By John Thomson
On Monday 3 March, the Lilydale Division 1 team played host to the Sandringham side. Playing for Lilydale this week were Craig McCracken and Murray Howlett. Murray is Lilydale’s lowest handicapped player so it is good to have him back in the side with his knowledge and expertise. The first game was the doubles. Sandringham got off to a good start winning the first four hoops, partly, due to some poor hoop running efforts from Lilydale. Lilydale then started to get their act together and eventually evened the score at 6 all, Sandringham set up well on the thirteenth hoop and eventually won in a close game. Murray Howlett played in the first singles game. Murray played a near-flawless game with some precision placement of the balls and some excellent hoop running. Murray went on to win 7 hoops to Sandringham 1 hoop. In the next singles, Craig McCracken played. Craig also played very well in this game and went on to have a comfortable win 7 hoops to Sandringham 3 hoops. With two singles games to play either side could still win the day. Craig McCracken played in the first singles after the break. Unlike Craig’s first singles game, in this game, Craig struggled to run his hoops when he had the opportunity, which let his opponent in who took full advantage of this and went on to win 7 hoops to Lilydale 4 hoops. Murray Howlett played in the final game and he just seemed to continue on from where he left off in his first singles game and went on to have a comfortable win, 7 hoops to Sandringham 2 hoops. The final scores were Lilydale 3 games 31 hoops to Sandringham 2 games 20 hoops.
Lilydale’s Division 2 team travelled to Kew for their first game after their bye. Lilydale’s team was Alan Jones, Kerri McCracken and Mick Crawley. Alan Jones and Mick Crawley paired up in the doubles. Alan and Mick got off to a good start and were able to get a break of a couple of hoops and then hold onto their lead and win 7 hoops to Kew 5 hoops. Kerri McCracken played in the first singles game. This was a hard-fought affair with Kerri in the end managing to get a break of a couple of hoops and win 7 hoops to Kew 5 hoops. Mick Crawley played in the next singles game. This game went hoop for hoop with neither player able to get a break and after the twelfth hoop, the score was 6 a piece so the thirteenth hoop had to be played to decide a winner. Unfortunately, Mick made an unforced error and played the wrong ball which let the Kew player in to win the hoop. The scores were Kew 7 hoops to Lilydale 6 hoops. Kerri McCracken played in the first game after lunch. This game was also a very tight game with neither player giving an inch. After twelve hoops had been played the scores were tied at 6 hoops each, with the thirteenth hoop to be played to decide the winner. Kerri played to the hoop first and set up well and from there she was able to go on and win the game 7 hoops to Kew 6 hoops. In the last game, Alan Jones played. Alan played what you might call a perfect game, he positioned well, ran hoops and jumped his opposition’s ball with precision, going on to win 7 hoops to Kew 0 hoops. A true captain’s game. Final scores Lilydale 4 games 34 hoops to Kew 1 game 23 hoops.
The Handicap season got underway on Thursday 6 March. Lilydale hosted the handicap team from Monash Club. The Lilydale team this week was comprised of Murray Howlett, Mick Crawley, Drew Pawley and Murray McLean. The first game was a singles game and Murray McLean was playing. Both players were on the same handicap so no player had an advantage. The game started out fairly cautiously by both players, then Murray started to gain some confidence in his play and took the lead and went on to win 7 games to Monash 4 games. The next game was a doubles and Mick Crawley and Drew Pawley were playing. Lilydale was starting with a 1 hoop disadvantage. The Monash pair started well and gained a small lead before Lilydale made up their disadvantage, Monash was able to hold their lead and go on to win 7 hoops to Lilydale 4 hoops. Drew Pawley played in the next singles. and starting with a 1 hoop disadvantage. Again, Monash started well, while Drew was struggling with his game and could not create any momentum. Monash won 7 hoops to Lilydale 3 hoops. In the next doubles, Mick Crawley and Murray McLean teamed up. Lilydale were starting with a 1 hoop disadvantage in this game. Lilydale made up their disadvantage early but the Monash pair were playing very well and were able to get a lead and hold it to the end winning 7 hoops to Lilydale 4 hoops. Mick Crawley played in the last singles game. Mick was starting with a 2 hoop disadvantage. Mick started brilliantly and had made up his disadvantage in the first 2 hoops, from then on it was just like a level play game. Mick had certainly saved his best form for his last game and went on to have a comfortable win 7 hoops to Monash 2 hoops which gave Lilydale a sniff of being able to win the day. In the last doubles the two Murray’s teamed up in Howlett and McLean. This was Murray Howlett’s first and only game for the day and it needed to be a good one. Lilydale was starting with a 2-hoop disadvantage while Monash had a 1-hoop advantage. Lilydale started brilliantly and had made up their disadvantage plus Monash’s advantage in the first 3 hoops. The two Murrays combined well and were able to build a good lead and go on to win 7 hoops to Monash 2 hoops. The final scores for the day were Lilydale 3 games 32 hoops to Monash 3 games 29 hoops.
Lilydale showed a great fighting spirit over the day, especially in those last two games.
Next week there are no Level-play games in either Division 1 and 2 due to the Monday public holiday and in the Handicap competition Lilydale has a bye.
