CNZ AC Open Championship
FINAL Game 1 - Bryant vs Freeth by Hamish McIntosh
We've got our first overcast day at the Mount. Quite likely the first time the players haven't seen the sun this week. It'll be a relief to most people who have spent some long fatiguing days out on the lawns
13 Jan 2019 8:38AM (Tournament); 1 Readers
Bryant has arrived at the lawn looking resplendent in his NZ blazer and dressed head to toe in black
13 Jan 2019 8:40AM (Tournament); 2 Readers
Freeth has arrived with not a moment to spare (wearing grey tee and black shorts) to join Bryant for a warm-up
13 Jan 2019 8:42AM (Tournament); 2 Readers
As you'd expect they're on the show lawn - lawn 1
13 Jan 2019 8:42AM (Tournament); 2 Readers
I'm joined in the commentary box by Mr F. Webby who promises to bring expert analysis mingled with classy banter
13 Jan 2019 8:43AM (Tournament); 2 Readers
Exhibit A: Webby reckons despite the cloud, it'll be a good day though
13 Jan 2019 8:45AM (Tournament); 2 Readers
Bryant: U & K
Freeth: R & Y
13 Jan 2019 8:46AM (Tournament); 2 Readers
1) Bryant U to Max distance
2) Freeth to just out of c2
3) Bryant shooting at partner down e boundary... Misses by approx half a ball to the left, into c4
4) Freeth shooting R at partner in c2... misses just S
13 Jan 2019 8:50AM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Bryant shooting K from c4 at U. Hits to approx peg high e boundary
13 Jan 2019 8:51AM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Takes off to 3y from RY in c2 - hits - not quite a cannon
13 Jan 2019 8:53AM (Tournament); 4 Readers
Gets behind Y to rush to 1... It's good. Approaching 1 from 1.5y SE of hoop
13 Jan 2019 8:55AM (Tournament); 4 Readers
K's rush out of 1 is pointing at c3... He rushes Y to middle of N boundary
13 Jan 2019 8:56AM (Tournament); 6 Readers
Takes off to U which is 2y in lawn peg high. Comes in hot and comes to rest 1ft in from boundary
13 Jan 2019 8:58AM (Tournament); 4 Readers
Rushes beautifully, off the N boundary behind hoop 2
13 Jan 2019 8:59AM (Tournament); 4 Readers
Taking off to R which is 1ft out of c2. Judges it well, particularly given there's a slight slope towards the corner flag there
13 Jan 2019 9:00AM (Tournament); 5 Readers
Rushes R to 2y SE of hoop 2... Takes off to in front of hoop and slams through to the N boundary
13 Jan 2019 9:01AM (Tournament); 4 Readers
Expert analysis from Webby suggests this should be the first break. I'm glad he's here
13 Jan 2019 9:01AM (Tournament); 5 Readers
Whilst Bryant trundles around, we can let you know that Logan McCorkindale is playing John Christie in the plate final. Best of 3 for them.
In the Bronze Medal final it's is Dennis Bulloch vs Anthony Ritchie
13 Jan 2019 9:08AM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Webby's eagle eyes have spotted some impending poppage from Bryant
13 Jan 2019 9:08AM (Tournament); 3 Readers
Indeed it is - Bryant has POP'd R through 1 by 4y going to 5
13 Jan 2019 9:12AM (Tournament); 4 Readers
Full disclosure, our speculation about the leave has been off the mark as Bryant leaves Y (for 1) on the back of hoop 1 after making 2b. Setting up a ?Bryant leave?
13 Jan 2019 9:19AM (Tournament); 6 Readers
Red is nuzzled nicely at hoop 4. Greg's rush is 2y south of peg on e boundary, pointing at peg
13 Jan 2019 9:24AM (Tournament); 5 Readers
So end of the turn: U for 1, K for 4b. Y for 1, R for 2
13 Jan 2019 9:26AM (Tournament); 6 Readers
Freeth lifts R from hoop 4, takes it to a baulk and... Hits half of U, the boundary ball
13 Jan 2019 9:27AM (Tournament); 5 Readers
No what we wonder?
13 Jan 2019 9:28AM (Tournament); 5 Readers
Croquets, U towards hoop 3. Rushes S of 1 and takes off to right in front of hoop 1 and runs 1 to rush Y 1y N of hoop 2
13 Jan 2019 9:31AM (Tournament); 9 Readers
Takes off in front of 2 and runs it a bit cleanly, off the N boundary
13 Jan 2019 9:32AM (Tournament); 6 Readers
Hits partner back through hoop 2 to peg high. Webby "do you reckon he played for that?"
