Author: David Guyton

After two weeks of exceptionally hot and dry weather the croquet lawns must have relished the combination of heavy showers and mild sunshine when Chester played at home against Bury in the NW Federation mid-week association croquet handicap league on Wednesday, 28 July. For the players it was a different matter – alternately donning waterproofs and sheltering under umbrellas and then adjusting to  variable lawn conditions during short intervals of sunshine. The Chester team of David Guyton (captain), Elmyr Hughes, Brian Walton and Nigel Worthington faced an experienced team from Bury which resulted in some close games with only two pegging out before time.  By lunchtime Chester was just ahead having won the doubles game and one of the two singles games in the morning.  The four singles games in the afternoon were also closely fought with Chester eventually winning three of the four to give an overall result of 5 – 2 in Chester’s favour.

Osian Williams of Chester played in the Oxford University AC croquet team which defeated Cambridge University this summer. He won his doubles but lost his singles.

Osian joined Chester last summer but with Covid had limited opportunities for competitive play both at Chester and Oxford.

Nevertheless he got his AC handicap down to 14 to make the team.

The back drop to the photo is of course not the Chester clubhouse but Hurlingham where the Varsity match is played.

On Thursday, 15 July, a Chester golf croquet team comprising Edward and Liz Baskerville and Sandy and Tom Grievson travelled to Bowdon for a North West Federation handicap match. The sun shone brightly and the heat intensified relentlessly as the day progressed. The Chester teams got off to a good start by winning their respective doubles games but then fortunes were reversed as the singles got underway. By lunch Bowden had pulled ahead by one game. Chester was rejuvenated in the afternoon session to win 9 games to 6 with 3 drawn games, with each member of the team contributing to the match result.

Sunday,  18 July, was another glorious day, but not a brilliant day for the club. Chester played away against Bowdon in the second round of the national Mary Rose competition for advanced croquet. The Chester team of Mark Lloyd (captain), Jerry Guest, David Guyton and Robin Tasker found themselves facing a strong team from Bowdon which had won the competition in 2019 and were determined to do so again. The doubles game in the morning finished very quickly in Bowdon’s favour followed by the two singles games which went to time but still finished in Bowdon’s favour. Two more singles games in the afternoon also finished quickly in Bowdon’s favour and the remaining two eventually fell to Bowdon giving them an overall 7 – 0 victory.

Chester’s fortunes were reversed on Wednesday, 21 July, when the Chester Centurions level play golf croquet team played away against Pendle and Craven. Another glorious sunny day saw Garry Greenwood, Sally Slater and John Hampson,  who was playing in his first league match for Chester,  cruising to an 18-0 victory.

Three Chester members played in the North West Millennium short lawn tournament held at Chester on Sunday, 25 July,  Sally Slater, the 2017 winner, James Thomas who won in 2019, and Robin Tasker who also managed the event. The other three competitors were from Bury and Bowdon croquet clubs. All six competitors played 4 games throughout the day in more lovely sunshine. The overall winner by a narrow margin of just one point was Brian Storey from Bowdon. James Thomas was the runner up.

For another report on the Millennium short lawn tournament, see the North West Federation website.

The sun shone throughout. It was the hottest day of the year in the North West. But it was not a glorious day for Chester. On Sunday, 18 July, Chester played away against Bowdon in the second round of the national Mary Rose competition for advanced croquet. The Chester team of Mark Lloyd (captain), Jerry Guest, David Guyton and Robin Tasker found themselves facing a strong team from Bowdon which had won the competition in 2019 and were determined to do so again. The doubles game in the morning finished very quickly in Bowdon’s favour followed by the two singles games which went to time but still finished in Bowdon’s favour. Two more singles games in the afternoon also finished quickly in Bowdon’s favour and the remaining two eventually fell to Bowdon giving them an overall  7 – 0 victory. The Bowdon team were clearly well accustomed to their characteristically fast lawns and the Chester team struggled to adjust  from their slower lawns at home. All credit to Bowdon who now go forward to compete against Pendle in the quarter finals to be played before 6 September.

