AC Open Singles Championship
Friday - Quarter-finals by Andrew Gregory
Good morning from Nottingham.
07 Jul 2023 8:45AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
Today's matches:
Robert Fletcher v Joel Taylor (8)
Stephen Mulliner v Mark Avery (6)
James Death v David Warhurst (9)
Jenny Clarke v Reg Bamford (7)
The numbers are the court allocation. These are the four lawns on the (new) western side.
07 Jul 2023 8:49AM (Tournament); 10 Readers
For this Open, the rule is that both players must want to play SuperAdvanced, or it's normal advanced.
This is because of the upcoming Worlds, I think.
Unless someone changes their mind before we start, Mulliner v Avery will be Super.
All matches are best-of-5.
07 Jul 2023 8:51AM (Tournament); 11 Readers
L6 Avery won toss.
T1 Avery Black 10y N IV
T2 Mulliner Yellow just S of II
T3 Avery hits partner from A-baulk. Hits. Take off to . Hits2nd corner misses 2 by inches, goes off lawn.
T4 Mulliner Red has 13y double from B-baulk. Hits yellow
07 Jul 2023 9:08AM (Tournament); 16 Readers
Error, Mulliner hit Blue.
Mulliner makes 1, nice cut back to west bdry. Next rush is rather poor, he's about 11y S of 2nd corner.
He rolls yellow beyond 2 going to Blue near the corner.
Sends blue between 4 and 5, but does not get in front of 2.
We have new hoop holes today.
07 Jul 2023 9:13AM (Tournament); 15 Readers
Lawn 7, Clarke W bdry, Bamford nr second corner.
Clarke misses partner from A-baulk.
07 Jul 2023 9:14AM (Tournament); 17 Readers
T4 Bamford Black hits Red from A-baulk.
T5 Avery misses 18-yarder.
07 Jul 2023 9:15AM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L6T6 Mulliner has 7' rush of Blue to 2. Not bad. Slightly angled hoop necessitates a press-up. He's thru and has first break.
L7T4 Bamford has made 1, still work to do to get break,
07 Jul 2023 9:19AM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L9T1 Death supershot
T2 Warhurst middle of lawn somewhere.
T3 Death trickles at a ball, hits, goes round.
T4 Warhurst misses.
T5 Death had standard tp, but failed peel after 3.
He's just peeled 4-back before 6.
07 Jul 2023 9:26AM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L8T1 Taylor supershot.
T2 Fletcher middle of lawn.
T3 Taylor shot, missing into B-baulk.
T4 Fletcher round to 4-back, NSL
07 Jul 2023 9:28AM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L9 Death fails 2-back. "Sloppy"
07 Jul 2023 9:29AM (Tournament); 18 Readers
T6 Warhurst misses 5-yarder.
07 Jul 2023 9:29AM (Tournament); 18 Readers
L8 Fletcher left a 7-yarder for ball at 4.
Taylor missed.
07 Jul 2023 9:31AM (Tournament); 19 Readers
Back at the hut now.
Bamford is still on his fourth turn.
I think he's reached 1-back.
I would say he's glacially slow, but I understand glaciers have speeded up recently.
07 Jul 2023 9:34AM (Tournament); 19 Readers
Lawn 6.
Mulliner was trying to make more than 6 hoops, but failed 1-back, giving Avery everything.
Avery has 4-ball break.
07 Jul 2023 9:36AM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L6 Avery is leaving Red (for 1-back) just S of 2nd corner.
He's making 2-back off Black, with Yellow at 3-back.
07 Jul 2023 9:39AM (Tournament); 22 Readers
L6 After 3-back, Avery rushes yellow just W of 4th corner.
Black is left on east bdry,nr peg-high.
Blue is in third corner.
Error alert: Clarke's first turn sent ball to east bdry, not west . D'oh!
07 Jul 2023 9:45AM (Tournament); 22 Readers
L6 is SuperAdvanced, remember.
Mulliner takes Red to 2nd corner, croquets Blue to 2-back.
Doesn't get rush on Black, take-off to Yellow is short of a rush.
T4 Bamford made 9, spread.
T5 Clarke lifts ball near w bdry, misses long shot to 4th corner
07 Jul 2023 9:50AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L6 Mulliner rolls Yellow NW of 1-back, leaves posi for red.
Avery Blue to (near) 3rd corner.
L9 is a long way away, but we think Death has won game 1, and is on a sextuple in game 2.
07 Jul 2023 9:52AM (Tournament); 23 Readers
L8 Fletcher has had 2 peels, making 2-back.
L6 Mulliner's Red is in the middle of 1-back. Deliberately?
Avery Black misses Blue (17y)
Mulliner is playing Yellow.
07 Jul 2023 9:55AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L6 Mulliner gets 3rd corner cannon. Thick wafer, rush is short. Rolls up from 6 yards. It looks angled. Maybe 30 degrees, maybe a bit worse. He's on the ground. Here we go...
07 Jul 2023 9:58AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
Mulliner's hoop attempt is rejected.
07 Jul 2023 9:59AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L6 clips: Mulliner Red 1-back, Yellow 1; Avery Blue 4-back, Black 1.
Fletcher in perfect position for straight rover peel.
Fletcher wins game 1 +26tp
07 Jul 2023 10:01AM (Tournament); 23 Readers
Avery Blue hits Yellow (7y).
From A-baulk, he plays big pass roll, yellow to 3y NE of 4, Blue near hoop 3.
Misses partner (6y).
07 Jul 2023 10:03AM (Tournament); 24 Readers
L7 Bamford has delayed TP in front of him.
L6 Mulliner Red hits Yellow centrally from 25 yards.
07 Jul 2023 10:06AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L7 Bamford gets too much wire at 5, and has no rush.
He looks to have jawsed 4-back peel before 6.
L8G2T1 Fletcher e bdry
T2 Taylor hits, rolls both balls nr peg (cross-pegged?)
T3 Fletcher misses into B-baulk.
07 Jul 2023 10:09AM (Tournament); 24 Readers
L6 Mulliner has made 1-back.
07 Jul 2023 10:09AM (Tournament); 25 Readers
Mlulliner plays a roll, trying to get rush on ball 3y NW of 4th corner. Instead the ball falls off the lawn.
Avery Blue hits 5-yarder. I'm slightly surprised he didn't take on 9-yarder for Black.
07 Jul 2023 10:12AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
Avery making leave for Black.
Red is 4y WNW of 2, Yellow is 11y E of peg.
Black is 3y SW of 1, with 1' rush of Blue.
I suspect Yellow is wired from Blue / Black.
Mulliner sends Red to 4th corner.
07 Jul 2023 10:16AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L9 Death's sextuple came down to a straight quintuple. He got the 4-back peel, but couldn't jump over it. He settled for penult and peg. In making the contact leave, he didn't notice his ball had landed in a hole. Playing a hard rush, he missed by two feet, vertically.
Warhurst has break.
07 Jul 2023 10:24AM (Tournament); 27 Readers
L8 Taylor going round 4th turn.
07 Jul 2023 10:25AM (Tournament); 26 Readers
L7 Bamford is lining up straight rover peel. For some reason one of the balls is 3y east of peg.
Peel goes through, but take off for the rush to the peg is short. Four yard peg-out...
07 Jul 2023 10:29AM (Tournament); 22 Readers
Bamford wins game 1 +26tp.
07 Jul 2023 10:30AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L6 Avery is having trouble with hoop 2, first misapproaching, then next turn failing.
Mulliner is in with yellow, he's going for quintuple. He goes to fetch his peeling glasses.
07 Jul 2023 10:35AM (Tournament); 25 Readers
L8 Taylor has made 9, MSL with Red in jaws of 2.
Fletcher misses with yellow into IV
Taylor fails 1, Red has wiring lift.
Fletcher hits 5-yarder.
07 Jul 2023 10:37AM (Tournament); 25 Readers
L8G2
T1 Bamford Red east boundary.
T2 Clarke Northern Time
T3 Bamford hits partner, takes off, rolls blue 12y south, leaves rush.
T4 Clarke misses into 4th corner.
07 Jul 2023 10:40AM (Tournament); 23 Readers
Death has won game 2, 2-0 up.
07 Jul 2023 10:42AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L6 Mulliner got 2-back peel after 1. Now setting up for 3-back peel after 4.
07 Jul 2023 10:43AM (Tournament); 22 Readers
L8 Fletcher on break, but with ball in 4th corner couldn't get standard tpo. So just 9 hoops and a leave.
