Good morning World

I'll be doing this morning's commentary - focusing on the games in my direct field of vision - namely:
Lawn 1: R. Fletcher v. Fisher
Lawn 2: McCormick v. Avery
Lawn 3: Dumergue v. Death
Lawn 4: Bryang & Clarke v. Essick & Watson

Off in the distance are:
Lawn 12: M. Fletcher v. Burch
Lawn 11: Wilson v. Patel
Lawn 5: Chapman & Fordyce v. Balding & Soo
Lawn 6: Forster v. Carter

I'll be giving the laternamed less attention, but will throw in the odd update.
Live updates of clip positions etc. can be found on Gareth Denyer's excellent VOLUNTEER UPDATED spreadsheet here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VjvMxLJ087wsZoCv6fIf3enrHImF4aZvkEYhGHhp9OQ/edit#gid=687196431
Live-streaming can be found here: https://livestream.com/mysportlive/events/10679699 and there are some photos on croquetgram (whatever that is - link coming later.)

Lawn 12:
M. Fletcher - (Blue) Supershot half way between H5 and peg
Burch - (Yellow) - hits at it gently from C1?
M. Fletcher - lining up double from C1. Hits partner. Backward takeoff (2y) to hoop 1. Makes it and has a good chance of a 3ball break.

Lawn 2:
Avery to EB 2y N of H4 (Blue)
McCormick to C2 (Yellow)
Avery (Black) at partner from A-Baulk. Misses
McCormick (Red) at Avery double.. Misses left.
Avery approaches 1 from 3ySW and gets 1y slightly angled hoop. Runs it but by a good way. Retreats to partner on EB leaving a 1y rush North.
McCormick thinks (good). Then hits (also good) from 2 to 1.

Lawn 3:
Dumergue to EB (Blue)
Death (Red) to
Dumergue (Black) at partner from A-Baulk. Misses.
Death (Yellow) at double down EB. Hits the lower ball (Blue) rushing it to corner. Takes off up the line and gets a cut-rush to 1. Plays it pretty well.

Lawn 1:

Fisher - (Red) Supershot to 3y N, 5ft W of H5.
Fletcher - (Black) Longest point EB
Fisher - (Yellow) down EB but at an angle. Misses to 3y S of Black
Fletcher down the line at double. Misses to C4.

Lawn 4:

Sleepy start.

Lawn 4:

There was a supershot, not sure where oppo went, but Watson hit and is off on a 3 ball break and under control. Approaching 7.

Lawn 3:

Death doesn't make 2, and is set up in front of the hoop, but with partner on the other side.
Dumergue shoots 3 to 2 and misses.
Death hits partner, does some things, then fails 2 with a big rejection. Black is still nearby, and Dumergue is in.

Lawn 1:

Fisher is through 4 and on a break with 4 balls.

Lawn 2:

McCormick doesn't get a great rush to 1 (ends in C1), and rolls in from the corner and does it well, but fails a relatively straight forward hoop. Avery away with Blue and is now through 2 and looking happy. McCormick is good at ignoring the caliber of the opponent, but looks visually more uptight than usual, so I'd assume that that's because of the pressure of the test situation.

Lawn 11 - Wlison made a hoop, but not sure what happened. Patel is in with a controlled break.
Lawn 12 - Fletcher still on 3 ball break and approaching 3back. Should be 3 ducks. It is 3 ducks... Burch plays from A-baulk and hits.
Lawn 1 - Fisher on break
Lawn 2 - Avery on break
Lawn 4 - Watson on 3-ball break. 3 ducks. Clarke plays from A-baulk and misses.
Lawn 3 - Dumergue approaching 1 with partner from 2ySW, having played a couple of good long rushes. Makes the hoop and looks good.
Lawn 6 - Forster looks like on a break and approaching 2back.
Lawn 5 - USA doing a cannon in C4, but only 3 hoops have been many hoops have been made so far.

Lawn 6 - Forster sets lose 2-4 leave (with 2 ball level with 6, 2y off WB.

Lawn 11 - Patel going around and Wilson's body language off court doesn't fill me with confidence. I think Patel will have the mental edge over Wilson in this match, and is such a consistent break player, with the ability to hit lifts, that a win in this match would be a good one for Wilson, even if he can be more brilliant than Patel when he is playing well.

Lawn 3 - Dumergue doesn't get position in front of 2, retreats to EB, 8y from partner.
Death joins up down near C4.
Dumergue misses partner on EB.
Death is off again with Yellow (H2 ball)
However, he has another crunch at H2 (last time it was a 4y rejection), and this time knocks off both clips and striker ends up SE of H6... Ref is out to reset the hoop - again..

Lawn 1 - Fisher has run 3back and is setting a leave.

Lawn 2 - Avery has run 3back and is setting a leave.

Lawn 12 - Burch is through 3 and going around.

Lawn 11 - Wilson has just taken a lift a missed. Patel back on with a rush from EB.

Lawn 4 - Essick made 1 hoop, was hampered, tried to hit ball at 2 and missed. Clarke is in with a laid break, approaching 2.

Lawn 6 - Carter lifts Westerly ball and plays down EB. Misses. Forster doesn't get in front of 1, retreats to NB. Carter has 10 yarder in lawn with Forster on boundary behind if he misses.. He does not miss.

Lawn 1 - Fletcher picks up Westerly ball and takes the short shot from A-baulk across at Fisher's two balls on WB (leave was a diagonal spread by the way). Hits, but cuts it up the lawn a good way. Takes off back but doesn't get a rush. Taps Blue onto Yellow, and will be loading 2, trying to get a rush on the Black at the peg down to H1.

Lawn 2 - Also a diagonal spread. McCormick also lifts the Westerly ball and takes it to A-Baulk and shoots at an Englishman. Two Englishmen have now been shot successfully.

Lawn 1 - Fletcher doesn't get the rush to 1, but is now approaching from South Boundary, just west of the centerline.. Rolls in. Has angled hoop. Runs it and is away. Fisher's Yellow is at H2, so less chance of an on time TPO than he might wish.

