On Sunday, 11 May, Chester played in two NW Federations league matches, at home against Llanfairfechan in the GC handicap league and away against Bowdon Griffins in the 26 point AC handicap league. The day started as it meant to go on; hot and sunny with virtually no wind.
In the GC handicap league match against Llanfairfechan, the Chester team of Sandy Grievson, Lesley Newman, Rhia Taylor and Arnie Banford with handicaps of three 12’s and a 10 faced Llanfairfechan’s Liz Griffith, Sue Kendall, Trish Jones and Rod Bowdon with handicaps ranging from 6-12.
The match started with two sets of doubles which finished honours even with one game to each side. This seemed to set the pattern for the early singles games and by noon the score was three apiece. After lunch Chester found new form and pulled away strongly with Lesley and Arnie both winning their games convincingly.
In mid afternoon when the temperature had risen well into the twenties the last round of four games got under way with Chester leading the match by 9-5 and so a draw was still possible. In the event, each of the Chester players won their final games which took the match score to Chester 13 and Llanfairfechan 5.
Arnie Banford finished the day with a clean sheet of singles games whilst Lesley Newman swept the board by winning all of her singles and doubles game.
Thanks to our visitors for their usual sportsmanship and good humour which together with the glorious sunshine made for a thoroughly good day of croquet.
In the 26 point AC handicap league played away against Bowdon Griffins, the Chester team were David Boyd, Elmyr Hughes, Robin Tasker and Brian Walton. As expected, the lawns at Bowdon were dry and fast and Chester lost the doubles and both singles games in the morning. Fortunes improved in the afternoon when Chester won two of the four singles games but the overall result was a 5 – 2 win for Bowdon.