07 Jul 2023 10:44AM (Tournament); 22 Readers
L6 Mulliner's 3-back peel failed.
07 Jul 2023 10:45AM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L7 Bamford has break.
07 Jul 2023 10:45AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L6 Mulliner didn't get posi for 3-back peel before 6.
He's now given up on quin, the red clip is on 3-back.
07 Jul 2023 10:50AM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L8 Fletcher has made 9, NSL.
Taylor lifts western ball, misses to near 4th corner.
07 Jul 2023 10:52AM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L8 Fletcher a bit short for his rush to 1. Runs hoop by inches. Ref is called, and is asked to bring a hammer. Presumably carrot is hampering stroke.
07 Jul 2023 11:00AM (Tournament); 18 Readers
Mulliner is having a diagonal spread with black at the peg.
L6 clips: Mulliner Red 3-back, Yellow peg; Avery Blue 4-back, Black 2.
07 Jul 2023 11:01AM (Tournament); 18 Readers
L8 Fletcher coped with his hampered shot. Expect a standard TP.
07 Jul 2023 11:02AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L7 Bamford has made 9, spread.
07 Jul 2023 11:03AM (Tournament); 22 Readers
L6 Avery lifts Black to A-baulk, hits Red (16y).
07 Jul 2023 11:06AM (Tournament); 23 Readers
L7 Clarke misses from A-baulk.
07 Jul 2023 11:07AM (Tournament); 23 Readers
L6 Avery has chance of standard TP. 7' peel of 4-back after 3 fails. Doesn't get rush on escape ball, but plays pretty good roll.
Little rush to 4 goes behind hoop. Copes.
07 Jul 2023 11:09AM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L6 Avery still a bit untidy. Another backward take-off required at 5. Hoop but no rush. Red is in the jaws of 6. Don't think this TP is going to happen.
07 Jul 2023 11:11AM (Tournament); 22 Readers
L6 Avery (Black) has not given up on TP. Nice roll after 5 and he's looking to peel going to red at - or in - hoop 6.
Sorry, red was on wire not in jaws.
Blue looks rush-peelable
07 Jul 2023 11:14AM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L7 Bamford should have standard TP.
07 Jul 2023 11:14AM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L8 Fletcher has reached 1-back. One peel done I guess.
07 Jul 2023 11:15AM (Tournament); 18 Readers
L6 Avery has got the first peel of his TP. Pretty good pass roll puts Blue near penult going to Yellow at 1=-back. Red is a good pioneer at 2-back.
07 Jul 2023 11:16AM (Tournament); 18 Readers
L8 Fletcher fails rover peel before 3-back.
07 Jul 2023 11:19AM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L7 Bamford fails 4-back peel after 3.
07 Jul 2023 11:19AM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L6 Avery fails penult peel before 2-back.
07 Jul 2023 11:20AM (Tournament); 20 Readers
No idea what's happening on lawn 9, other than Death is always on the lawn when I look.
07 Jul 2023 11:21AM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L6 Avery gets penult peel before 3-back.
07 Jul 2023 11:23AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L8 Fletcher wins game 2 +17tp
07 Jul 2023 11:26AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L7 Bamford's TP is echoing Avery's, he'll be hoping to rush-peel 4-back after 6.
07 Jul 2023 11:28AM (Tournament); 23 Readers
L7 Sorry I don't know what Bamford is doing.
Yellow has just made 1-back off Blue. Red is in front of 4-back still. Black is 3y N of 6.
07 Jul 2023 11:30AM (Tournament); 24 Readers
L7 After 1-back, Bamford rushes Blue to 3rd corner, sends Blue 5y N of 3-back.
Rush-peels Red, rolls it to penult getting rush on Black. Rush to 5y N of 2-back.
07 Jul 2023 11:33AM (Tournament); 26 Readers
L6 Avery wins game 1 +6tp
07 Jul 2023 11:33AM (Tournament); 26 Readers
L6G2
T1 Mulliner Blue 11y N of IV
T2 Avery Yellow 9" N of IV
T3 Mulliner Black at Blue from A-baulk.
No he's changed his mind, striding off to B-baulk.
Black misses to 4th corner.
T4 Avery Red misses Black.
07 Jul 2023 11:38AM (Tournament); 22 Readers
L7 ERROR!