Lawn 2 - McCormick has a better looking attempt to get a rush to 1 with the ball at the peg. However, he overrolls H1, and retreats to WB level with 1, leaving himself a 7 yarder, but both balls at Avery's hoop..
Avery shoots at partner from H2 to H4, misses.

Singles update:

Lawn 6 - Carter on a break to 1back.

Lawn 3 - Dumergue is through 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 and on a good break chance. Death will be be disappointing not to have made the first 9 with all those chances. Really hoping he can pull it together and reach peak form by the end of the tournament.

Lawn 2 - McCormick hit and is back in - makes 1 and is away.

Lawn 11 - Patel only makes it to 4, and Wilson is in and through 1 (by miles) and has hit the return roquet.

Lawn 1 - Fletcher going around. No peels on oppo attempted or set up.

Lawn 12 - Burch has equalised with 9, and Fletcher is considering his lift shot. Leave is obscured by sheds, referees and potplants unfortunately... Fletcher misses something. I think it was a desperation leave of some sort, as players don't seem to be in the parts of the lawn that one would expect after a leave miss.

Doubles update(sorry I haven't been on these - too much of interest happening in the singles):

Lawn 4: Clarke made 9 with a 2-4, Essick picked up the Westerly ball (his Red, which is still on 2), and takes short shot from A-baulk. Hits. Rushes partner to 2, and is away, but delayed TP required.

Lawn 5: Soo made his 9, and Fordyce hit the lift and is going around - up to H6.

Lawn 12 - A few shots occured after the leave, with the net result being that Burch got in first, and failed H1. Fletcher shot from miles away and ended up in C1. Burch (who was in the jaws of 1) ran it, and got a rush back to C1 and a cannon.

Lawn 11 - Wilson (we assume) is still going around, since Patel is not. Would be up to 1back if so. 3back now.

Lawn 3 - Dumergue up to 2back... Time flies when you're having fun!

Lawn 2 - McCormick setting tight 2-4 leave. Ball at 2 is tight, ball at 4 looks like being loose.. and will probably end up at somewhere NW of peg instead. Does so, and ends up scattering partner off EB - 7y and 11y North of C4 respectively. Balck (for H1) is lifted from H2 area and wil be taking shot at Blue (5y NE of peg) with C4 in the background...

Lawn 1 - Fisher lifts westerly ball, takes shot from A-baulk, looks good! but then Fisher writhes in convulsive spasms when it misses. Must have been close, as Fisher doesn't seem to be as proficient at acting as many other players here (who, let's face it, are bum actors anyway..). TP chance for R. Fletcher

Lawn 4 - Essick thinking mid lawn. Going to 1back I suspect (is currently north of 6 with a 4y rush towards 1back), with partner and an escape ball over at 4back, but not in great places.

Lawn 5 - Fordyce going to 3back and doubtless has leave setting in the mind.

Lawn 6 - Carter misapproaches 1 to start break 2, and retreats to C4. Forster has 3 yarder over by H1. Plays his H1 ball and hits.

Lawn 2 - McCormick misses 6 yard return roquet after H1. Avery was the reception ball.
Avery shoots at partner in C4. Misses.
McCormick shoots from SB at ball at 2. Misses.
Avery taps partner, takes off to McCormick on NB, and takes off out.. Would have tipped him to finish the game had that not happened and he had made H1.

Lawn 12 - Burch is in, and has done 1 peel, and is approaching H6.

Lawn 11 - Patel is in - we think having just hit after a reverse OSL.

Lawn 1 - Fletcher under approached 1, but crunched it through by 2ft. Good shot. Standard TP ahead.

Lawn 4 - Essick makes 2back off partner (just) with no peels done.

Lawn 5 - Leave is set (reverse OSL), and USA miss, and Chapman has a break.

Lawn 3 - Diagonal Spread by Dumergue. Death takes A-baulk shot with the ball that was up by 2, and misses.

Lawn 6 - Forster is off the lawn, with clips on 2 and 4back, and Carter looks like he's just had a go at H1, and asked Ref to check for a jam (Blue is lodged in the jaws), but it's a no. Forster shooting from North Boundary at Carter's 2 balls down at H1. Hits. Forster is on H2 with that ball (yellow)

Conditions are expected to be generally tricky today. There's not much wind, and no rain, but the lawns (1,2,3,4,5,6,7 at least) have just been mown, and the prediction is for 28 degrees Celsius and mostly sunny. It is currently mostly cloudy, but bright, and there has been plenty of sun and there looks like being more (there is a lot of Sun really), so the lawns should speed up steadily til mid arvo at least, and will really accentuate the hills around the hoops. So, this should lead to:
1: the boring, unadventurous, conservative players being even more unadventurous and conservative - though hopefully concentrating even more - and less TP attempts and more setups.
2: the more adventurous players having more difficulty in doing their stuff - but also getting greater rewards for success, due to the amounts of breaks that are likely to be taken by their opponents compared to average.
Regardless, more interaction is what we should see, and more factors involved than a players ability to hit lifts and play laid breaks/standard TPs.
Looking forward to it.

Speaking of which...

Lawn 2 - after Avery took off off the court a few turns ago, McCormick has also just done so. Avery was camped up South of H1, with McCormick in C4 and somewhere else. McCormick hit in C4 from somewhere else, and then took off off court on WB while going to Avery's balls. The hills and lawn speed are coming into effect here. Avery plays H1 ball, and hits McCormick (Yellow). Loads it to 2 going to the ball in C4. Plays it well, loads Red to 3 going back to partner by 1. Has a good chance of being away and on a standard TP.

FYI, I've been asked my prediction for the day, and as of this morning I thought NZ v. USA would win 1 each, and ENG v. AUS to be 3-3. I'm sticking with it.

My winners tips were:

Singles:

R. Fletcher
M. Avery
J. Death
S. Forster
and 1 other singles.

Chapman & Fordyce
Rothman & Watson.

That's it for personal predictions for now.

Lawn 2: Avery through 2 and all set up for TP.
Lawn 1: Fletcher through 6 with 1 peel done. Looking good for TP
Lawn 6: Forster approaching 1back with 1 peel done. TP on the cards.
Lawn 4: Watson makes Rover and wins Game 1, 26-9.
Lawn 5: Chapman runs 6 with 1 peel done. Another TP coming up
Lawn 3: Approaching 3 with partner and and escape ball. TP possibility here too. He is a bit further out than all the others, and there is a hill, so this is a tougher one.
Lawn 12: Burch takes Game 1 with a TP - 26tp-9 I believe.
Lawn 11: Patel is in - currently at 3back and 4back, with Wilson on 2 and 4back.

Lawn 2: Avery rushpeels partner before 3, but fails the hoop. McCormick in with his 4back ball..
Lawn 6: Forster breaks down at 2back (lobs in jaws) with 1 peel done. Carter off and away.
All else as before - play or rest continues.

Lawn 2 - McCormick makes it to the peg and does a reverse OSL leave.
Black (for H3) just of EB peg high.
Blue (for 5back) 4y W of peg.
Yellow (Peg) 8y S of C2,
Red (H4) in C2.
Avery picks up Black, takes it to B-Baulk and shoots at Yellow. Hits. Loads H4 and gets a rush on partner mid court to H3. Plays it reasonably well but has a 3y sideways approach, up hill. Hasn't learnt about that hill yet, and pulls up short.

Lawn 6 - various bits of non-break occurring.
Carter has just shot at partner near C4 and missed. Forster has 2in rush on NB behind H2 - pointing South. Rushes to just outside C4, and will now be playing for a cannon.

Lawn 2 - McCormick hits for H4 to H3 with his peg ball.

Lawn 1 - 2 peels done and Fletcher in box seat for Game 1

Lawn 3 - Dumergue putting in some really solid break play (which he has obviously been saving studiously for the occasion, given recent form) and is up to H6 on break 2, with 1 peel done.

Lawn 11 - Patel continues.

Lawn 12 - Game 2 begins. Looks like it could have been a dry opening (sorry I missed it), but Fletcher's balls are in C2 and C4, and Burch is camping out on EB level with H3ish..

Lawn 4 - Game 2 has also started. Looks like it was a standard opening with C2 response. Watson is in and has made H1, and is taking off to partner in C2, with oppo (Black) on NB behind H2, and the other oppeo (Blue) down at H4. Will be a load and hold loading 3 and attempting position on H2.

Lawn 2 - Avery is in, but not sure how. running rover with control. Yellow should be off the lawn in a minute (although harder now, since the return rush after rover has just cannoned into Yellow sending it to 4y North of H6...) but anyway, no lift has been given (Avery started on penult), and the other clip positions are Black on H3, and red on H4.
Avery croquets partner across to near C3, and striker runs into yellow, now 11 yards from the peg... Red is in C2, so may try to peg it out anyway, otherwise he'll probably set and hope to peg out next turn. Dire situation if he doesn't ge the pegout and McCormick hits, although confidence wise, Avery may well have a better chance than normal in a 1v2 match.
Pegs off Yellow!

Lawn 1 - Fletcher has an 18in 40 degree angled straight rover peel. Manages to get croquetted ball through and striker in the jaws. Not bad. Game 1 to Fletcher, 26tp-9

Lawn 11 - Patel beats Wilson in Game 1, 26-10.

Lawn 3 - Dumergue overrolls 2back with 2 peels done. Retreats to C2.
4 yard lift for Death's H1 ball, with a ball sitting near H5, or a 6y lift for his H2 ball. Playing Red (for H1). I expect a single peel on Black if Death gets going. He doesn't... Plays gently at the 4y roquet to H1 and misses. 7y in lawn roquet option for Dumergue with his rover ball coming up. 19 practice swings later and we should see a hit.

We do, and it was only about 11.

Lawn 6: Carter has just made H2 with his backward ball. Partner is on 4back and is the receiver, and Yellow and red are sitting nearish to hoops 3 and 4 respectively. Has a break.

Lawn 4: Watson setting a tight 2-4 leave having just run 9. Bryant & Clarke yet to score.

Lawn 5: Start of Game 2. Looks like it was a standard opening by NZ, duffer tice by USA. Partner is hit by Fordyce, loaded to NW of peg, and duffer tice is rushed back to EB... Rush set up with oppo ball and USA will have to hit 4th turn.

Lawn 12: everyone is still on 1. Malcolm Fletcher has set up somewhere, and Burch has missed a 30 yard roquet.

Lawn 3: Dumergue has made Rover and is setting a leave.

Lawn 11: Wilson putting first ball on (Red) to standard position in Game 2. Patel goes to C2? Wilson shooting down EB at partner. Hits? He's in play anyway.

Lawn 5: Balding shoots Red from B-Baulk at Black which is NW of peg, misses to C1. Fordyce approaching H1.

Lawn 2: Looks like McCormick shot at Avery in C3, missing, and Avery has now made 3 and 4, and is 2 balling it around and currently attempting to approach 5 on top of the hill from 3.5y SE. Plays it quite well, but fails 1y hoop. McCormick is on H4, and will be shooting from C3 area. About a 20 yard shot. Misses to SB. Avery shoots from H5 to ball up by the peg - misses to NB. McCormick shots at peg ball with C3 in the background - hits and will be rolling into H4 from 10 yards. Makes hoop and has a rush back to H5. Black is on NB, half way between H3 and H6. Makes 5 and then 6 to NB. Has a 5 yarder for a 3 ball break. Good work from McCormick. A win here should get his confidence up. Hits.

Lawn 3: Discussion with players and ref in C2. Only 1 ball there, so not sure what that's about. Anyway, Dumergue is taking off from partner in C2 with his 2back ball. Death is in C4 and by H4. Just gets passed H4, and may take the rush that has now materialised straight to 2back. Nope, takes the (correct) shot at the ball in C4. Hits and should now be in the box seat to finish.