13 Jan 2019 9:33AM (Tournament); 8 Readers
Takes off behind K at 1. Rushes it 2y N of U. Undrhits the croquet shot loading 4 so has to play quite a fine cut towards 3
13 Jan 2019 9:36AM (Tournament); 9 Readers
Fine take off from 2y SW of hoop. A bit too hard and has an angled hoop which on a different occasion you'd think twice about taking on. But the hoop offers little resistance and he should be away
13 Jan 2019 9:39AM (Tournament); 7 Readers
Really tight break happening now. Should have mentioned earlier that Bryant's break was exceptionally tight. This is exciting for the rest of the match
13 Jan 2019 9:44AM (Tournament); 7 Readers
We're more confident, with what Freeth'leave is going to be. He's made 1b and put U (hoop 1 ball) 5y SW of hoop 2 and is making 2b off partner. So an NSL with K (for 4b) at hoop 4?
13 Jan 2019 9:51AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
We were nearly correct... K hasn't ended up in the ideal position at 4, it's 3 quarters open from a baulk. Josh has responded to this by laying up with a rush on the e boundary 11y South of c3
13 Jan 2019 10:00AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
Bryant has lifted U and taken it to b baulk...
13 Jan 2019 10:01AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
Didn't sound like the cleanest strike and he snicks Y off the e boundary, remaining close to R
We don't think that lift shot would have hit were Freeth more South
13 Jan 2019 10:04AM (Tournament); 12 Readers
Over to Webby who's been running the numbers and digging through the stats to opine that "this should be game 1 to Bryant"
13 Jan 2019 10:05AM (Tournament); 13 Readers
K must not rush to 1 because Greg is rushing R to 1... He's given it plenty and is approaching 1 from 5y w of 1
13 Jan 2019 10:07AM (Tournament); 13 Readers
Has a 20 degree hoop from a couple of feet.
13 Jan 2019 10:07AM (Tournament); 11 Readers
Doesn't come through as far as he'd like so has a 6y at R. Which he half balls towards the peg
13 Jan 2019 10:08AM (Tournament); 12 Readers
Takes off the S of K and rushes K to 4y E of hoop 3
13 Jan 2019 10:09AM (Tournament); 12 Readers
Croquets it into pioneer position at 3 and rushes Y from near hoop 3 to 2y S of hoop 2
13 Jan 2019 10:10AM (Tournament); 11 Readers
Slightly underhit the approach! Bugger.
13 Jan 2019 10:11AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
Runs the hoop and gave it plenty. I fully expected it to sail through to the boundary but he's only crawled through. Hampered on Y
13 Jan 2019 10:12AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
Shooting across at K at 3...
Centre ball! Takes K off the e boundary
13 Jan 2019 10:13AM (Tournament); 11 Readers
Rolling K to 4 (nestles again the hoop) but short on R near the peg (ends up with a 2y rush w)
13 Jan 2019 10:15AM (Tournament); 9 Readers
Centre balls that peg high w boundary and takes off to Y at 2. Giving himself a 1y rush to 3
13 Jan 2019 10:16AM (Tournament); 9 Readers
Now approaching hoop 3 from 4y straight. Runs the hoop with a 2y rush pointing at c4 (not trying to get to R)
13 Jan 2019 10:18AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
Loading 5 with Y and now making 4 off partner
13 Jan 2019 10:19AM (Tournament); 9 Readers
After 4 rushes to WB level with 1, sends K 2ft straight in front of 4b, will be loading 6 from boundary but should be fine
13 Jan 2019 10:21AM (Tournament); 9 Readers
Webby desperate for it to be fine so his prediction of this being the finishing turn stays accurate
13 Jan 2019 10:23AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
Over hits that. R was sent to 3 as the escape ball for the 4b peel but it's ended up 1y N of the hoop and 1ft W of hoop
13 Jan 2019 10:25AM (Tournament); 14 Readers
Makes 5 and rushes to e boundary. Loading 1b he runs into peelee. Body language hints at being unimpressed
13 Jan 2019 10:26AM (Tournament); 13 Readers
Croquets K in front of 4b and rushes R to 6
Makes 6 with a rush that he cuts to 1y E of 4b
13 Jan 2019 10:27AM (Tournament); 12 Readers
Rush peel coming up? K appears to be half a foot in front of 4b, centre of the ball in line with r hand hoop leg
13 Jan 2019 10:29AM (Tournament); 11 Readers
Takes off from R and...
13 Jan 2019 10:30AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
Rush peel is successful! Little ripper
13 Jan 2019 10:31AM (Tournament); 9 Readers
Nice croquet stroke loading 2b with K and getting to Y at 1b
13 Jan 2019 10:31AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
Freeth stretches his arms wide and yawns. Maybe settling into the idea that this delayed tp is back under control
13 Jan 2019 10:33AM (Tournament); 12 Readers
Logan an Christie have finished their first and it was 26TP-1 to Logan. That's Logan's first triple. Epic time to do it.