Bamford missed return roquet after 2-back.
07 Jul 2023 11:39AM (Tournament); 23 Readers
L8G3
Fletcher fails an angled hoop 2.
07 Jul 2023 11:42AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
I think L6 are lunching.
07 Jul 2023 11:44AM (Tournament); 24 Readers
L9 Death has failed another sextuple.
Rover and l v 1 and 1.
07 Jul 2023 11:48AM (Tournament); 22 Readers
L8 Taylor hit something but then rolled off the lawn. Fletcher has first break.
07 Jul 2023 11:50AM (Tournament); 23 Readers
L7 Clarke stopped at 3. Bamford misses 13-yarder. Clarke hits 5-yarder.
07 Jul 2023 11:52AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L9 Warhurst fails 1.
Death finishes.
Death wins match 3-0.
07 Jul 2023 11:53AM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L8 drama!
Fletcher has stuck in 3-back.
Ref is on. Has it wedged?
No replay.
07 Jul 2023 11:56AM (Tournament); 18 Readers
L6 Mulliner played a take-off that fell off the lawn, so Avery has first break.
07 Jul 2023 11:59AM (Tournament); 14 Readers
L7 Clarke has break.
07 Jul 2023 11:59AM (Tournament); 14 Readers
L8 Taylor has break.
I'm having lunch (chilli con carne, excellent), so comments may be sparse for a while.
All 3 breaks going OK.
07 Jul 2023 12:07PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
L8 Taylor fails 6.
07 Jul 2023 12:11PM (Tournament); 27 Readers
L7 Clarke is 1 & 4-back v Bamford 3-back and penult.
Diagonal spread.
07 Jul 2023 12:12PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L6 Avery has made 9.
Contact leave: Red in or near 2nd corner, Blue in 4th corner, Black 11y N of Blue, Yellow in 3rd corner.
07 Jul 2023 12:13PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L6 Mulliner Black takes off from yellow to blue. Rolls over to 1.
07 Jul 2023 12:16PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L7 Bamford on lawn, must have hit the lift. Making progress with his ball for penult.
07 Jul 2023 12:17PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L6 Avery Red at Yellow (23y). Misses.
07 Jul 2023 12:17PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L6 Mulliner has picked up break.
I'm told that for top players the TPO is mandatory in SuperAdvanced. Let's hope so!
07 Jul 2023 12:20PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
L6, no TPO (boo!), Yellow has gone to 4.
07 Jul 2023 12:20PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
L7 Bamford is 3-back and peg, but appears to have misapproached 3-back.
07 Jul 2023 12:31PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L6 Mulliner confuses me. He appeared to be thinking of the delayed TPO. Instead he's made 6 and has a lift leave. With the rush for his backward ball, Did well to get the ball at the peg in the perfect spot from 4y away.
07 Jul 2023 12:35PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L6 Avery lifts Red to B-baulk, snicks blue so finely oppo thought he'd missed. But it was a definite hit.
Avery should pick up standard TP from here.
07 Jul 2023 12:38PM (Tournament); 25 Readers
L8 Fletcher is on a quadruple.
Two peels done, he's just made 3-back.
07 Jul 2023 12:41PM (Tournament); 29 Readers
L8 Fletcher's peelee is just south of penult, so he rushes it through 6 to get peeling posi. Peelee now just in front of penult.
07 Jul 2023 12:44PM (Tournament); 29 Readers
L8 Fletcher has rush-peeled penult, not the crowd choice. Especially as he has to make penult off a ball one yard north of peg. But he's played it well.
07 Jul 2023 12:48PM (Tournament); 27 Readers
L7 Clarke is 4-back and break. Partner ball is the hoop 5 pioneer, so maybe no TP. Oppo is 3-back and peg, so maybe she intends to peg out the opponent.
07 Jul 2023 12:51PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
L6 Avery's triple is progressing nicely.
07 Jul 2023 12:52PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
L8 Fletcher wins game 3 +21qp, and the match 3-0.
07 Jul 2023 12:54PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
L7 Clarke fails 4-back from nowhere. Ref is on to check for wedging.
07 Jul 2023 1:00PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
No replay.
07 Jul 2023 1:01PM (Tournament); 27 Readers
L7 Bamford lifts Yellow, hits 6-yarder gently.