Lawn 1, Game 2. Fletcher to standard EB (bit short - level with 5). Fisher to C2. Fletcher at partner from A-Baulk, misses. Fisher from B-Baulk down the line at the double. Hits Yellow into C4. Takes off up the line but doesn't get a rush. rolls Red to H3 going to partner in C2. 5y short but hits.

Lawn 12: Fletcher going around.

Lawn 5: Fordyce didn't make H1, but Balding did, and now has a chance at break 1, game 2 (NZ are game up).

Lawn 4: Clarke in play and through H1 with a rush to oppo on EB. Must have been some interaction when Essick started break 2, as Yellow (for 4back) is in C3, and Red (for H2) on WB level with 6. Clarke puts partner up behind 2 has receiver, and will be loading and holding to get hoop position.

Lawn 2: McCormick didn't make 1back (not a particularly difficult hoop by the sound of it), and Avery is now in with his peg ball. Setting up on SB, with McCormick up just off NB behind H6.

Lawn 4. Clarke fails H2.
Lawn 5. Balding fails H2.
Lawn 6: Carter does not fail H2. He's up to 3back in fact, with partner on 4back. Forster on penult and peg.
Lawn 1. Fisher sets up on EB with a rush in towards H2. Fletcher Corners red to C3. Yellow is 5ft W of C4.
Lawn 2. McCormick corners to C1. Avery makes H5 and has an 8 yard return roquet at partner... Doesn't like it. Looks like he'll cover the through shot at Blue (1y North of H1) by going to EB. Does so, and McCormick thinks. Looks like going to C4?
Lawn 3: Death fails H1 with partner. Dumergue mustn't have made 2back. His 2back ball (Blue) is in C4, and Black (peg) is in C2.

Lawn 1 - Fisher rushes across the lawn, takes off to Yellow, doesn't get a rush, hits and will have an attempt at rolling off H1.
Lawn 2. McCormick goes to C4, and Avery goes to C2 with Blue. McCormick shoots at Black up the line, but Blue is in the background. Blue is the peg ball though, so this is in effect a free shot. Not sure I would have put Blue in C3 if I were Avery. McCormick misses though, so it will be another setup for Avery.
Lawn 12. Burch is in. Fletcher went to 1back, but I'm not sure what happened/whether it was a tactical stop... Could have been.
Lawn 11: Wilson looks like he's waiting for a referee, somewhere near 2back - I suspect a hampered stroke.
Lawn 4: Bryant is in (Essick only got to H3), and is rushing to 1 from H4.
Lawn 5: Chapman going around. All other clips still where they were.

Lawn 1 (G2): Fisher doesn't get position, retreats to EB. Fletcher hits from H1 to EB. Chance of a break here.

Lawn 2: Set up is Red 3y off WB, 5y N of 1. Blue and Black on EB with a rush to H3ish, just south of H6. McCormick takes an almighty swing at Black... interesting... and misses.

Lawn 6: Carter sticks in Penult. Forster hits 5 yarder with penault ball and should finish.

Lawn 3: Death going around with H1 ball. Up to H3.

Lawn 11: Wilson missed hampered shot after 2back, and Patel has a short lift and 2 balls at H1.

Lawn 4: Bryant still in, but approaching 2 fro 5y SW..

Lawn 5: Chapman still going around.

Lawn 12: Burch still going around.

Lawn 2: Avery doesn't get position in front of 6, and retreats to behind partner over near C2.
McCormick corners in C2.
Avery hits partner and will be attempting to set up with a wire through H2.

Lawn 1: Fletcher going around.

Lawn 3: Death rolls off H4 from C4, but has a 2y hoop... Runs it and now has all balls under control.

Forster takes Game 1 against Carter on Lawn 6. 26-20.

Lawn 2: Sorry, that should have been cornering in C3.

Anyway, Avery is now in and has just made 6 with a 3ball break. I assume McCormick shot and missed Avery over near H2/WB. Hoop and roquet after 1back and Red is rushed quite a way down the lawn, so the load to 3back won't be great, but should be ok.

Avery is getting more and more bemused by the hills that leap out at him on Lawn 2. His croquet stroke loading 4back from 2back was aimed at C3 and ended up NW of H3.. about a 3.5yard swing. Through 3back and rushes to NB, and should finish.

Lawn 3: Death off the lawn but just for a (non-alcoholic) drinks break. Happily going around otherwise and has made 4back, and will be pegging black off soon, which will leave Yellow on H2, and Blue on 2back, with Red alone on the peg.

Lawn 1: Fletcher going around on break 1. Up to 2back and looking like a diagonal spread.

Lawn 4: Bryant approaching 1back.

Lawn 6: beginning Game 2. Missed the opening I'm afraid, but it all looks very weird. I'm off to find out.

Ok, interesting on Lawn 6
Forster went Black to EB.
Carter fired at it and hit from A-Baulk, croquetted Black to EB, 7.5y South of C3, and hit striker (Yellow) into C1.
Forster took croquet from Yellow with Blue, rolled into H1, hit the hoop and set 2in straight in front. Ran hoop a fair way, but then only sicked Yellow at H2. Made hoop 2, croquetted it down near H4 going to partner on EB. Hit. Rolled into H3, but failed a fairly straight forward hoop. Carter roquets 4th ball from B-Baulk.

Lawn 1: Fletcher sets diagonal spread.

Lawn 5: Diagonal spread from Chapman. Balding picks up westerly ball, shoots from A-Baulk at the ball at the peg, and ends up on NB behind 3ish. Fordyce picks up break.

Lawn 2: Avery wins game 1.

Lawn 12: Red (Burch) is on H4 - no peels done.
Black (Fletcher) is on 3back, and Blue is in play, approaching H4... Not sure how we got there, but QP on the cards. Hurrah!

Lawn 1: Fisher plays from where they lie, with the Westerly ball (Black) and hits Red on EB. Equalising break?

Lawn 6 - Carter has a slightly angled H2 (maybe more than slightly), but makes it with balls ahead.

