G3T15 Burch Red has not great rush to 1-back. Another 5' hoop. Jut runs it, can hit Blue. Should be all over.

G2T6 Maugham Yellow has break. Has cheeky attempt at peeling 3-back after 1.

Oops wrong keys. croquetscores is not exactly wysiwyg.

G2T6 Maugham Yellow has break. Has cheeky attempt at peeling 3-back after 1.

G3T15 Burch Red fails 2-back.

G3T16 Death Black rushes Red out of hoop to near 2nd corner. Black is the forward ball. Has leave near 4th corner.

That's three match-winning turns Burch has put down.

G3T17 Burch Red misses Blue / Black (40y).

G3T18 Death Blue taps Red, stops it out, rushes Black to 1, fails hoop.

G3T19 Burch Red has 15-yarder "to win". Hits it.

G2T6 Maugham Yellow peels Red thru 3-back after 4.

Burch's 4-back pioneer is 10y short. Oppo predicts tonk roll thrash. Good prediction.

G2T6 Maugham Yellow is trying to peel Red thru 4-back before 2-back. (ie His 2-back pioneer is by 4-back.) Peel is jawsed. Good rush to 2-back.

Burch wins Game 3 +14, and match 2-1

Maugham's 4-back peel can't have been jawsed as I thought, as he fails to rush-peel it after 2-back. He then fails to run 3-back.

Clips Suter Blue 6, Blue 1; Maugham Red 4-back, Yellow 3-back

Sorry
Clips Suter Blue 6, Black 1; Maugham Red 4-back, Yellow 3-back

Too many errors from Death today, most of them presenting Burch with a break. Burch will have to improve his finishing tomorrow.

G2T7 Suter Black knocks Yellow out of 3-back. Now has cut-rush of Blue from near 6 to 1. Approaching from 4y, 1y hoop, through for the break.

G2T7 Suter Black has optimistic peel attempt of Blue thru 6 after 1. 9 hoops and leave here?

G2T7 Suter Black again trying to peel Blue going to 3. Gets peel.

So maybe 12 hoops and as many peels as he can muster?

G2T7 Suter Black jawses Blue in 1-back before 6. Now has 4-yard approach to 6. Peels endanger the break.

G2T7 Suter Black good approach to 6. But not good enough. Ball rejects. Blue is actually through 1-back.

Clips Suter Blue 2-back, Black 6; Maugham Red 4-back, Yellow 3-back

G2T8 Maugham plays Red. Three hoops and a leave coming up.

G2T8 Maugham's Red clip is on the peg. Let's call this a reverse horizontal spread. Black is 9" W of peg. Blue is halfway between 3 and 4. Yellow has rush on Red from near peg-high on W bdry.

G2T9 Suter thinks he can shoot Black as it lies at Red / Yellow. Misses.

G2T10 Maugham finishes.

Maugham wins game 2 +14

Sorry had trouble sending for a while just now.
Hoopsetter is on.
If you don't mind I'll stop the italics now as there's just one match in play.

Mark Suter v David Maugham third and deciding game

G3T1 Suter Blue 13y N of 4th corner.
G3T2 Maugham Yellow just Sof 2nd corner
G3T3 Suter Black at Blue from B-baulk. Misses to 5y S of Blue.

G3T4 Maugham Red at Black / Blue from B-baulk. Misses into 4th corner.

Nick Parish is following and asks this question:
"What lay behind Mark's peeling tactics in game 2? Seems bonkers to me. If you go to 4b you're much better off 5 and 4b than 2b/3b and 4b, and while you could go to peg and be perhaps peg and 4b, you give away a contact - surely Dave is more likely to miss a lift than Mark is to hit the very long shot he's likely to have after Dave makes a leave off the contact. All very strange."

Indeed. I'm a bit short of experts now. My usual ones are playing Z games or watching the tennis.

G3T5 Suter Blue rushes Black 3y W of 4th corner. Little take-off, rushes Red 3y E of Yellow.

G3T5 Suter Blue rushes Yellow 8' S of 1. Makes hoop, has rush to Black.

G3T5 Suter Blue rushes Black to 2y S of 2nd corner. Stops Black behind 2, rushes Red W of hoop. Stop shot approach, runs hoop to Black. One more good rush required...

G3T5 Suter Blue plays poor rush to 3. Approaching 3 from 6y. Fails hoop 3.

G3T6 Maugham Red hits Black (5y). Take-off to Blue hits hoop 6. Misses Blue (8y).

Blue is in front of 3. Red is near 3rd corner. Black is in-lawn, maybe 10y WNW of peg.
G3T7 Suter Blue runs 3 off S bdry. Yellow is 3y S of 4, handily.

G3T7 Suter Blue makes 4 off Yellow, rushes it to W bdry near Black. Now has 3-ball break. Needs to dig Red out of 3rd corner.

G3T7 Suter Blue extracts Red before 6. Presumably to 4-back with usual sort of contact leave?

G3T7 Suter Blue makes 1-back, leaves Black near 2nd corner.

G3T7 Suter Blue has run 3-back. Leaves Red and Yellow in 4th corner. Blue into 3rd corner.