07 Jul 2023 1:03PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
L6 Avery wins game 2 20tp, leads 2-0.
07 Jul 2023 1:04PM (Tournament); 25 Readers
L7 Bamford rushes ball in 4-back to 3-back. Should finish.
07 Jul 2023 1:06PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L6G3
T1 Avery red 9y N of IV.
T2 Mulliner Blue just S of II.
T3 Avery Yellow misses red to 1y North.
07 Jul 2023 1:10PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
T4 Mulliner makes target from B-baulk, hits.
07 Jul 2023 1:11PM (Tournament); 26 Readers
L7 Bamford wins game 2 +8, leads 2-0.
07 Jul 2023 1:14PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L6 Mulliner is approaching 2 with a drive out of second corner. Seven foot hoop. Fails.
07 Jul 2023 1:16PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L6 Avery hits 4-yarder.
07 Jul 2023 1:17PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
L7 are having a late lunch.
07 Jul 2023 1:18PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
L6 Avery fails to get in front of 1, back to partner.
Mulliner corners.
Avery doesn't play the best rush to 1, approaching from 5y to the west. Angled hoop, runs it.
07 Jul 2023 1:24PM (Tournament); 16 Readers
L6 Avery has 4-ball break.
07 Jul 2023 1:27PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
L6 Avery fails short angled hoop 4.
07 Jul 2023 1:29PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
L6 Mulliner Blue at Red (9y). Hits.
07 Jul 2023 1:30PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
L6 Mulliner runs hoop 1 by 6". Ref is on.
He's making it look difficult.
He copes and has break.
07 Jul 2023 1:34PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
In case you're joining me late, a quick recap:.
James Death won 3-0.
Robert Fletcher won 3-0.
Reg Bamford leads Jenny Clarke 2-0, lunch.
Mark Avery leads Stephen Mulliner 2-0. This match is SuperAdvanced.
07 Jul 2023 1:37PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
Mulliner blobs hoop 3.
07 Jul 2023 1:37PM (Tournament); 16 Readers
Avery decides to run hoop 4, then shoots at Black / Blue. Misses into B-baulk.
Mulliner remembers his SuperAdvanced lift. Here's another 4-ball break..
07 Jul 2023 1:41PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L6 Mulliner will be going to 4-back.with Blue. Black has been abandoned near 2nd corner.
07 Jul 2023 1:48PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
Mulliner's contact leave: Red 2y W of IV, Yellow 4y N of IV. Balck near II, Blue in III.
07 Jul 2023 1:51PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L6 clips: Mulliner Blue 4-back, Black 2; Avery Red 1 Yellow 5.
07 Jul 2023 1:52PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
Avery lifts Yellow to Black, thick take-off to Blue, thick take-off to Yellow, 6y short, hits.
Leaves rush for Yellow, wired from both Blue and Black.
07 Jul 2023 1:58PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
L6 Mulliner Black hits blue (20y).
07 Jul 2023 2:00PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L7G3
T1 Clarke supershot. 3y SSW of peg.
T2 Bamford black east bdry about peg high.
T3 Clarke hits black. Picks up break, misses return roque after 3.
07 Jul 2023 2:04PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L6 Mulliner black fails hoop 3.
07 Jul 2023 2:07PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Roquet not roque.
07 Jul 2023 2:08PM (Tournament); 16 Readers
L6 Avery unsure what to do. He joins up.
Looks like black can't do anything.
07 Jul 2023 2:09PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
L6 Mulliner Blue misses red / yellow (18y)
Avery picks up break with yellow.
07 Jul 2023 2:12PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L7 Bamford is going round 4th turn.
07 Jul 2023 2:13PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L6 Avery has rescued black from 3 and has 4-ball break. He will be going to 4-back. Thanks to his earlier scoring of 4, this will just be a lift.
07 Jul 2023 2:17PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L6 Avery made 3-back off partner, which is not recommended. Gets an OK leave, but doesn't feel able to leave himself a rush.
07 Jul 2023 2:24PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
L6 Mulliner lifts black to B-baulk, shoots at Red/ yellow, snicks yellow. Chance of break.
07 Jul 2023 2:26PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
L7 Bamford has made 9. Spread with red (for 4) at the peg.