Lawn 3 - Death pegs off Black and sets a contact leave. Red in C2, Yellow somewhere on EB? Missed that but Dumergue took croquet off Yellow, pushing it out to 5y N of H4, going to ball in C2. Hits it, rolls to 2back and has a 5 yard hoop with the peg ball as receiver. Tries it and fails to 5y W of H1. Red is 2y E. Wired?

Lawn 5: Fordyce still in break, approaching H3 with partner jawsed in 4back. TP attempt for Fordyce! Good to see, since he's more than competent at all the required skills.

Lawn 2: Opening looks like standard from McCormick on EB. Avery to C2, McCormick at partner from A-Baulk (I think), hits, takes off to C2 and gets a rush to H1? Not sure, but he misapproaches the hoop and retires to C2. Avery plays from A-Baulk at what was the receiver at H1 (4y NE), but misses to C3.

Lawn 4: Bryant made it to 2back, USA didn't capitalise, and Clarke is now in play with Black and has just run H2 with a hampered shot, watched over by the bespectacled E. Fleming - referee. Hits. Balls not in great positions (all down South) but in lawn and has a good chance of continuing.

Lawn 6: Carter going around.

Lawn 1: Fisher going around.

Lawn 2: McCormick pairs up on EB. Avery shoots with the ball that was near H1 at McCormick, and misses...

Lawn 12: Fletcher approaching rover, not sure how many peels completed.

Lawn 11: Patel makes H2 on break 2. Wilson on 1 and 3back.

Lawn 5: Fordyce still in play.

Lawn 3: Death up to H3, but misapproached. Blue is on NB 2y W of H6, and Death will be going to EB about H6 height, covering shot through the H3 reception ball..

Lawn 12: Fletcher made it to the peg with 1 peel. Reverse OSL with balls in C2. Burch playing the Westerly ball (Yellow, for 4 back) at the C2 balls from where it lies. Hits.

Lawn 3: Correction, Yellow had made H3, but couldn't hit anything. Dumergue looks like he played for a wired spot through H3 - better than an ordinary covering shot by far, since only the in-lawn ball was visible - and Dumergue shot and missed. Death now has a 11y shot down the line finishing in C4 if he misses, but has a ball in lawn if he hits. He misses. Dumergue can now shoot back again at Red sitting 3y S of H3. Dumergue is on EB just up from 5 by the way. Hits red and rolls it to 2back. Has a 5ft quite angled hoop, and runs it to boundary. Has a rush to 3back. Yellow still in C4.

Lawn 1: Fisher going around, no peels, just an equalizing break.

Lawn 6: Carter going around.

Lawn 5: Fordyce peeling penult, but Ref is out, so must be very close, as he's trying to get to 2back with striker and looks highly uncomfortable.

Lawn 2: Avery still fighting hills. McCormick is now on H3,a nd Avery has overrolled H1. Lester Hughes has been predicting a Spaghetti Western on this lawn for quite some time now.

Lawn 11: Patel still going around.

Lawn 4: Clarke approaching H3. Didn't make it on the last turn. Does so now, with a 3ball break.

Lawn 1: OSL for Fisher. Fletcher's H1 ball is 6y S and 4y W of H2. and Yellow is 8y W and 1y N of peg.
Funnily enough, Fletcher picks up Red and takes the short shot. Bang. One dead Englishman coming up? Not yet. Misses!

Lawn 2: Avery is in, and has just made H2 with all balls ahead.

Lawn 3: Dumergue has done some shuffling of balls, and ended up hitting the outside of the wire at 3back. Not good. Death has 10 yarder from C4ish with his peg ball (Red). Yellow is up towards 4back. Hits.

Lawn 12: Burch in and going around and up to 1 back - approaching it from C3. Has a 4ft hoop and runs it.

My computer battery is dying, so a quick update before I take a break. Lunch should be called on most lawns soon within the next 20min or so, so you won't miss much. Hopefully I'll be back later.. Not sure though.

Lawn 1 (G2): Fisher makes H2 and continues break. Setting up for standard TP. Jawses 1st peel after 3. Nasty angled H4 though.. very close. Has a go and fails the hoop. And it is a fault of some sort. Fletcher has it back where it was. Fletcher's H1 ball is 3ft away now.
Lawn 2: Avery still on his first break, has just made 2back and setting the balls in leave position (OSL) before 3back. Sets leave and that will probably be Lunch.
Lawn 3: Lunch. Death camped up in C1 with a rush towards H3. Blue on 3back but sitting half way between H3 and EB. Dumergue has 1 open ball, 1 wired ball, and is to play next.
Lawn 4: Clarke on Break Approaching penult. Should be a leave with peg and 2back v. 5 and 4back. Leave it is.
Lawn 5: Fordyce finishes G2 with a TP and Match, 2-0
Lawn 6: Carter in play - approaching H1 with 2nd ball. Partner on 4back, Forster on hoops 1 and 3. Misapproaches.. Retreats somewhere near H3 by the looks of it. Approaching H1 again from NB with a roll. Doesn't make it. Retreats to partner near C4. Lunch. Forster to play next.
Lawn 11: Lunch. Patel on 3back and 4back, and Wilson on H1 and 3back. Not sure who is to play, but Patel looks far more solid so far. Should win this match, even if not the game.
Lawn 12: Burch in play. Could be a finishing turn, but no, has pegged off Blue and put Red in C4. Malcolm lifts black and takes the short shot. from A-Baulk. Misses. Burch continues. Will be setting another leave. Burch is on 4back and peg, and Fletcher on 4back alone.

Lawn 12: Fletcher shoots from mid EB to Burch in C2. Misses.

Lunch for me.

I'm back. Will be only commenting sporadically from now on, but for the moment, just a quick update.

Lawn 1: Fletcher d. Fisher in straight games.
Lawn 2: Avery game up. Game 2, Avery pegs 1 off and leaves a ball at the peg with Black (H3) down near C4, and Blue (for H1) 3y SW of H2. McCormick plays Black from where it is at double target... Hits backward ball. Takes off to Avery's Yellow by the peg and gets a perfect rush to H3. Plays it imperfectly and has a 4y sideways hoop approach or retreat.. Retreats putting Yellow 2ft NNW of H4 with hampered backswing at the peg. Blue is on NB 3y W of H2, and Black on WB level with H2. Avery plays at double of peg and Blue. Misses.