G3T8 Maugham lifts Red, taps Blue out of the corner. Blue is croqueted to 1y N of 1, Red goes off lawn 7y W of Yellow.

G3T9 Suter Blue at Yellow (21y). Hits.

G3T9 Suter Blue croquets Yellow 4y E of 4. Rushes Red 4y N of 1st corner. Looking to crosswire Red and Yellow.
Now walking over to see if Yellow and Black are open.

G3T9 Suter Blue has not played a stroke for 3 minutes maybe? Finally Red is stopped maybe 5y W of 1. Blue goes off 2y E of Black.

Suter didn't get the wiring

G3T10 Maugham shoots Red at Yellow (23y). Hits.

G3T10 Maugham Red takes off to Black. Short. Misses.

G3T11 Suter Black stops Red behind 2, rushes Blue 3y WNW of 1. Approaches to 4' in front. Fails hoop, rejecting to side.

G3T12 Maugham Yellow at Blue (20y). Hits.

The tea-bell rings. Luckily tea-lady was savvy enough not to ring while Dave was shooting.

G3T12 Maugham Yellow has picked up break, and balls are there for TPO should he wish.

G3T12 Maugham Yellow peels Blue thru 4-back after 3. Blue almost reaches the yardline.

After 4, Maugham Yellow rushes Red 1y W of Blue. Red into lawn a bit, rushes Blue not far enough, finishes just N of Black. Can only get Blue 2y NE of peg. Makes 5 off Black.

After 5, Maugham Yellow rushes Black to 3rd corner. Stops Black 3y E of 1-back.
Rush on Red again short, 1' W of Blue. Red put maybe 3y ENE of peg. Makes 6 off Blue, and is lining up peel going to Red.

G3T12 Maugham Yellow fails to peel Blue thru penult after 6. Peelee hits both wires, bounces back 1' in front.
Rushes Red North, it's croqueted 9y shy of 2-back. Makes 1-back off Black.

After 1-back Maugham Yellow croquets Black 3y NW of 3-back. Hoping to peel Blue thru penult going to Red.

Penult peel goes thru to 2y S of peg. Bit short on Red but copes. Makes 2-back off Red.

If he can peel Blue before 3-back it makes the contact leave much easier than if he has to rely on a straight rover peel.

G3T12 Maugham Yellow gets Blue into the front of rover before 3-back.

G3T12 Maugham Yellow is able to rush-peel Blue thru rover before 4-back.

Some imperfection at penult, followed by Christing off Blue in an attempt to get behind it, means balls are not ideally placed.
Maugham Yellow runs rover, roqueting Red as he does so. Red is croqueted about 5y E of 4. Rush Black to Blue, Blue to the peg.

One of the best aspects of SuperAdvanced rules is that most top players believe that the TPO is the best tactic if oppo goes round first.
I'm not at all sure it is, but at least we get lovely 3-ball endings. Or indeed 1-ball.

Blue is pegged out. Yellow into 2nd corner.

Clips: Suter Blue off, Black 1; Maugham Red 1, Yellow peg.

G3T13 Suter Black takes croquet off Red. Rolls Red ~6y W of peg. Black goes off S bdry in front of 1.

G3T14 Maugham Red at Yellow. Misses into corner. (Red and Yellow in contact.)

G3T15 Suter scoping out the East boundary. Black goes off 3y S of 3rd corner.

G3T16 Maugham Red rolls toward 1st corner. Balls are about 3y NW of 1. Now looking for wired spot on boundary. Red off ~5y N of 1st corner.

Black and Red are wired.
G3T17 Suter Black to 1' W of 4th corner.

G3T18 Maugham Yellow hits Red (6y). Rolling North. Yellow is about 3y NNW of 2, Red off in 2nd corner.

G3T19 Suter Black to 1y W of 3rd corner.

G3T20 Maugham Yellow hits Red (5y). Rolling South. This is better, about 3y shy of 1st corner.
Red and yellow are almost touching, which may prevent Maugham putting Yellow exactly where he'd like.
Taps Yellow 1y E of Red.

G3T21 Suter Black to 1' W of 4th corner.

G3T22 Maugham Red makes 1 off Yellow. Has 3y rush pointing North. Good rush. Makes 2.

After 2, Maugham Red rushes Yellow near 6. Looking at N bdry wired from Black.
Plays croquet stroke, Yellow is open. Red should go off boundary wired from Black.
It does so.

Don't forget that Maugham may have to concede 3 lifts to Suter, as he goes thru 4, 1-back and 4-back.

G3T23 Suter Black to 1y N of 1st corner.
Correctly biding his time, waiting for those lifts.

G3T24 Maugham plays Yellow, Red is near 3rd corner, Yellow 3y WSW.

G3T25 Suter deems.

G3T26 Maugham plays Yellow again. Maybe this time he can get the wired rush this time.
As I am in tea-room near 4th corner, I am not well-placed to judge.

G3T27 Suter deems, or possibly adjusts ball nearer corner.

G3T28 Maugham Red makes 3, leaves Red and Yellow near middle of E bdry, with 2y rush to 4.