07 Jul 2023 2:27PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L7 Clarke lifts Yellow to B-baulk. Hits Black (22y).
07 Jul 2023 2:31PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L6 Mulliner has break. Looking to peel partner through 4-back before 1-back.
07 Jul 2023 2:32PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L6 Mulliner has his 2-back pioneer at 4-back.
07 Jul 2023 2:33PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L6 Mulliner jawses 4-back peel before 1-back.
07 Jul 2023 2:34PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
L7 Clarke is thru 1.
07 Jul 2023 2:34PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
L6 Mulliner's rush to 2-back is excellent.
07 Jul 2023 2:36PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L7 Clarke has 4-ball break.
07 Jul 2023 2:37PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L6 Mulliner puts partner just in front of penult before 4-back.
07 Jul 2023 2:40PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L6 I can't be sure of peelee's exact position. But now it's been rush-peeled.
07 Jul 2023 2:42PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
L6 Mulliner is peeling rover from 2' in front. He's in glorious sunshine, can make lining up tricky. Peeling glasses on. Irish peel goes well.
07 Jul 2023 2:46PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L6 Mulliner's rush to the peg sails 10 feet past. More lining up required.
07 Jul 2023 2:49PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L6 Mulliner wins game 3 +17tp. Avery leads 2-1.
07 Jul 2023 2:49PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L7 Clarke has made 9.
07 Jul 2023 2:50PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L6G4
T1 Mulliner Blue 10yN of IV
T3 Avery Red 6" N of IV
T3 Mulliner black hits red from A-baulk.
07 Jul 2023 2:52PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
Mulliner croquets red a few yards west of peg, falls off lawn next to partner.
T4 Avery Yellow misses blue / black from B-baulk. Ends up 5y N of IV.
07 Jul 2023 2:55PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
L7 Clarke has spread with black at peg.
Bamford lifts Blue to B-baulk, misses red (18y).
Blue is in 4th corner.
07 Jul 2023 2:57PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
L7 Clarke's red is for 4. Croquets yellow to 5, rushes black 3y w of 4. Takes off to hoop is too strong. Takes on 8-yarder at blue. Misses.
That could be her last stroke of the match.
07 Jul 2023 3:01PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
L6 Mulliner has first break in Game 4.
And there's the tea bell.
07 Jul 2023 3:03PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L7 Bamford's standard tp has become delayed after first peel fails.
07 Jul 2023 3:15PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
L6 Mulliner makes 9, usual contact leave.
Avery plays thick take-off from 2nd to 3rd corner, goes off south of black.
07 Jul 2023 3:18PM (Tournament); 25 Readers
L7 Bamford rush-peels partner through 4-back before 1-back.
07 Jul 2023 3:20PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L6 pausing for tea.
07 Jul 2023 3:21PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L6 Mulliner has leave.
Avery misses 25-yarder. "It was on all the way."
07 Jul 2023 3:31PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
L6 Imperfect play from Mulliner means he is rolling up to 2 from 8 yards. Angled...he's through. Standard tp in front of him.
07 Jul 2023 3:33PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
L7 Bamford peels partner through penult before 4-back.
07 Jul 2023 3:34PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
L6 Mulliner jawses 4-back peel after 3.
07 Jul 2023 3:36PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
L6 Mulliner completes peel after 4.
07 Jul 2023 3:40PM (Tournament); 15 Readers
L6 Mulliner peels partner through penult after 6.
07 Jul 2023 3:41PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
L7 Bamford has 4' straight rover peel.
07 Jul 2023 3:42PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
L6 Mulliner grovels thru 1-back. Ref is on. Player decides he cannot hit the adjacent ball, hits ball by the peg instead.
07 Jul 2023 3:45PM (Tournament); 16 Readers
Bamford wins game 3 +14tp, and the match 3-0.
07 Jul 2023 3:46PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Mulliner will need a straight rover peel to finish.
07 Jul 2023 3:50PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Mulliner wins game 4 +26tp.
We have a decider.
07 Jul 2023 3:54PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
Game 5
T1 Avery red 10y N of IV
T2 Mulliner Blue just S of II
T3 Avery Yellow misses red from A-baulk.
Misses on the right, comes on a foot north of red.
07 Jul 2023 3:57PM (Tournament); 16 Readers
T4 Mulliner black makes target from B-baulk. Misses on the right, comes on 4y S of red.
