Sports

Coutts Crossing croquet

Event of last week was our Pennants match at Iluka. They are looking more and more like the team of the year. We ran them close but lost 2 matches to 1. John Hall and Gillian Martin had a 7-4, 2-7, 7-4 win. Phil Jordan and Bob Hadley faced Iluka’s best pair and lost narrowly 7-5, 7-6. Yvonne Gillet and Ken Davison fought hard but lost 3-7, 7-6, 7-4. Everyone loved the day, tough competition, great company.

It was a fine start to the week with a big crowd. In over six hours we played 21 games and produced 233 hoops including two hoop to hoops by Robyn Walters and Marilyn Wilson. Louise Lowe, Ken Davison and Robyn Walters were the only unbeaten players. It was Eric Wheeler who produced an original event. His partner had already won a hoop, but Eric missed it, so he ran the same hoop: a superb shot, a complete waste of time. Two players were back after many weeks absences: Louise Lowe from the Top End, and Wayne Gadke from Canada.

On Thursday, Lola McPhee, newly returned from a sojourn in Canada, and Rita Johnson (new to croquet), were the only unbeaten players with three wins each. Cave Steiner, Marilyn Wilson and Joy Campbell each had three wins and a loss. Tony Williams had two jump shots and Ann Williams a hoop to hoop. We had visitors from Sydney and the Isle of Wight. The loudest celebration was when Peter Martin accidentally ran an opponent’s ball to clinch a 7-4 win for Cave Steiner and Narelle Wright.

All the regular AC players are setting out for major events in the coming two weeks. They will be in Southport, Tweed Heads, Coollengatta, Urunga and Ballina. In practice on Wednesday Peter Martin excelled with turns of 11, 6, 5, 5 and 4 hoops, and pegged out twice.