Lawn 3. Game 1 to Death.

Game 2
Death Blue to EB
Dumergue Red to C2
Death at partner from A-Baulk. Hits and takes off to C2 - goes out. No double for turn 4.
Dumergue Yellow hits Black (which was 1y South of Red... intentional?)

Lawn 4. 1 game all.

Interaction before H1. Watson ends up taking off from 1y off WB to H1 and flies past. Retreats to C3. Bryant hits 6 yarder down near C4, loads 2, going to partner on WB near H1. Hits and has a 7y approach to H1. Also flies past. Retreats.

Lawn 5. Chapman and Fordyce win 2-0. TPs for both NZ players. Tally Ho Edmund!

Lawn 6. Forster game up.

Game 2: Forster on 1 and 1back, Carter on 4back and break - having just run 3back and balls ahead.

Lawn 2: McCormick made H1 with Blue, then set up just off SB about level with the H5-6 line.
Avery lags to WB just north of peg.
McCormick rushes to H3 and fails the hoop to in the jaws. Receiver is 6y South.
Avery thinks... Calls ref and will shoot at the peg. Peg lives.
McCormick runs 3, gets a rush on partner to EB 2y North of Yellow.. Might have a break. Has just made 4 with no rush anywhere and a ball still just off EB peg high. Hmm.

Lawn 12: Burch defeated Fletcher 2-0 - good shooting and good break play from both, but better from Burch.

Lawn 11: Game all. Wilson won game 2 with a QP, which will do wonders for his confidence, for the moment...
Game 3: Wilson fails 6, Patel on break and up to H5.

Lawn 3. Dumergue fails a 3ft straight H1. Death misses a 2y gentle shot at ball in hoop.... Dumergue makes H1 with Death sitting beside it, and a ball at 2, and another on EB about level with 5.

Lawn 2: McCormick was sending Yellow in the C2 direction, but it hit the peg and goes 3y SSE of H6. Gets a cut rush to 5, but cuts it to 4y S of H5. Tough approach up this hill. Fails hoop. Avery hits the peg to win Game 2, 26-17 Match to UK.

Lawn 3: Dumergue misses something short at H2, leaving himself 7y apart. Death hits and may have a break.

Lawn 4: USA are in C4 and just S of C3. Clarke has a rush to H1 from C1 (a 2y rush) and runs H1 with a rush to 2.

Lawn 11: Patel on 1 and 2back, fails hoop in a gust of wind supposedly.
Wilson fails H1. Partner on 1back. Anyone's game.

Lawn 3: Death misses return roquet after 1 to SB. Dumergue will be shooting H1 to H2. Misses. Death first along SB from C4. Misses Black, and hits Yellow - on Lawn 4. Not allowed. Essick and Watson want to keep that one.

Lawn 4: Clarke tires to approach H3 from C3, and overrolls by 3y... Retreting to half way between H3 and C3. Has a 2y rush to H3. Yellow is on C4, and Red just north of H5. Red retires to C2.

Lawn 6: Carter in front of at 4back with Red with partner on peg. Forster on 1 and 1back still... Taking an age to take the stroke due to wind. Makes the hoop and has 5y return.

Lawn 11: Patel with a jam in H1? Ref checking.

Lawn 11: wedge not granted. Wilson 2ft on other side. It's Wilson's H1 ball too..

Lawn 4: Clarke through 3, doing a load and hold out of C4 to try and establish a break.

Lawn 6: Carter up to penult on a finish. Could be game all.

Lawn 3: Dumergue taps partner, takes off to C1, hits, and does some thinking. Will be doing it for a while I suspect.

Lawn 3: Dumergue tries to load 3ish, and hits H1... Sigh. Doesn't look like he'll approach 1, although he is 7y straight in front. Loads 3 with black, retreating to partner up near C2. Not sure that expecting James to keep missing is going to win this.. Death Corners Black to H4. Dumergue fails to approach H2 from about 3ft - hits hoop and sets up a rush near the hoop. Will Death shoot at something other than a corner or boundary?

Lawn 6: Carter rushing to peg. Has 3y pegout. Success. 1 Game all.

Lawn 4. Clarke runs 4y (?) H4, croquets partner up to just off NB between H3 and H6, going west of the H5 load by 7y.. Windy. Lots of lining up and practice swings (I'd like to be playing this - I don't do practice swings or lining up...).. misses. Yellow fires at Red in C2. Hits.

Lawn 11: Wilson is doing things.

Lawn 4: USA set a leave between H3 and C3. NZ balls are at H1 and near C2. NZ to play. Thinking... Clarke shoots from C2 at USA. Hits. gets balls in lawn and has a 1y backward takeoff to H5. calls Ref to fix a hoop hole.

Lawn 11: Wilson fails H6 with the other ball. Patel in play. 2back and 1 v. 6 and 6.

Lawn 3: Death joins up in C4. Misses. Dumergue makes H2 and 3 off partner, rolls down to place a H4 receiver and gets a cannon on C4. 1 good stroke and the world is his. Reasonable cannon, but ends up with a 6ft 15 degree hoop. Not fun on that lawn. Runs it cleanly to the boundary.

Lawn 6: Game 3 starts. Standard start for Carter, just up from H4 height. Red to C2. Carter hits partner and sets a rush? Forster down EB missing to C4. I thought it went out short, but even from the striker's position, it's sometimes hard to see.
Carter makes 1 and a rush back towards C4.

Lawn 6: Carter gets a kind of rush, but ends up croquetting out with striker while loading 3 and going to Red in C2. Leaves Forster a 4y shot down WB. Forster hits and takes off to Black which is SE of H3. Good shot, but 3y rush in the H1 direction. Hits it squarely, but has a 6y approach to H1 from SE of the hoop.

Lawn 11: Patel through 3back by about 25 yards, btu hits something and continues.

Lawn 3: Dumergue approaches H5..

