Club

Croquet

Wrest Park

Anderson Shield 2025

v Colchester (away)     22 June     lost 1-6

John Bevington (½) & Ross Bagni (11) lost to Andrew Gray (3½) & Kev Croot (18) -9t

Tim Nurse (6) lost to Georgeen Hemming (4½) -3t

Peter Rothwell (2) lost to Al Brown (4½) -7t

John Bevington beat Andrew Gray +3t

Peter Rothwell lost to Georgeen Hemming -2t

Tim Nurse lost to Al Brown -1t

Ross Bagni lost to Kev Croot -8t

Having played host to Colchester in this competition last year we were drawn against them in the first round of this year’s event, and they duly took revenge. It was the last day of a recent spell of unseasonably warm and sunny weather, and the lawns were very fast. Like Ole Man River, the balls kept rolling along, either crossing the boundary when they weren’t supposed to or overshooting their intended positions. All the games went to time and the doubles rather summed it up: with both pairs playing alternate stroke the final score was 18-9 and we didn’t concede a lift. Tim came closest in the morning singles where the score was 13-10.

It was much the same in the afternoon singles. Both Tim and Peter lost narrowly, but John managed to prevent a whitewash when, with both players on 3- and 4-back, he scrambled the last three hoops with the forward ball with time being called during the turn, and Andrew then missed the lift.

Thanks to the team, to Georgeen for freshly made cakes, and to Tim for driving us there and back.


The first match of 2025 was the postponed final of the 2024 competition. Reports of the earlier matches can be found on the 2024 News page in the Archive.

v Pinchbeck (at Newport - 2024 final)     17 April     lost 2-3

report by Tim Brewer

George Collin (½) & Tim Nurse (6) beat Adrian Kirby (0) & Ken Knock (9) +1t

Tim Brewer (2½) beat Mike Bowser (4½) +18

George Collin lost to Adrian Kirby -10

Tim Brewer lost to Ken Knock -26

Tim Nurse lost to Mike Bowser -17

This was the final from 2024. Although Wrest Park had progressed through to the final in good time in their half of the draw, the other half were very slow completing their matches. The net result was that no independent venues were available to play the final last autumn and hence the final was played at Newport Croquet Club. The lawns were slow due to the relatively high cutting height and poor adjustment of the mower (more below!).

Pinchbeck was only able to field a team of three and therefore George, Tim N and Tim B formed the Wrest Park team. Terrey Sparks officiated and defined the games to be played – one singles and one doubles in the morning, and three singles in the afternoon.

George and Tim N gave away 1½ bisques, which fortunately Pinchbeck frittered. With the innings, in the last few minutes George ran rover, still leaving Wrest Park one behind, and left Tim N a short rush to 2-back. Pinchbeck missed. Tim N ran his hoop and time was called. He had little chance of making 3-back, so joined up, having split up the opposition. They missed. George made the (longer than he would have liked) roquet, took off to the stick and pegged out – having double checked that this counted in Advanced Handicap play.

Tim B played Mike Bowser and was giving away 2 bisques. Mike quickly took the innings but proceeded to attempt a two ball break rather than creating a 3 or 4 ball break. Not surprisingly he broke down after hoop 2. Bisques were not used very constructively, and Tim B was soon playing 3 ball breaks to 4-back but rather carelessly left an easy roquet for Mike with his second ball. However, Mike was not able to capitalise and so Tim B completed a straightforward win.

George played Adrian in the afternoon and both players found the lush lawns difficult for hitting in. Eventually Adrian managed all the peels of a triple but this compromised his break, and he stuck in 3-back. George managed to leave himself too many backward take-offs, which was his downfall and he lost by 10.

Tim N played Mike Bowser in the afternoon. Mike played more constructively than in the morning and won the game +17. Tim B faced Ken Knock, who after a shaky start in the morning, had now got his eye in. He had 6½ bisques to use and he quickly took his balls round playing well executed shots that were very accurate. Tim B didn’t really get a look in and hence lost -26. Ken was playing well above his handicap, and as Terrey saw the match we agreed a handicap reduction for Ken at the end of the match, bringing him down to 6.

Whilst being the out-player George made himself useful – adjusting the Newport Allett mower so that it cut the grass rather than tearing it, removing the muck which prevented the cutting cylinder from turning and adjusting the clutch cable so that the cylinder had enough power!

So a loss but may I thank everyone who played in the team last season – Eric Audsley, John Bevington, Peter Aspinall, Peter Rothwell, George Collin & Tim Nurse.

© Wrest Park Croquet Club