STEPHEN MULLINER’S 50TH (NOT CONSECUTIVE) BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
By Annabel McDiarmid
This is my 3rd report in 3 weeks (I really do need to work out what other ways I can use my holiday allowance). This being the Opens, my report now needs to be a little less frivolous. Bear with me. I do want to say how lucky I feel though. We should all feel that. We are welcome at any club around the country, world even, and I can’t think of one club I wouldn’t happily visit again. I feel at peace lawnside, and regularly find myself grateful for being part of such a fabulous sport. The Opens is always a great event, but for the first time since 1986, that’s 40 years, neither Reg Bamford nor Robert Fulford have attended the singles. Top players from around the world have entered this year though, with final preparation for the MacRobertson Shield in mind. New Zealand, Australia, Canada, America, Wales and England all with representatives. Cheltenham Croquet Club have done well, the lawns are lovely, the hoops challenging and the volunteers friendly and helpful. Carol in the bar has been marvellous, making sure water, ice and ice creams are plentiful. The first three days are set aside for the doubles knockout. Play is held up slightly on the first day as Number 1 seeds, Chris & Jenny Clark, take their best of 3 to time - over 9 hours play, winning by 2 on time in the third game. 2nd day continues similarly. Lawns are becoming more challenging with the heat, and hoops are set to a 32nd, 3hr 30min time limits being frequently eaten up by many players. Great to see all six of the English MacRobertson team are through to the semi-finals, along with Chris and Jenny Clarke. 3rd day. Semi-finals are finished, and the final is between Robert Fulford/Jack Good and James Death/Samir Patel. Jack hit some lovely long shots to get innings; James and Samir had the plan to keep Robert to only two shots in the whole match, taking the first game 26tp, unfortunately, for them, the triple peel in second game wasn’t completed, and Robert and Jack took the match. Happy to say the England Mac players only lost to each other throughout the doubles. Samir, as Manager, has been trying different disguises to make himself harder to find, switching between floppy hat
Author Annabel McDiarmid with Dave Fuller
James Death Credit: Martin Conway
Continued on page 23
www.croquetengland.org.uk | 22
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator