Cornwall Croquet Club

June 12th away v Exeter

Cornwall Croquet Club v Exeter in the Southwest Federation Association Croquet Intermediate League (for players with medium range handicaps)

 On Friday June 12th Cornwall travelled to Exeter to play their third match in the SWF Intermediate League. In cool and rather damp conditions the mornings play did not go too well for Cornwall, the four singles went 3 to 1 to Exeter. Although the weather improved a little in the afternoon Cornwall's play didn't & Exeter won the doubles & two further singles. Exeter winning the match 6 games to Cornwall's 1 game.

Everyone agreed we had an enjoyable day's hard fought croquet although the result was a bit disappointing for Cornwall.

Roger Thorne(Ex), Don Sheppard(Ex), Paul Schofield(C), Ruth Urch(Ex), Tony Jennings(C), Rosemary Bradshaw(C), Stephen Read(C), Richard Hitchens(Ex).

Photo Stephen Read

 May 29th home v Torbay

Torbay withdrew giving Cornwall a bye.

May 8th away v Plymouth

Intermediate League, Cornwall versus Plymouth

Cornwall could only raise 3 players for the match against Plymouth, but otherwise things went well for Cornwall. In the morning, Tony Jennings and Colin Hadley played in the doubles, receiving half a bisque from Bob Savage and Peter Ace and winning by 2 hoops after being behind for most of the game. Paul Schofield managed to beat Brian Stephens 18/12 on time.

In the afternoon, Tony Jennings pegged out fairly easily against Peter Ace. Colin Hadley lost rather badly against Brian Stephens, who had recovered his form, after his match in the morning. Paul Schofield received 5 bisques from Bob Savage and got to peg and 1-back when his bisques ran out. Bob Savage then got both clips on the peg, while his opponent got to 4-back. Bob then attempted to peg out, missed with the croqueted ball and decided to peg out his strikers ball. Unfortunately, when he came to peg out his other ball, he missed and Cornwall won 26/25

April 28th home v Budleigh

Cornwall Croquet Club’s first inter-club Southwest Federation Intermediate League match for 2009 was played on Tuesday April 28th. A home Intermediate League match (for players of mid range handicaps, 18 to 10) against Budleigh Salterton. Torrential rain had put the fixture in some doubt when the courts were seen to be flooded on the 27th, but they dried out to give a good, but slightly slow, surface. The match was refereed by Tony Backhouse. 

Budleigh’s team of four arrived a little late having accidentally explored Mevagissey! Proceedings were not much held up, and the morning’s play started with doubles between Paul Schofield & Colin Hadley of Cornwall, both handicap 14, versus Malcolm Beaver, Budleigh’s captain (14) and Pat Meredith (18). This was a fairly slow and low scoring game, going Budleigh’s way 13-8. At the same time Cornwall’s Malcolm Hooper (10) was playing Ivor Meredith (12), emerging with a comfortable win at 24-6. Stephen Read (14) played Jack Thompson (12) and also won fairly comfortably 24-15. Heavy showers in the morning sent players running for their waterproofs and at one stage, hail was bouncing off the lawns & the players. A welcome lunch break allowed the weather to improve considerably in the afternoon.

 In the afternoon singles, Malcolm Hooper comfortably beat Jack Thompson 26-10, achieving the only peg-out of the day; Colin Hadley beat Ivor Meredith 18-8, and Schofield beat Pat Meredith 24-11, Pat’s game steadily improving after a slow start, but too late to catch up. Stephen Read narrowly lost 18-21 to Malcolm Beaver in a tight and well-contested game, which could have gone either way.

 Final result, Cornwall 5, Budleigh Salterton 2. A good start to the season.

 Front row: Ivor Meredith(B), Jack Thompson(B), Pat Meredith(B), Malcolm Beaver(B).

Back row: Paul Schofield(C), Colin Hadley(C), Malcolm Hooper(C), Stephen Read(C).

Photo by Barrie Edwards.