Heretaunga eight come calling

GAMES ON: Members of the Heretaunga and Barry Memorial croquet clubs had two days of games in Gisborne. Pictured are, standing (from left): Jeff Cook, Bob Johnson, Ian Brown, Neil Armitage, Ray Birrell and Geoff Vautier (all Heretaunga), John Wilson, Fay Mitchell, Mark Bousfield, Rob Hayes, Per Elzen and Maurice Allan (all Barry). Seated: Yvonne Armitage and Glenys Fulford (both Heretaunga), Muriel McMillan, Denise Weavers and Christine McCullough (all Barry). Absent: Peter Richardson (Barry).Picture supplied

A team of eight from Heretaunga Croquet Club in Havelock North came to Gisborne to take on a team from the Barry Memorial Croquet Club.

Heretaunga, with over 120 members and nine lawns, is the biggest croquet club in the country. It was always going to be a battle for the Barry club, with 30 members and four lawns.

However, the local players constantly do better than expected in outside golf croquet tournaments. Fresh from a convincing win against the Marewa club from Napier a couple of weeks ago, the Barry club players were confident they would put up a good showing. And they did.

Sixteen doubles games were played and 16 singles were played in two sections of eight.

Heretaunga won the doubles 9 games to 7, Barry Memorial won Section 1 of the singles 10-6 and Heretaunga won Section 2, 11-5. At the end of the two days Heretaunga came away with the overall win, 26 games to 22.

Probably the most satisfying thing about the weekend from the local club’s point of view was that more than the required eight players were available, so some only played in either the doubles or singles to give everyone game time. That they still managed to do so well indicated great depth in the club.

Doubles results (Barry club names first) — Round 1: Muriel McMillan and Christine McCullough lost to Bob Johnson and Glenys Fulford 7-2, Mark Bousfield and Peter Richardson lost to Ray Burrell and Jeff Cook 7-1, John Wilson and Denise Weavers defeated Geoff Vautier and Neil Armitage 7-6, Rob Hayes and Maurice Allan def Ian Brown and Yvonne Armitage 7-5.

Round 2: Muriel McMillan and Christine McCullough lost to Ray Burrell and Jeff Cook 7-5, Mark Bousfield and Peter Richardson lost to Bob Johnson and Glenys Fulford 7-3, John Wilson and Denise Weavers def Ian Brown and Yvonne Armitage 7-3, Rob Hayes and Maurice Allan def Geoff Vautier and Neil Armitage 7-5.

Round 3: Muriel McMillan and Christine McCullough lost to Geoff Vautier and Neil Armitage 7-2, Mark Bousfield and Peter Richardson def Ian Brown and Yvonne Armitage 7-6, John Wilson and Denise Weavers lost to Ray Burrell and Jeff Cook 7-6, Rob Hayes and Maurice Allan lost to Bob Johnson and Glenys Fulford 7-2.

Round 4: Muriel McMillan and Christine McCullough lost to Ian Brown and Yvonne Armitage 7-3, Mark Bousfield and Peter Richardson def Geoff Vautier and Neil Armitage 7-4, John Wilson and Denise Weavers lost to Bob Johnson and Glenys Fulford 7-4, Rob Hayes and Maurice Allan def Ray Burrell and Jeff Cook 7-2.

Section 1 singles results (Barry club names first) — Round 1: Rob Hayes def Glenys Fulford 7-4, John Wilson def Geoff Vautier 7-6, Per Elzen def Ray Burrell 7-6, Christine McCullough lost to Ian Brown 7-1.

Round 2: Rob Hayes def Geoff Vautier 7-3, John Wilson def Glenys Fulford 7-4, Per Elzen def Ian Brown 7-4, Christine McCullough lost to Ray Burrell 7-2.

Round 3: Rob Hayes lost to Ray Burrell 7-5, John Wilson def Ian Brown 7-2, Per Elzen lost to Geoff Vautier 7-6, Christine McCullough lost to Glenys Fulford 7-5.

Round 4: Rob Hayes def Ian Brown 7-6, John Wilson def Ray Burrell 7-4, Per Elzen def Glenys Fulford 7-6, Christine McCullough lost to Geoff Vautier 7-4.

Section 2 singles results — Round 1: Muriel McMillan lost to Yvonne Armitage 7-2, Mark Bousfield lost to Jeff Cook 7-6, Denise Weavers lost to Neil Armitage 7-5, Fay Michell lost to Bob Johnson 7-4.

Round 2: Muriel McMillan def Jeff Cook 7-6, Mark Bousfield def Neil Armitage 7-3, Denise Weavers lost to Bob Johnson 7-5, Fay Mitchell lost to Yvonne Armitage 7-3.

Round 3: Muriel McMillan lost to Neil Armitage 7-3, Mark Bousfield lost to Bob Johnson 7-4, Denise Weavers def Yvonne Armitage 7-3, Fay Mitchell def Jeff Cook 7-3.

Round 4: Muriel McMillan lost to Bob Johnson 7-4, Mark Bousfield def Yvonne Armitage 7-3, Denise Weavers lost to Jeff Cook 7-6, Fay Mitchell lost to Neil Armitage 7-1.

Over the previous weekend, Barry club member Per Elzen was runner-up in the Tauranga Level Singles Tournament.

He lost his first game, 7-5, to a Te Aroha player but beat another Te Aroha player 7-1 in his second game and a Tauranga opponent 7-4 in his third.

Elzen’s fourth game was a tough, drawn-out 7-5 loss to a Tauranga opponent.

He finished the tournament with a flurry, winning his last two games 7-5 and 7-6.

Elzen was tied with three other players — all of them had four wins — and he was declared runner-up. The winner had scored one more hoop.