I presume hoop 5 is preventing the shot.

G3T29 Suter taps just E of 1st corner.

G3T30 Maugham Red makes 4, with rush vaguely pointing to 5.
Good rush, except he's dead in front, so can't get rush to 6.
Declines hoop 5 (why?) croquets both balls off lawn, Red in 4th corner, Yellow 13y N of 4th corner.

G3T31 Suter lifts Black to end of A-baulk, shoots at Yellow. Misses.

G3T32 Maugham Yellow rushes Black off N bdry near 3rd corner. Splits Black along N bdry behind 2. Yellow is 12y from Red.
Yellow lagged 4y W of Red, 1y in lawn. Black is wired from Yellow, open on Red.

After this feast, we have the resumption of the Doubles semi-final. (Maugham & Chapman v Avery & S. Murray).

Suter seems to have rejected the shot, looking at various boundaries.
G3T33 Suter Black to 12y N of 4th corner.

G3T34 Maugham Red taps Yellow, croquets it back toward 4th corner. Red hits Black. Black is stopped 1y NE of 2 (presumably shorter than desired).
Red off in 4th corner. Black open on both balls.

Clips: Suter Blue off, Black 1; Maugham Red 5, Yellow peg.

I do hope you're not expecting commenttary on the Doubles semi!

G3T35 Suter Black to 12y N of 4th corner.
Cut-and-paste is useful feature.

commentary

G3T34 Maugham Red rushes Yellow 4y SSE of 5. Yellow rolled back, 4y NNW of 4th corner. Red hits Black. This time Black is stuffed maybe 4y SSE of 2nd corner.
Red goes off to leave rush to 5.

Might Suter be tempted to shoot this time?

Sorry that was G3T36 wasn't it?

G3T37 Suter Black to 9y N of Red.

G3T38 Maugham Red rushes Yellow 3y in front of 5. Good approach, Yellow is 1y N of peg.
Red runs 5 by maybe an inch. Can he see Yellow?
Yes he can, Red snicks Yellow.
Rolls balls toward 2nd corner. Leaves rush pointing somewhere near 6.

Suter looking at Red / Yellow. Don't think he'll shoot this time.

The Mangler may be regretting not resuming the Doubles semi on Thursday and/or Friday evening.

G3T39 Suter Black to 2y W of 3rd corner.

This evening there'll be a barbecue at the Club.

G3T40 Maugham Red cut rushes Yellow into Black. Black goes into 3rd corner, Yellow 2y South.
Takes off. Looks unhappy. Tries to cut Black to 6, roughly right direction but it's well short.
Black stopped halfway between hoop 1 and 1st corner. Red has a 5' angled 6 if he fancies it.
Can't go for it if Black and Yellow are wired.
Red off in 3rd corner.

G3T41 Suter Black shoots!
Misses to between Red and Yellow.

G3T42 Maugham Red rushes Black into Yellow, promoting Yellow 4y ESE of peg.
Maugham Red croquets Black to 1-back, but he's shy of Yellow. Yellow is now 2y South (and a bit East) of peg.
Going for the approach....

Yellow is deep, almost too deep, stays on by 1'.
Red has one yard hoop 6....

Maugham Red runs hoop 6 to boundary, hits Yellow (5y).
(Black is E of 1-back.)
That's a pretty good croquet stroke.
Should finish now.

Maugham does not get rush after 1-back.
Croquet stroke slightly overhit, Black (3-back pioneer) is 2y SSW of hoop.
Red is through 2-back.

Another OK croquet stroke, but no rush on Black to 3-back, so approaching from 7'...

Red runs 18" 3-back, beyond Black.

Maugham Red has another biggish croquet stroke after 3-back. 9/10 for that one.

G3T42 Maugham Red is thru 4-back.
Overhits next croquet stroke, but should be good enough.
Approaching penult from 5'...

Good shot.
The rover pioneer (Yellow) is 3y WSW of rover.
Another roll. 9/10 for that one too.

G3T42 Maugham Red rushes Yellow 1' SE of rover. Stops Yellow toward peg. Runs rover.

David Maugham wins game 3 +13tpo, and beats Mark Suter 2-1

As previously intimated, if you want commentary on the Doubles semi, you're out of luck.
If Maugham and Chapman contrive to lose, then the tournament will finish.
If they win, then Maugham will have 2 finals tomorrow.

I shall go and discover what's happening in the Plate. I know that Robin Brown's defence of the Plate came to an end this morning thanks to David Goacher.

Plate;
Draw semifinals:
Gott beat Kibble +26
Giraud beat Goacher +3(t)
Process semifinals:
Hayes beat Bradforth +4
S. Murray beat White +22

The Doubles semi is resuming on lawn 6, where it started on Sunday. It's one game all.
Mulliner & Suter (doubles finalists) are not allowed to go home, in case the semi is a quick one.

If the Doubles final does start this evening, I may do commentary in a new thread.
Otherwise see you at 10am tomorrow. (Or maybe sooner if the Manager's worried about finishing the event!)

Bye for now, Andrew