EVERY year Camerton and Peasedown Croquet Club hold a regional heat for the National ‘C’ Series Tournament - for players with a handicap of 7+.

Sixteen players, from as far away as Oxford, arrived in cold and windy weather but were raring to get onto the pristine CPCC lawns. Most of them were new to a ‘C’ Level competition.

The visiting players immediately appreciated Camerton and Peasedown’s top quality lawns and the day started well. Play had only just begun when a fierce wind and an ice-cold shower prompted the players to rush and put on their wet weather gear. However, it was the only bad weather that day and play quickly continued.

Four groups of four played ‘All-Play-All’ in the morning with the top two of each group going forward to the knock-out rounds. By lunch time one player from each group had won 3 games and they were joined by 4 runners up. These players, which included 3 from CPCC, went through to play quarter, then semi-finals, for a place in the final. The final was between CPCC members, Phil Hendy and Jonathan Flatt.

Phil had already beaten Jono 7-5 in an earlier round. The game started well for Phil and he was 3 up, but Jono kept his cool and pulled out some fantastic long shots.

The score reached 6 hoops apiece; you need 7 hoops to win. Jono had won Hoop 12 so Phil had first shot up to Hoop 13. Unfortunately, he was impeded by a hoop and didn’t have a straight shot. Jono had a clear run to the Golden Hoop and put himself into a good position to score it; which he did, meaning a win forJonathan Flatt 7-6.

As the day ended Camerton and Peasedown players took the first 3 places: 1st, Jonathan Flatt: 2nd, Phil Hendy and 3rd, Simon Munton.