Lawn 6: Forster doesn't get position, and retires to 1y N of partner in C4.
Carter seems to have hit something and has made H1.

Lawn 11: Wilson hit something long.

Lawn 3: Dumergue still on break. Up to 1back.

Lawn 4: Clarke approaching 3back with all the balls nearby, ready for a leave.

Lawn 11: Wilson hit the lift and has just made H6 and 7, and looks in control.

Lawn 3: Dumergue still going. Just made 2back.

Lawn 4: Leave is:
Yellow 4in NW of H4, Red 6y SW of H6, Blue on EB, Black 4ft away with a rush towards H5. Black has made 9, and nothing else has scored.
Watson picks up Yellow, and misses down EB.

Lawn 6: Carter approaching H4 from 5ft NW. Hill there... Ball at 5 and partner just off NB behind 2. Good approach and all should be well.

Helena, who is in charge of the kitchen, has just delivered an enormous and very rich and tasty chocolate cake for all present - in memory of Australian player Alan Honey, who died of a heart attack one year ago today. He was one of the happiest, most positive, interesting, social and fun loving croquet players you could meet, and he is sorely missed.

Back to the future, and we have:

Lawn 6: Carter stoppped at H6. Forster got in and made 1, failing 2 with Carter's H2 ball on the other side. Carter hits and has all the balls ahead. Makes 2 and is away.

Lawn 3: Dumergue makes 9 and has a leave. Death's Blue is mid EB, Black is 5y W of peg. Yellow is mid WB, and Red is 3y short of C2.. Interesting.
Death lifts Black and makes double up EB. Hits the backward ball? Anyway, comes down, makes 1 off Yellow by 15 yards, and hits partner on EB. Break should be coming up!

Lawn 11: Patel has hit with his H1 ball and, in theory, has a standard TP ahead.

Lawn 4: Bryant on break, approaching H3 off partner with a ball at 4. Delayed TP on offer if he wants one (Yellow is in C4)

Lawn 3: Death starting TPO. Jawses Yellow after H3. All good ahead. Rush peels after 4, and is taking off back to pioneer at 5.

Lawn 4: Bryant on break - doesn't look like any delayed TP is going to be attempted. Pity.

Lawn 6: Carter on break.

Lawn 11: Patel on break.

Lawn 3. the penult peel of the TPO sails through to 2y off South Boundary. Break continues happily and is approaching 1back.

Lawn 11: 2 peels of standard TP completed so far.

Lawn 4: Bryant continues break in the pegwards direction.

Lawn 6: Carter still going around.

Lawn 3: Death hampered after 1back... Doesn't like it. Hits and is all good.

Lawn 6: Carter has a leave (sort of OSL, but with a rush in lawn). Forster picks up his H2 ball (which was up near H6ish - Carter's Black's hoop).

Lawn 3: Interesting that most of the English players are rubbishing Death's choice of attempting a TPO. I disagree with them all and like the tactic, both from a game and test perspective, so there.

Lawn 4: Bryant gets caught by a gust of wind, and overapproaches 3back (down hill, admittedly...)

Lawn 4: Scatter coming up. Good shot. Yellow is scattered to just South of C2, Red is 3y S of H3, Blue and black are approximately 4y and 2y NW of H4 respectively.
Essick picks up Red and plays from A-baulk. Misses to mid EB.

Lawn 3: Death sneaks through 4back and is hampered. Thinks, plays, and misses. Tap on for Dumergue, with 1 peel to go. Has to start at 1 though, and that has not been his strong point!

Lawn 6: Carter sneaks through 1back and continues.

Lawn 11: Patel continuing..

Lawn 4. Bryant overrolls 3back (down hill, with a tailwind) and plays an excellent scatter. USA miss lift, but Bryant doesn't make 3back. Again a wind... Pity, since he had a 2y rush to it. USA are in and made 1, but missed a cut rush after 1, and all the balls are now spread to the 4 quadrants.

Lawn 3: Dumergue going around.

Lawn 6: Carter runs penult and is setting a leave.

Lawn 11: Patel wins Game 3. ENG are now ahead 3 matches to 1 for the day and in good positions for the remaining 2.

Lawn 4: Red is in C2, Yellow just N of H4, Blue 5y N of C1, and Black 5y NNW of H1.

Lawn 4: Watson fires Yellow at Red. Misses.

Bryant nails the 7 yard roquet basically into C3. Should have an easy takeoff to C2, where USA's 2 balls await to be clobbered, and then a straight rush to 3back. Takes off to 5y short, but gets Black in to half way between H3 and C3. Ref comes out to attest to which ball is hit first. It is Yellow, and a cannon is primed for firing. Gets a rush to 3y North of 3back. Again finds the hill and has an angled 1y hoop...

Lawn 6: Diagonal spread for 4back and peg. Forster lifts his H1 ball from the peg and takes short lift from A-Baulk. It's not that short really.. 19y.. Misses.

Lawn 3: Dumergue continues break - is setting up his rover peel after 5.

Lawn 4: Bryant crawls through and has a nasty looking hamper. Looks like they'll be shooting at something, since the ref is out, but what that is, I' not sure. 4back load is long, but no lift, but Red would obviously be ideal. Plays a sweep and misses.. Leaves Red with a 2y rush towards H6.

Rushes to NB behind 6, and will now have to get striker between Black and C3 to get a rush to H3. Bit of a hill there, but should be ok.

Lawn 3: Dumergue gets the rover peel after 5, and continues.

Lawn 6: Carter is through 4back, and gets a great rush behind a boundary ball to penult. Looking terminal for Forster.

Lawn 6: Carter runs penult to rover... Has a 3y return at the rover load.. Hits, and will go back up to the peg and bring partner to Rover. No escape ball in sight...

Lawn 4: Essick plays a nice neat angled hoop at H6, and continues.

Lawn 3: Dumergue approaching 1back.

Lawn 6: Carter had a slightly angled 2ft Rover hoop, with reception ball 2y South, and runs it off the lawn. Has a 6y return rush to the peg.

