LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Readers are reminded that the views expressed in the letters pages of the Gazette are those of the authors only, and not those of their clubs, unless specifically indicated. YOUTUBE VIDEO AND COMMENTARY
ROGER'S TYPO UPRAYS Genuine croquet-related typos to make you smile
I'm an NZ based croquet player, potentially of both codes, although there is very little AC played here these days. I'm delighted that USA, England, Australia, NZ, and indeed Egypt, are all trying hard to video croquet matches of consequence. The standard of camera work has improved markedly in the recent past. One thing disappoints me though, the lack of informed commentary during play, with the notable exceptions of Chris Clark and Aston Wade. Might national associations consider inviting individuals to learn how it's done?
A genuine nugget from history. Jon was looking for my proofreading services:
Let me know if you are available for some roof reading in the coming week. Comment: I take proofreading seriously, and to suggest I would sunbathe while working is just not on.
Thank you, Rod Templeman Auckland
Roger G, Phyllis Court
ALL-OUT ATTACK CROQUET
The Short Croquet went well, especially for Debbie [Lines], who won [Peterborough's inaugural Short Croquet tournament] with a clean sweep of seven wins out of seven. Ken Knock and I [Adrian Kirby] finished our seventh round game with half an hour to spare before a bonus round of doubles we tacked on at the end. So we invented a new form of Short Croquet on the fly. We're calling it All-out Attack Croquet ("Double-A C"), and the key rule is that every single-ball shot must be a hoop attempt or an attempted roquet - one consequence being that if your ball goes to a position from which neither of those is physically possible you lose the continuation stroke. The first and so far only ever game of Double-A C went like a dream: I clanged Hoop 1; Ken played a wonderfully on- the-edge two-ball break round five of his six hoops, then missed a (physically possible!) hampered continuation; I hit in, played a three-ball break all round, peeled him and pegged him out, and quixotically pegged my ball out too; Ken hit in and played another brilliant two-ball break in the fourth turn of the game round five hoops, this time rescuing a hampered roquet with a sweep shot only to then bounce off a long Hoop 6 attempt into a corner; he won a couple of turns later when I missed two long shots I was obliged - suicidally - to take. Great fun, and game over in about fifteen minutes.
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