By John Thomson
On Monday 29 April, one of the Mornington Division 1 teams made the long trek down the freeway to Lilydale.
Lilydale’s team this week consisted of John Thomson, Craig McCracken and Glenn Crook. Glenn had just played in a two-day tournament over the weekend, so hopefully he was in good form.
In the doubles John Thomson and Craig McCracken teamed up. John and Craig got off to a good start, but the Mornington team started to work back into the game. John and Craig took control of the last couple of hoops and won the game 7 hoops to Mornington 5 hoops.
In the first of the singles games Glenn Crook played. Glenn got the jump on his Mornington opponent and kept the pressure on for the entire game. Lilydale 7 hoops to Mornington 3 hoops.
In the second singles it was Craig McCracken to play. This game was a tighter affair with both players going hoop for hoop early on until Craig was able to get a break and went on to win 7 hoops to Mornington 5 hoops.
At the lunch break the scores were Lilydale 3 games 21 hoops to Mornington 0 games 13 hoops. With two singles games to be played, Lilydale had won the day, so it was just a matter of who could win the remaining two games.
Glenn Crook was playing in his second doubles game, and again he got off to a fast start, although the Mornington player tried hard to peg Glenn back the margin was too big in the end. Lilydale 7 hoops to Mornington 4 hoops.
In the last singles game, it was John Thomson to play. John started well and was up early but his Mornington opponent started to get a run on and levelled the scores at 6 hoops a piece, so the 13th hoop had to be played to decide a winner. The Mornington player was first to the hoop and set up beautifully and from there went on to win the hoop. Mornington 7 hoops Lilydale 6 hoops.
The final scores for the day, Lilydale 4 games 34 hoops to Mornington 1 game 24 hoops.
This week the Lilydale Division 2 team was hosted by Kew Croquet Club.
The Lilydale team members this week were Alan Jones, Kerri McCracken and Drew Pawley.
Kerri McCracken and Drew Pawley played in the doubles. Kerri and Drew have not played together very much and they took a while to settle into the game, by this time the Kew pairing had a good lead and went onto win 7 hoops to Lilydale 2 hoops.
In the first singles Alan Jones played. Alan started slowly but made up a bit of ground towards the end but it was all too late with the Kew player winning 7 hoops to Lilydale 4 hoops.
Drew Pawley was playing in the next singles. This was a tight game with both players fighting for each hoop. The Kew player eventually was able to run a couple of extra hoops and win 7 hoops to Lilydale 5 hoops.
At the break it was Kew 3 games 21 hoops to Lilydale 0 games 11 hoops.
With two singles games to go Kew had already won the day, so it was just a matter of whether Lilydale could fight back and win the last two games.
The first singles after the break Alan Jones was playing. Alan had found his form in this game as both players went hoop for hoop. After they had played twelve hoops the scores were 6 hoops a piece, with the thirteenth hoop to be played to decide the winner. This hoop too was a battle, eventually Alan took his chance and ran the hoop to win the game 7 hoops to Kew 6 hoops.
In the last game Kerri McCracken was playing. Kerri started well and was able to hold her lead over her opponent for the duration of the game. Lilydale 7 hoops to Kew 4 hoops.
Final scores for the day, Kew 3 games 31 hoops to Lilydale 2 games 25 hoops
On Thursday 2 May, Lilydale hosted the Monash croquet club handicap team.
The Lilydale team for this week was Alan Jones, Liz Stewart, Graham Rhodes and Kerri McCracken.
In the first singles Graham Rhodes was playing. Because of the handicap system, Graham was starting with one hoop advantage and the Monash player was starting two hoops behind. The Monash player started well and with his higher level of skill soon made up the deficit and went on to win 7 hoops to Lilydale 2 hoops.
In the first of the doubles Alan Jones and Kerri McCracken teamed up. Alan and Kerri have played together a number of times now and have a good understanding of one another’s games. Lilydale were starting one hoop behind their Monash opponents. Alan and Kerri had soon made up that one hoop and were in control for most of the game. Lilydale 7 hoops Monash 4 hoops.
In the second singles game, Alan Jones was playing. Alan was starting two hoops behind his opponent. Alan has been in very good form in recent times and had soon made up the two hoop disadvantage and kept the pressure on his opponent and went on to win 7 hoops to Monash 4 hoops.
In the next doubles Liz Stewart and Graham Rhodes paired up. This time it was Monash that was starting one hoop in arrears. This time it was the Monash team that were controlling the game and went on to win 7 hoops to Lilydale 4 hoops.
At the break the scores were Lilydale 2 games 20 hoops, Monash 2 games 22 hoops.
With a singles and a doubles game to play, the end result could go either way.
In the final singles game Kerri McCracken was playing. Kerri was playing Monash’s top ranked player. Kerri was starting one hoop in front and the Monash player was starting with a two hoop deficit. Kerri started well and did not let her opponent settle into the game. Lilydale went on to win 7 hoops to Monash 4 hoops.
The last game was a doubles and Alan Jones and Liz Stewart teamed up. Lilydale were starting one hoop behind the Monash pair. This game was an epic game. Monash got off to a flyer and it looked like the game would be over very quickly. Then Lilydale seemed to flick a switch and started to get back into the game. At the 12th hoop Lilydale had squared the ledger at 6 hoops all. The 13th hoop had to be played to decide the winner. Neither team were giving an inch, then Monash took their chance and ran the winning hoop, the scores were Monash 7 hoops to Lilydale 6 hoops.
At the end of play saw both captains reaching for the calculators to check and recheck the scores and in the final count it was Lilydale 3 games 33 hoops to Monash 3 games 33 hoops. So, after a long day’s play neither team could be separated and a tie was declared. Well done to both teams this does not happen very often.