Rushes it to 6y E of peg... Forster's Yellow is 9y West of peg...

Lawn 3

Dumergue misses mid court 5 yarder after 1back. Death has a lift and is on 2 and penult.. 2 more peels for Death? Has a 4 yarder to start and hits.

Lawn 4:

Essick has a 5y rush to 2back from 10y away. Now has a 5y approach to 2back... Makes it, runs into things afterwards (including peg) and misses 5 y arder leaving Red on EB just north of C4, adn all other balls just NW of 3back. Bryant and Clarke have choice of 2 yarders.

Lawn 6: Carter takes Game : 26-1.

Lawn 4: Bryant plays and will be loading Rover rushing to Red in C4, and then a rush to 4back.

Lawn 3: Death doesn't get going but sets up with a 4y rush just SW of H4. Dumergue mid WB and 3y NW of H3... Firing from H3 to H4? Yep.
Dumergue has 7 swings and misses.

Lawn 3: Death makes 2 and has a ball near H3. Plays a good croquet stroke, and will now be approaching H3 from 2y East.. Up hill then down hill... Plays it short, but gettable. Ugly though. Squeeze?

Lawn 4: Essick plays and hits Bryant back out of the hoop. Setting a leave camped in C4, leaving NZ near hoops 1 and 3.

Lawn 3: Death retires to C2.

Dumergue hits from 5y S of H3 to 3y NW of H4. Match is speedily slowing down. Remember that this is still Game 2.

Takes off to Black which is 2y E of C2, and ends up on the line. I.e., end of turn. Death has 2 yarder with his penult ball. Death sets up between H3 and C3. Dumergue's balls are just out of C1, and on EB level with H5.

Lawn 4: NZ are set up with a rush to H6ish, 5y N of C4. Clarke shooting at them from 2y SW of H1. Middles Yellow. Clarke has a ball at her 4back hoop. 3 ball break to the peg, unlikely peels. Makes 4back and continues.

Lawn 4. Correction: Clarke missed 3y return roquet from 4back... Lift for USA. Yellow plays, loads Blue to 2, and gets a cut rush to 1. Rushes it to WB level with the hoop. Nasty approach from there - the lawn is quick and nobody has managed it yet today on this lawn.

Lawn 3: Dumergue plays Yellow at C2. Mishits but ends up 1y South.
Death makes H3, rushes to Yellow near C2, and tries to rush Yellow to Red out of C1. Just short, but should be able to take off behind it and get a rush to H4. Does so.

Lawn 4: Watson has a crack at H1 (5ft, angles), and runs it to North of the peg. 11y return roquet... Hits the edge of the mallet and misses by 4ft.

Lawn 3: Death through 5 does a lovely pass roll to partner which was 3y W of H2, and rushes it back to penult. 2 peels to go to win.

Lawn 4: Black (between H3 and H4) shoots at Red (3y N of H1). Hits.

Lawn 3: Death hasn't made his penult peel yet, but is approaching 2back.

Lawn 3: Death approaching 3back from 3y East - down hill, into the wind... Hills in front and ends up dead in front. Straight double peel coming up.

Lawn 4: Clarke plays defensive putting red near C2, but doesn't rush to penult. Will be a leave near C3.

Lawn 3: no double peel, but will try and peel partner after penult, and probably peg 2 balls off leaving himself on Rover and Dumergue on 2back. Doesn't get the peel, but it's close.

Lawn 4: Essick shoots at USA from C2. Hits.

Lawn 3: 2 balls off. Black is 4in N of penult (not rushable to 2back with a lift), and red near H5. Lift is being taken - 9.5yarder at ball basically in penult, which gives the world away if he misses to SB anywhere near the centre line. Plays it from 4y from the end of B-baulk. Will finish due South of 2back if he misses ball and penult and 2back..
Many swings and slides past Black by milliliters and runs 2back!!!!

Lawn 4: USA laid up near SB in front of 1. Clarke hits from H4ish.

Lawn 3: Dumergue looks at Black by penult, and lags to 3back. Overhits. Death will reposition black to make sure he can run the hoop. Dumergue going back to look.. Runs to WB level with rover.

Lawn 4. Clarke approaching Penult from 3y NNW. Good hoop approach and should be 'round the the peg.

Lawn 3. Death runs penult to 2y S of peg. Fires at rover and shoots it dead. Only peg to go now...

Nails peg and clips referee. Great finish. England win 2-0 and lead the day 5-1. Hmm! Good play from England all around. Aus will need to earn a victory over the next 2 days, because they won't get a freebee.
Stand out player was Burch, but Avery and Death were both a notch ahead of their opponents, even though each made several mistakes (tricky conditions notwithstanding). Patel played well, and earned his win over Wilson, and played solid croquet to finish it. Should be a fun next 2 days - the series likely being decided on day 5, although 3 England wins tomorrow will seal it for them if they can get there.

Lawn 4:... Still going. NZ setting up leave on peg and 4back. Leave is a rush to 4back from EB level with 6ish. Red is on SB 2y E of H1, and Red is 5y S of H2.

Essick plays red to 2y W of C2. Bryant makes 4back but only just. No rush to penult, but can get 5y N with a bit of a cut. Gets 7y North... Approaches penult leaving ball in A-baulk if he misses..

Good approach, but receiver is at Rover. Runs hoop by 400 miles. Is now 8y from Yellow and 9y from Red on SB... Shooting at Yellow.

Nails it.

Takes off to red, but it's now on SB behind H4 (behind in that Black is 2y NW of rover), so may have trouble loading it to reception position and getting a rush on Black. Having a go though.

Plays it well with Red, which is now just off SB and just west of center line. Blue has a 4 yard rush in towards rover. Hits, and will have a 2y straight rover approach.

1y hoop, but at 20 degrees...

Runs it to SB - gets wick and has a 3.5 yard return roquet.

Hits, and that should be game and Match to NZ. If so, it will be 2 games to 1, final game score 26-9.

2.5y peg out coming up.

Hits and finishes. Well done NZ - 2 matches to 0 today.

Goodnight all, and see you tomorrow!