August is the month of parched lawns and the sound of flamingos striking croquet balls, like demoralised woodpeckers. It is the month when South West Federation area league croquet matches tumble over each other to be completed before next month’s playoffs and finals, to find the SWF’s Champions.
Camerton & Peasedown Croquet Club’s penultimate match in the AC Intermediate League was against East Dorset. Tony Brooks won both his games, motivating CPCC to a 4-1 victory. Having won all their matches, CPCC’s last game, against Nailsea, the joint leader, will determine who goes forward to the playoffs.
In the GC Central South League, CPCC took on Weston-Super-Mare. Not accustomed to the away lawns, they started badly but pulled back to 3½-7½ by lunch. Rallying, CPCC reached 7-9; needing the last four games to win. They won three – a draw and a fair result. This draw reduces W-S-M chances of overhauling Abbey, who were running away with this league until their defeat by CPCC, as reported earlier. With two games still to play, Dowlish Wake is the only other team in a position to beat Abbey. Interestingly, CPCC stand in their way too, since their final match is against the Ilminster team.
Dowlish Wake were CPCC’s last opponents in the High Handicap league. David Christie warrants a mention in CPCC’s 10½-9½ win. A pupil in this year’s Beginner’s Course in April, he gained 2½ points from his three games of his first match. As Marion Button, the team’s non-playing captain, confirmed: “If anyone wants to play in the High Handicap league, we give them that opportunity.”
Alas, after an unruly match against Weston-Super-Mare, won by the home team 12-8, there is only an outside chance of CPCC winning this league, with Budleigh Salterton still having two games to play – but the season has not finished.
Please phone: 01225 708540 to find out how you can join.