MacRob - Report #4 (19 November)

Courtesy of Aaron Westerby

Amidst high drama off the court the World croquet teams Championship for the
MacRobertson Shield commenced at the Rich River Resort in NSW over the
weekend.  After a good start by the NZ team on day 1 at Rich River, Great
Britain fought back well on easier paced lawns at Shepparton on the second
day to establish a 4-2 lead.

Although not directly affecting the NZ team at this stage, an appeal by the
USA, supported by GB and NZ, was lodged against the Australian singles
order.  According to the regulations the singles order should reflect
current singles form.  The appeal was successful and Australia adjusted
their playing order.

DAY 1 - NZ take an early lead 2-1

The number 1 Great Britain doubles pairing of Robert Fulford and Chris
Clarke put the GB team on the scoreboard with a quick clinical win against
the NZ pairing of Paddy Chapman (Canterbury) and Aaron Westerby (Waikato).

In a near perfect performance the GB pair won their best of three match in
two straight games. The first 26tp-0 and the second 26tp-7.  In the fifth
and sixth turns respectively. The only opportunity for the NZ pair was at
the start of the second game.  When Westerby hit a long shot with the third
ball and established a break but unlucky found himself hampered by the peg
after the 5th hoop. NZ's other two points were scored for them by the
opposition to increase the difficulty of a triple peel if Chapman gained the
innings.

The NZ pair of Greg Bryant (Nelson) and Shane Davis (Taranaki/Brisbane) had
a comfortable straight games victory 26tp-15 26-9 over the second ranked
British pairing of Keith Aiton and Jonathan Kirby.  Shane Davis completed a
solid delayed triple peel to secure the first and he also hit the critical
lift shot in the second to enable the NZ team to take control of the match.

The third doubles match was an all day affair on a more difficult sandy
lawn.  The NZ pair of Brain Wislang (Nelson) and Robert Lowe (Auckland) took
a close first game after David Maugham, partnering Mark Avery, missed a
short roquet after rover on a finishing turn.  Avery completed a nice
delayed triple in the second and an in-and-out third game was won by Wislang
who pulled out a difficult triple peel finish.  Final scores were 26-24
2-26tp 26tp-16


DAY 2 - GB fight back

Chris Clarke and Robert Fulford quickly despatched Greg Bryant and Shane
Davis in straight games 26-0tp 26-0tp.  The only croquet for the NZders was
for Davis who tooked croquet in the third turn of game 1 but failed to run
an long and angled first hoop.

David Maugham and Mark Avery shot well to shut out the NZ pair of Aaron
Westerby and Paddy Chapman in straight games.  In the first Westerby went to
4-back, but Avery hit the lift went to 4-back and this was followed by a
Maugham triple.  In the second Westerby hit 4th turn but missed a short cut
rush after establishing his break, just before hoop 3.  Maugham went to
4-back and Avery eventually completed a triple peel to win the match 26tp-9
26tp-3.

Keith Aiton (partnering Jonathan Kirby) completed a quadruple peel in the
first and triple in the second to record another straight games victory for
GB against Brain Wislang and Robert Lowe 26qp-11 26tp-10.