Two Chester players feature in an article in the latest issue of the U3A magazine ‘Third Age Matters’. Sally Slater is the new U3A Subject Adviser on croquet and John Dawson is a member of the Chester U3A as well as the governing body of the Croquet Association, the CA Council.
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Tribute to NHS
This tribute to the NHS was created by Cheshire West and Chester groundstaff by mowing the letters in the longer grass next to the cricket square and football pitches in Westminster Park. The photograph was taken from a drone operated by Russell Geomatics Ltd of Chester early in the morning of Thursday, 16 April. In addition to the NHS lettering, the colours of the spring foliage are particularly attractive.
More surreptitious practice
Earlier reports of surreptitious practice taking place somewhere in deepest Cheshire have been verified by newly obtained video evidence.
Despite strict social distancing, this form of practice seems to be highly contagious. Following initial reports from mid Cheshire, there are now reports that the practice has spread spontaneously to south Cheshire and over the border to the Principality. Mutations are also evident with a one-hoop variety in one location, a multi-hoop variety in another location and a one-handed variety in yet another location.
All the evidence is here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7sWIyYP-HWyEWdx7OcOScw
In the current regime of tracking and tracing all outbreaks, we shall be pleased to receive reports of similar instances elsewhere in the vicinity.
Despite intensive research and debate, there is still no agreement among experts whether the various forms of practice now being observed will be beneficial. The pressing but still unanswerable question is when there can be a return, or even a partial return, to normality.
PS: Latest intelligence has revealed another outbreak of surreptitious practice, this time only a stone’s throw from Westminster Park.
Surreptitious practice
Not spot
Storm Brendan visits Chester
The scene at Westminster Park earlier today, Tuesday, 14 January:
Photograph by courtesy of Robin Tasker who braved the weather and brought his rubber ducks.
GC Elite Squad Practice
The England GC team are holding a warm-up weekend at Bowdon at the end of this month on Saturday and Sunday, 23-24 November. It will be over two days when the England team will play the Elite Squad. There will be singles and doubles. Three full lawns will be in use by the squad over the weekend.
Teams:
England – J-P Moberly, Stephen Mulliner, Tobi Savage, Richard Bilton
Elite Squad – Ian Burridge, William Gee, Rachel Gee, James Death
It will not only be a chance for members/spectators to see some of the country’s best GC players in action but also the England team. It doesn’t seem like there is much top level GC around this neck of the woods so it’s a great opportunity for people to come and spectate.
Check the Bowdon website for more information before travelling in case the weather or the lawns are unsuitable.
2019 NW Federation league trophies
Chester were presented with three league trophies at the NW Federation AGM at Culcheth on Saturday, 16 November. In one of the most successful years for the club, Chester came first in the Advanced B Level league, the Weekend Handicap league and the Golf Level Play league and the team captains were at Culcheth to receive the awards.
2019 End of season supper
Chester Croquet Club celebrated the conclusion of one of its most successful seasons with a well attended supper and trophy presentation at Chez Jules on Wednesday evening, 13 November.
The club achieved victories in three of the six North West Federation leagues, was winner for the second year running in the short lawn section of the Southport Croquet Festival, and competed in three national competitions reaching the finals in one and the semi-finals in another. In addition, there was a record number of individual successes in various country-wide tournaments.
This year’s winners of the the club’s internal leagues and competitions were presented with their awards by club chairman, Sarah Andrew.
| Fletton Trophy | Mark Lloyd |
| Mason Cup | James Thomas |
| Hibiscus Trophy | Peter Fey |
| Hasting Wang Short Lawn Bowl | Elaine Walton |
| Early Bird Golf Doubles | Cynthia Graham & Angela Tindall |
| Hasting Wang Golf Singles | James Thomas |
| Hermitage Golf Doubles | Liz Baskerville & Pat Wheeler |
| Mollie McBride RAT Trophy | Pat Wheeler |
| Peter Bingham Award | Jill Foley |
| Christine Long Award | Martyn Seal |
| Most improved player – AC | James Thomas |
| Most improved player – GC | Tom Grievson |
Individual successes during the year were:
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- Richard Smith won the Southport Advanced Tournament over the weekend of 27-28 April, winning all six games and raising his world ranking from 185 to 163. He went on to win the Cheltenham AC A Class championship on 7-9 June and was semi-finalist in the South of England Championship at Eastbourne over the weekend of 20-22 September raising his world ranking to 125.
- John Dawson won the English Veterans AC handicap championship at Budleigh Salterton from 24 to 29 June, winning six out of seven games.
- James Thomas won the North West Federation Short Lawn Tournament at Fylde on Saturday, 11 May. He went on to win the Jubilee Trophy Handicap Tournament at Fylde over the weekend of 27-28 July, winning all five of his games, was winner of the Bury Handicap AC Weekend on 3-4 August and was winner again at the national Open Short Croquet Tournament at York over the weekend of 28 & 29 September winning nine of his ten games.
- Sally Slater playing in her first country-wide competition was winner of the High Bisquers Tournament at Cheltenham on 12-13 August.
- Brian Walton achieved a Croquet Association Silver Merit Award by taking his second ball through all 12 hoops without the use of bisques and winning his game in the final against St Albans for the Secretary’s Shield.
2019 Secretary’s Shield
St Albans beat Chester 5-2 in the final of the national Secretary’s Shield competition in Chester’s last competitive match of the season on Saturday, 19 October.
After a successful run of victories against Tyneside, Broadwas and Ashby in earlier rounds of the knock-out competition, Chester found themselves facing St Albans in the national final for the Secretary’s Shield having previously encountered St Albans two weeks previously in the 3rd/4th round play-offs for the Longman Cup. The match was played on ‘neutral ground’ at Kenilworth, the final having to be rearranged when the previous fixture had been rained off. For this final match of the season, Chester’s team was David Boyd (captain), John Dawson, Robin Tasker and Brian Walton.
In the morning session Brian Walton achieved a Croquet Association Silver Merit Award by taking his second ball through all 12 hoops without the use of bisques and winning his game but Chester lost the other singles game and the doubles game. With St Albans having a 2 – 1 lead at lunchtime, Chester faced an up-hill struggle in the four singles games in the afternoon. All the games were close, including one going to a golden hoop, but St Albans succeeded in winning three of the games giving them a final score of 5 – 2.
John Dawson, a member of the Croquet Association Council and Secretary of Chester Croquet Club, presented the trophy to Chris Frost, the St Albans captain.
As winners of the North West Federation weekend handicap league for 2019, Chester will have another opportunity to compete for the Secretary’s Shield next year.
Detailed results, St Albans names first:
Chris Frost (3.5) & Stuart Stafford (16) beat John Dawson (3) & Robin Tasker (5) 26-11
Heather Bennett (3.5) beat David Boyd (6) 26-22
Stephen Mills (11) lost to Brian Walton (8) 26-9
Chris Frost (3.5) beat John Dawson (3) 26-21
Heather Bennett (3.5) lost to Robin Tasker (5) 20-19T
Stephen Mills (11) beat David Boyd (6) 26-24
Stuart Stafford (16) beat Brian Walton (8) 26-17