The 2019 Ember Croquet Open Singles final was held on Weds 4th September. Early morning rain delayed the start to 11am, though the lawn was rather waterlogged in front of the pavilion. The two combatants, Tom Eddy and Steve Edney, were slightly perplexed but delighted to have made it to the final two, both for the first time. Steve had played very well to beat seasoned campaigners, Hugh and Mike, while Tom had claimed the scalp of none other than serial open winner, Roger Dollimore.

Tom said he had organised for Sky to cover the game, as they bid more than the BBC. Somewhat disappointingly, no TV cameras were there.

Tom got going first and moved both balls to hoop 3, including a peel at hoop 2, in the opening exchanges. Steve then got motoring with red ball, moving it round to the peg in two or three innings, while Tom inched black and blue round the first circuit.

Steve then stalled with yellow, setting up four ball breaks but then failing on the hoop approaches. Tom gained more confidence and started hitting in from longer distances, and eventually gained the lead when yellow was still on 2 back, but both black and blue were on 4 back.

Steve regrouped and moved yellow to the peg. Victory in sight, he fluffed a relatively simple croquet shot to get position on red (between 3 back and rover). All he could do was rush it towards the east boundary (tennis courts). Too far for the shot to peg, he felt confident to put both balls near the peg for the next turn as surely Tom would miss a 25 yarder, black to blue…

…Tom did not miss. Instead he proceeded to split up red and yellow, and run to peg with blue. Next step was to peg out yellow from less than 3 yards. He missed! A couple of nervy exchanges later (this bit feels rather hazy as to what actually happened at this time), Steve managed to get back in and finish the game as winner. The final score was 26 to 21.

Both players agreed that at times the play was a bit twitchy but for the most part both of us were absolutely magnificent. Croquet won today, and the Sky Sports cameras missed a ripper

This year’s Croquet Doubles Final took place on 15 August. Bob teamed up with Roger S (8 bisques), and Steve with Simon (7 bisques). After getting all four balls onto the lawn, it was Roger who got the first chance to build an innings. With the aid of only two bisques he was round to Rover in one turn. Next on the lawn was Simon who needed three bisques to proceed to 2-back. After a bit of sparring it was Bob’s turn, taking four bisques he got to 3-back. One bisque left for Bob/Roger. After more sparring it was Steve’s go. Using just one bisque he was also round to 3-back, before he missed a roquet and ran too far to risk another bisque.

This was the first time in living memory (well, amongst those playing anyway) that the first scoring turns from all four players had proceeded past 1-back.

Now, short on bisques, both teams played tactically. With half-an-hour to go it was anyone’s game. Bob then took his side’s last bisque and ran two more hoops. The pressure was on. Simon then had another good turn and ended up on Rover, using up his team’s remaining bisques. With Roger and Simon both on Rover, Steve was two hoops behind Bob. Time was running out and Steve put Simon back in for an easier chance of a hoop, not realising that he would not get another turn. Time was called with Simon still on the lawn, but there were no more points to gain, apart from shooting at the peg. Bob had his team’s final turn and added a further hoop. The final score: Bob and Roger, 23: Steve and Simon, 20. 

This was a well fought game, played in an excellent spirit. In fact, all players reckoned it was the best doubles matches they had played. A shame there had to be a loser!

B-League match against Reigate on 11th July at Ember Sports Club.

Bob (16) and Roger S (20) took on Frank (8) and Mike (18). Our opponents had been delayed by nearly three-quarters of an hour by a motorway traffic accident, so we agreed to have an 18-point game over two and-a-quarter hours instead of the usual 26-point game so that lunch was not unduly delayed. The mutually agreed end-product was 8 bisques for the home team and 5 for our opponents.

Roger, then Bob, got off to a steady start with the help of a bisque each. Our opponents followed suit, but they never really got going. Bob and Roger moved onwards until, after a quick tactical discussion, we agreed Roger should run Rover and get onto the peg while Bob was still on 2-back. Eventually our opponents ran out of bisques and got stuck in the hoop at 2-back – Bob’s hoop. Bob seized his chance and with the help of a bisque ran the remaining hoops and pegged out with the score at 18-5 and two bisques not used! The quick finish meant that we were able to adjourn for an early lunch! Ember one-up after the morning’s play.

In the afternoon, Roger (8) played Simon from Reigate (14). Simon made progress with both balls, nudging them along a few hoops at a time, then leaving Roger with difficult hit ins. In these early battles, Roger scored two hoops, while Simon, with bisques aplenty, got considerably further than that. Eventually, Roger sniffed a chance and by taking a bisque he got his lead ball round from Hoop 3 to the peg in one innings. Simon then proceeded some more, nearing the end of the journey for both balls. Another chance fell for Roger, again setting up the lawn using his second, and last, bisque, he ran eight hoops with his second ball, until his approach to 3-back was just a fraction short letting Simon back in. Roger was in touching distance, but alas it was not enough as Simon took his chance, and remaining bisques, to peg both balls out. The final score was 26 – 21 to the Reigate player.

So one game apiece. In the decider, Steve (14) played against Philip (20), who was an experienced GC player but new to AC. Given Phil had 14 bisques, Steve thought he should get a lead and put some pressure on the Reigate man. He did manoeuvre Red around the first circuit but was rather wasteful with his bisques, so when he blobbed one at 1-Back, he decided he couldn’t take yet another one, and in any case it was hot and he needed a sit down. Once he had done so, he realised he had gifted Phil a perfect start. So Phil got a long way on Blue, using bisques like confetti, as his tactical nous let him down. Unfortunately, Steve was struggling to maintain his form and also frittered away his remaining bisques, with Red on the peg and Yellow on 3-Back. Phil then was back in it, with Blue on the peg and Black proceeding nicely, but then he ran out of bisques and ideas when Black was on 4-Back. Bisqueless Steve now had to summon up the energy to finish the game and found some form at last, but then carelessly left the Yellow a good eight feet from the hoop. He went for it, slamming the ball into the Hoop upright, but luckily with enough forward momentum to spin through the hoop. That shot effectively won him the match as it was relatively straightforward after that to peg both balls out. Steve won by seven, 26 – 19.

Yet another win for Ember. Could we win the B-League?

All games for the first half of the season have now been completed.

Here are the current standings:

All to play for in the second half. Good luck everybody!