Peel Appeal looks at the triple peel as seen from the experiences Steve has acquired over the years with the help of some of New Zealand's leading players. The matches described are some of the most fascinating and exciting that have ever been played. An interesting and amusing anecdotal account of New Zealand and World Croquet over the past 15 years, the book also serves as an invaluable coaching guide both for beginners and more expert players.

"In the second game [of the 1995 Trans Tasman test match], I somehow ended up on hoop 4 after Bruce [Fleming] had again raced away to 4-back. This put quite a bit of pressure on me and by this time, the other three matches had finished and all eyes were on my game! This made things very tense and nerve-racking - but Bruce was feeling it too! I hit a long one and had a three ball break in front of me but the nerves struck as I blobbed hoop 4 from close range! Mercifully, Bruce couldn't improve his score from that and I was the first to recover my composure. I hit back and this time did a good break to 4-back. Bruce wasn't finished yet, though. He hit the lift and advanced his 4-back ball to rover - but I wasn't finished yet either....!"

The book begins by describing Steve's own beginnings in Croquet and the first triples completed by Steve and others. The mechanics of the triple peel is covered comparatively briefly but gives the reader the basics of the various leave options and where to place the balls for each peel. Famous (and not so famous) triples (and failed triples) are discussed as well as TPO's, 3-ball triples, sextuples and even octuples. There are lengthy sections on Test Match Croquet (both MacRobertson Shield and Trans Tasman) and on who the best Croquet might be (or might have been). The book ends with a Chapter on some aspects of the future of Croquet. Diagrams and photographs (many in colour) complete this fully indexed book, the first to be written by a New Zealander since the 1940's.

Contributions from Ashley Heenan, Bob Jackson, John Prince, Paul Skinley, Aaron Westerby and many other leading New Zealand players give this book added interest, and the Foreword by Charles Jones, JP contains some classic stories of his own!

"...in partnership with Gordon Rowling, we won the Doubles Championship [British Open Doubles, 1974, Hurlingham]. In the third game of the final I well remember doing a triple starting on hoop 2 with one ball in corner 1. Maurice Reckitt writing in "Croquet" called it a "majestic triple". - John Prince.

Hopefully this book contains something for everyone - this is certainly the intention. Although I discuss at length matches played at tournaments such as the MacRobertson Shield and the World Championships, people not aspiring to these heights as players will be able to follow the action with ease as the subject of peeling has been gently introduced in the early chapters. It is a book that will complement the coaching manuals by giving an alternative view of playing techniques. In particular, it chronicles ways of playing the game that cannot be found in the manuals because the players concerned have used that all-important but indefinable quality "inspiration" to strut their stuff.

"....The ritual began again. Surely this time the answer would become plain and the fate of both players satisfied. Yes, this time it must be. Never in the history of this great competition has so much depended on such a small moment, it seemed. The British players had stopped in their deliberations on adjacent lawns and were breathing thinly, waiting for the moment. The Kiwis had ceased their stirring too but were breathing not calmly but with a panting that gave away their apparent nonchalance. The Americans' and Australians' pace too had slowed as had the chinking of tea cups long since discarded into their saucers. It was as if time was standing still in the mini-world of Croquet at Cheltenham. Burridge is swinging now, this is the moment, the moment is upon us....."