07 Jul 2023 3:58PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
T5 Avery Yellow knocks red south, rushes black to 1, makes it, rushes back to red.
Rushes red 3y shy of blue.
Takes off to north of blue.
Undercuts blue to 9y SW of hoop.
Right strength, but too much roll.
Retires to second corner.
07 Jul 2023 4:04PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Mulliner Blue misses Black into 4th corner (20y)
07 Jul 2023 4:04PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
T7 Avery Yellow makes 2, but roquets red in the hoop stroke. Take off to blue yields 5-yarder, no problem. Fair rush to 3. Makes it, not in full control yet.
07 Jul 2023 4:07PM (Tournament); 16 Readers
The Manager elegantly arranged for the quarter-finals to finish in court order.
07 Jul 2023 4:11PM (Tournament); 16 Readers
T7 Avery has 4-ball break.
07 Jul 2023 4:11PM (Tournament); 15 Readers
T7 Avery has made 9.
07 Jul 2023 4:17PM (Tournament); 16 Readers
Usual contact leave: red near 2nd corner, yellow in 3rd corner, blue black in vicinity of 4th corner.
07 Jul 2023 4:19PM (Tournament); 18 Readers
T8 Mulliner Blue takes off from yellow to black. Rolls over to 1.
07 Jul 2023 4:20PM (Tournament); 16 Readers
T9 Avery red misses yellow (24y)
07 Jul 2023 4:22PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
T10 Mulliner Blue makes 1, rushes black to w boundary. Take off, hits red. Good rush of yellow to 2. Makes it. Rushes yellow to black. Rushes black into hoop 3. Take-off to red. So-called stop shot approach. 5' hoop. He's through for the break.
07 Jul 2023 4:28PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
Crowd has to be a bit circumspect as Avery is sitting with us in one of the few shaded areas. But our money is on 6 hoops, maybe TPO next turn.
07 Jul 2023 4:31PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
Crowd is wrong. Yellow is croqueted to 4-back before 5.
07 Jul 2023 4:33PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
The hoop 6 pioneer is south of ideal posi. Mulliner is playing take-off peel. Peelee ends up in jaws of 4-back, but blue hits hoop 6 and is wired from red. He scatters black.
07 Jul 2023 4:36PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
Crowd disagrees with scatter. Too easy to pick up break. But...
Avery lifts red, misses 7-yarder.
07 Jul 2023 4:38PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
T12 Mulliner black hits red (4y). Red to west of 2, blue to east of 4 and rush-peels yellow. Take-off back to blue, defends various shots.
07 Jul 2023 4:41PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
T13 Avery red misses yellow (20y).
07 Jul 2023 4:43PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
Re T12, it's not often your aim in a turn is to score one point for oppo, and a lift hoop to boot.
07 Jul 2023 4:45PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
T14 Mulliner black rushes blue near end of B-baulk, takes off, rushes red nearer south bdry than hoop but copes. No rush though.
07 Jul 2023 4:47PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
T14 excellent roll after 1 and Mulliner has break.
07 Jul 2023 4:48PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
DPO and two off seems to be the call. My expert fancies a couple of peels on partner as well.
07 Jul 2023 4:50PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
A collision after 5 means that instead of a 1-back pioneer, he has an early 2-back pioneer. So after 6, he'll peel yellow getting rush on red to 1-back.
07 Jul 2023 4:56PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
Mulliner fails to peel yellow through penult after 6. Looks to be parked on west wire.
07 Jul 2023 4:58PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
Mulliner makes 1-back, ignores yellow for now.
07 Jul 2023 4:59PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
After 2-back, Mulliner croquets blue 4y SE of penult. Makes 3-back off red.
07 Jul 2023 5:03PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
This DPO is not going well. Peel before 4-back fails.
07 Jul 2023 5:04PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
Mulliner fails 4-back
07 Jul 2023 5:05PM (Tournament); 20 Readers
Clips: Mulliner Blue 6 Black 4-back; Avery Red 1 Yellow penult.
07 Jul 2023 5:07PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
T15 Avery red has 1 yard lift shot. Picks up break. That should be that.
07 Jul 2023 5:08PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
Yellow is already hovering near penult.