Christie arrives in the commentary box and regales us with a yarn about Freeth's first TP which was also against him... Freeth grovelled through 1 on this occasion and had to hiit through the hoop to roquet a ball at 4b to continue his turn!
13 Jan 2019 10:38AM (Tournament); 13 Readers
Back to the match at hand. And Greg was croqueting K to penult after 2b. Unfortunately K has come to rest against the wire on the back of penult
13 Jan 2019 10:40AM (Tournament); 13 Readers
It's going to be a straight double attempt. Webby has done some personality analysis and observes that this is much more of a Freeth TP attempt than a Bryant
13 Jan 2019 10:43AM (Tournament); 13 Readers
After making 4b - K is 1ft E of penult
13 Jan 2019 10:45AM (Tournament); 12 Readers
Now Y is near the peg, R is the side ball and K is going to be peeled through penult from dead in front and close
13 Jan 2019 10:46AM (Tournament); 14 Readers
Irish peel - K 2ft past the peg but shouldn't be hampered
13 Jan 2019 10:47AM (Tournament); 14 Readers
R is sent as a deep ball approx 7y off boundary. Y is the side ball but looks to be N of rover
13 Jan 2019 10:48AM (Tournament); 14 Readers
Didn't seem to take his usual amount of time on the rush of peelee...
13 Jan 2019 10:48AM (Tournament); 14 Readers
K is 1y 25 degrees
13 Jan 2019 10:50AM (Tournament); 16 Readers
Lining up the peel anyway!
13 Jan 2019 10:50AM (Tournament); 16 Readers
Stone the crows. Peelee has bounced out of the hoop but where has U gone?
13 Jan 2019 10:51AM (Tournament); 16 Readers
U has hit the wire and ended up 1ft W of rover
13 Jan 2019 10:52AM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Let with a scatter shot and he pummels Y to just out of c2 and U off the w boundary, level with rover
13 Jan 2019 10:53AM (Tournament); 18 Readers
K is close to rover (NW by inches) and rushes to U but not to 1
13 Jan 2019 10:56AM (Tournament); 19 Readers
Freeth has picked up Y and taken it to c1 to shoot up the line at U
13 Jan 2019 10:56AM (Tournament); 18 Readers
We just about had to call in hot spot for that one as Josh snick Y in lawn ever so slightly
Bosh! From Webby
13 Jan 2019 10:59AM (Tournament); 16 Readers
We just about had to call in hot spot for that one as Josh snick Y in lawn ever so slightly
Bosh! From Webby
13 Jan 2019 10:59AM (Tournament); 16 Readers
Snicks U sorry
13 Jan 2019 11:02AM (Tournament); 15 Readers
WiFi dropped out at an inopportune time there
13 Jan 2019 11:06AM (Tournament); 11 Readers
Freeth did some things. Got oppos two balls near 2 and approached 1 from 5y. Had a straight 1y hoop shot which took the wire head on
13 Jan 2019 11:07AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
Greg was able to play with K and make rover
13 Jan 2019 11:08AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
Rushes Y after making the hoop to e boundary level with rover, takes off to U and lays up in c2 with a rush pointing at yellow. R at this point is peg high on w boundary
13 Jan 2019 11:10AM (Tournament); 8 Readers
Peg and peg for U&K
13 Jan 2019 11:12AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
Ignore that. Blue for rover, K for peg
13 Jan 2019 11:13AM (Tournament); 7 Readers
Greg asking Josh to take on the shorter shot with R on his rush in c2 but R is the 4b ball
13 Jan 2019 11:14AM (Tournament); 4 Readers
Josh it interested, he wants the finishing turn with Y and shoots across the lawn at R
13 Jan 2019 11:15AM (Tournament); 5 Readers
Casting...
13 Jan 2019 11:15AM (Tournament); 5 Readers
It slides past
13 Jan 2019 11:15AM (Tournament); 6 Readers
All there for Greg now
13 Jan 2019 11:16AM (Tournament); 7 Readers
Indeed he makes rover
13 Jan 2019 11:16AM (Tournament); 7 Readers
And he has a peg out from a couple of feet. Within the Garrison critical distance that is
13 Jan 2019 11:17AM (Tournament); 7 Readers
Game 1 to Bryant 26 - 9
13 Jan 2019 11:18AM (Tournament); 8 Readers
That must have taken up most of the time limit. Maybe 20min to spare?
13 Jan 2019 11:19AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
Smoko time. Hopefully Webby will have the call for the next game
13 Jan 2019 11:20AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
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