The Solomon Trophy

In many sports there are some particularly well known international fixtures which seem to carry special importance - yachting has the America 's Cup, Golf has the Ryder Cup. In croquet, the most prestigious team event is undoubtedly the MacRobertson Shield, but the next most important international test matches are the Solomon Trophy between Great Britain and the USA , and the Trans-Tasman between Australia and New Zealand .
Whilst there had been two previous test matches between GB and the USA in 1985 and 1987, the Solomon Trophy was officially inaugurated in 1988 (the same year as the first Trans-Tasman), with John Solomon donating the trophy. John was President of the Croquet Association from 1982 to 2004, and won the British Open 10 times between 1953 and 1968 - surely one of the greatest players ever to pick up a mallet. The event which now bears his name alternates annually between Great Britain and America , but is not contested in the same year as the MacRobertson Shield.
The Solomon has always involved the best six available players from each nation, and has generally adopted a format of three rounds of doubles (each pair playing each of the opponent pairs) and two rounds of singles, with all matches played as best of three, making for a 21 match test. The 2008 event was slightly unusual in that the players all decided that it would be a good idea to play an extra round of singles as there seemed to be plenty of time. In earlier years the teams have also played some friendly games under the USCA laws, but this has not occurred for some time.
Great Britain has won all 17 test matches against the US , and the table below shows the venues and final scores. These results largely reflect the relative playing strength of the teams, as measured in the world rankings, although there is no doubt that the Americans are continuing to learn and improve. The 2005 Solomon Trophy was the first time a US team had led or stayed even with GB through the event's first four rounds. Tied at 7 all (with GB leading in the pegged-down doubles match) at the start of the final day, the Americans felt they had a real chance of winning the test match for the first time ever, but the GB team found some form and quashed that hope quickly and completely, winning all seven of the remaining matches. Thus, despite the strong start, USA did not even equal their high-water mark of eight wins, achieved in 2002.

The 2008 Solomon Trophy was played on July 2-5 in England at Manchester 's Heaton Park , a large complex built for the Commonwealth Games with four excellent flat lawns, said to be amongst the best in England . The tournament was opened by Brian Storey, Secretary General of the World Croquet Federation. After two rounds of play, both doubles, GB took a 5-1 lead, Ben Rothman and Paul Bennett recording the first win for the USA . The most notable shot of the day was Paul Bennett's 'Aspinall peel' to finish his delayed tp, which was remarkable as he had only been shown the shot for the first time by USA travelling reserve Jim Bast earlier that morning, who himself had only been taught how to play it the previous evening by Colin Irwin at Bowdon.
On the second day of the competition Great Britain stamped their authority on the event winning 9 out of 10 of the completed singles matches to take the score to 14-2, and so GB retained the Solomon Trophy.
On the third day Great Britain won 2 out 3 of the third round doubles, and one of the two unfinished second round singles, taking the match score to 17-4 in GB's favour, with just the final 6 singles matches left to play. Players and spectators enjoyed a day of almost uninterrupted sunshine at Heaton Park , ending with an excellent tournament dinner in the pavilion, at which the American team treated the assembled company to their thoughts on what the 4 th of July meant to them personally.

The final day saw the USA win 2 of the 6 third round singles games, making the final score 21-6 to Great Britain. Danny Huneycutt and Ben Rothman from the USA both played extremely well throughout the tournament, and were involved in all the USA 's match wins in singles and doubles, but Great Britain 's strength lower down the order proved decisive. In the final match against Stewart Jackson, Keith Aiton completed a sextuple (finishing with a straight quad!), followed by his first ever tournament octuple!! Only three other players in history (Rob Fulford, Reg Bamford and Bob Jackson) have ever achieved this feat.
It was a good end to an excellent tournament, for which thanks should be recorded to Bury Croquet Club (who run croquet at Heaton Park) and all those involved in every aspect of the event (including Jonathan Kirby for managing the event so efficiently). The excellent lawns at Heaton Park certainly also help make a strong case for Heaton Park to be involved in hosting the next MacRobertson Shield in 2010.
Finally, congratulations to all the Great Britain team of (in playing order): Keith Aiton (capt), David Maugham, Ian Lines, Jonathan Kirby, Tony Le Moignan and Ian Burridge, and also thanks to the American team for helping to make the Solomon Trophy such a fantastic tournament. I'm sure that the 2009 Trans-Tasman in New Zealand will be equally as successful as the 2008 Solomon, with the outcome perhaps just slightly more in doubt.

Ian Lines

The Solomon Trophy

The 2008 Great Britain and USA teams: Ben Rothman (USA), Tony Le Moignan (GB), Ron Lloyd (USA), David Maugham (GB), Danny Huneycutt (USA), Jonathan Kirby (GB). Paul Bennett ( USA ), Ian Burridge (GB), Stewart Jackson ( USA ), Ian Lines (GB), David Bent ( USA ), Keith Aiton (GB)

Email:
Last Modified: 19 November, 2009