07 Jul 2023 5:12PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
Avery tried to jaws peel before 3, then tried death roll before 4. No peel yet but he's in full control.
07 Jul 2023 5:14PM (Tournament); 17 Readers
Crowd relocates from South to east boundary in search of shade. They're also keeping one eye on the cricket and another on the tennis.
07 Jul 2023 5:17PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
Avery red peels Yellow thru penult after 6.
07 Jul 2023 5:18PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
Avery misses four foot roquet in middle of lawn. May have been trying to cut it a bit for the peel.
07 Jul 2023 5:21PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
Clips: Mulliner Blue 6, Black 4-back; Avery Red 2-back Yellow rover.
07 Jul 2023 5:24PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
Mulliner Blue makes 1 yard hoop 6. Black is 3y S of 4-back.
07 Jul 2023 5:25PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
Mulliner's 2-back pioneer is at 4-back again.
07 Jul 2023 5:26PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
Time for the peeling glasses.
07 Jul 2023 5:29PM (Tournament); 19 Readers
The peelee stops in front of 4-back. The stance for the rush to 2-back is compromised. Long approach (7y?), copes.
07 Jul 2023 5:31PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
Crowd thinks Avery is getting another turn.
07 Jul 2023 5:32PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
Sideways approach leaves Mulliner a tricky 3-back. Runs it by 6 inches. Ref is on.
07 Jul 2023 5:33PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
This looks awkward. Three yard hampered shot. He makes it.
07 Jul 2023 5:35PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
Mulliner pauses to take on liquid.
07 Jul 2023 5:35PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
Mulliner rush-peels 4-back before 4-back. If you see what I mean.
07 Jul 2023 5:36PM (Tournament); 27 Readers
Mulliner now needs a straight double peel for the match.
07 Jul 2023 5:38PM (Tournament); 26 Readers
Irish peel of penult...
Peel goes thru, other ball bounces off wires to unrunnable position. Scatters red.
07 Jul 2023 5:41PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
Avery has choice of 6-yarders with yellow, but he wants to play with red.
Avery red misses a 10-yarder.
07 Jul 2023 5:43PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
Mulliner black hits yellow (6y).
07 Jul 2023 5:44PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
Mulliner black makes rover off blue.
07 Jul 2023 5:45PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
The red ball is 3y east of 1st corner.
Yellow is 12y S of 3rd corner.
Blue has rush on Black from a few yards SE of 2nd corner.
Clips: Mulliner Blue penult Black peg; Avery Red 2-back Yellow rover
07 Jul 2023 5:48PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
Avery Yellow hits Black (22y).
07 Jul 2023 5:49PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
Avery's croquet stroke is weak. Cuts blue to 5y N of rover. Makes rover. Doesn't get posi for pegging out Black, maybe didn't want to anyway.
07 Jul 2023 5:52PM (Tournament); 25 Readers
Blue is 1y E of 4-back.
Black is 4' N of 3-back.
Red and Yellow near 1st corner.
07 Jul 2023 5:54PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
Mulliner Black hits Blue full (20y).
07 Jul 2023 5:55PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
Mulliner takes off to red, good shot.
Black rushes Yellow into hoop 1. So no peg-out.
07 Jul 2023 5:57PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
Expert spotted that after Mulliner's take-off he could have ignored Red, and cut Yellow near peg.
07 Jul 2023 5:59PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
Avery Yellow hits Blue (20+y).
This is a crowd-pleaser!
07 Jul 2023 6:00PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
Avery declines to peg out Black.
07 Jul 2023 6:01PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
Black is 2y E of 3-back.
Blue is 3y NE of 4-back.
Red and yellow presumably wired from black.
07 Jul 2023 6:03PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
Mulliner Black misses Blue (22y).
07 Jul 2023 6:04PM (Tournament); 22 Readers
Avery Red makes 2-back, rushes to Blue.
Good rush to 3-back elicits polite applause.
07 Jul 2023 6:06PM (Tournament); 24 Readers
I hesitate to type this, but surely nothing can go wrong now.
07 Jul 2023 6:09PM (Tournament); 25 Readers
Avery wins game 5 +4.
07 Jul 2023 6:10PM (Tournament); 23 Readers
Just in time for dinner!
See you tomorrow at 10 for the semis.
07 Jul 2023 6:11PM (Tournament); 21 Readers
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