We have been reviewing the latest government statements and Croquet Association guidance on relaxing Covid restrictions from Monday, 19 July, and the main points  are as follows:

• • Limits on numbers of people meeting indoors or outdoors are removed though “people should continue to meet others outside when possible”
  • Social distancing no longer required but people should minimise “the number, proximity and duration of social contacts”
  • Face coverings no longer required but the government “expects and recommends” them in crowded and enclosed spaces
  • Restrictions on serving food are removed
  • A strong emphasis on continuing caution and personal responsibility

For the club,  the main implications are:

• • More than six people may be present in the clubhouse
  • Food may be prepared and served subject to high standards of personal hygiene
  • When the clubhouse is in use, it is advisable that the door and windows are open to provide good ventilation
  • Careful cleaning still required for indoor surfaces “that people touch regularly”
  • We continue to recommend use of hand sanitizers when entering the clubhouse
  • Transmission of infection from outdoor surfaces is not significant so cleaning of croquet equipment after use is no longer required
  • Members and visitors should exercise their own prudent judgements with regard to social distancing and wearing face coverings
  • The lawn booking system and recording names in the attendance book continue unchanged
  • Remain alert to coronavirus symptoms and avoid coming to the club if you are affected or have been in contact with other people who are affected

Click here for the latest Croquet Association guidance.

 

For the second time in four days Chester found itself facing a another strong team from Southport. This time, on Saturday, 10 July, the match was in the NW Federation weekend handicap league and played on Chester’s home lawns.  The Chester team comprised three of the same members as in the earlier midweek handicap match, David Boyd (captain), David Guyton and Nigel Worthington, plus the club’s lowest handicap player, Richard Smith, who was getting some useful practice before a busy summer round of playing in open tournaments across the country. All the games were closely fought with the overall outcome in doubt right up to the closing strokes.

By the midway point at lunchtime, Chester had won the two singles games but had lost the doubles game in the morning. The four singles games in the afternoon also proved challenging and all continued until time was called. By the time three of the four afternoon games had finished, Chester had won one and lost two giving an equal score of 3 – 3. In the last game to finish, a late break by Richard Smith enabled Chester to catch up from behind and just overtake Southport giving an overall 4 – 3 win for Chester compared with a loss on the previous Wednesday.

Both this match and the match earlier in the week demonstrated the critical importance of fair handicaps as bisques, free shots during the game, had a major influence on the balance of the games.

 

On Thursday, 8 July, the Chester Centurions level play golf croquet team welcomed a team from Crake. The day was warm and sunny and the match was played in a very friendly spirit and enjoyed by all, including Crake, despite the fact that Chester Centurions beat Crake by 17 games to 1. It was not as easy as the score showed, Crake played very good croquet and had bad luck not to win more games. Chester’s team comprised of Garry Greenwood (captain), David Crawford and Mark Lloyd.

So far Chester Centurions have won all three of the six level play golf croquet league matches scheduled this season.

Chester’s away match against Southport in the NW Federation mid-week handicap league on Wednesday, 7 July, was not one of the club’s more successful achievements – a 6 – 1 win by Southport. The Chester team of David Boyd (captain), David Guyton, Paul Watson and Nigel Worthington found themselves facing some high handicap players from Southport who made consistently good use of their abundant bisques, free shots at critical times. In some previous more successful matches it has been suggested that Chester has some bandit players amongst its ranks with unduly high handicaps and bisques. This result suggests a contrary perspective. Merely a coincidence, of course, but the one game won by Chester was by Chester’s highest handicap player.

Apart from the disappointing result, the Chester team received a characteristically warm welcome at Southport. And the mild, dry weather was certainly preferable to the heavy showers at Chester.

In the North West Federation short lawn competition held at Llanfairfechan on Saturday, 3 July, a very close match was fought. The Chester team of Val Sanders, Robert Jones, Nigel Lloyd and captain Sally Slater were neck and neck until the very last game. Llanfairfechan narrowly won it and the match, the overall score being 9-7. Torrential rain greeted the Chester team in Wales, but it dried up quickly and was followed by a glorious sunny day in this lovely setting.

Another Social Funday this Sunday, 4 July,  2.00-5.00 pm.

Strawberries and Bucks Fizz provided.  Please bring something to share.

Family and friends welcome.

See you there!