Old News

2023 Season

Club Meet-up 22nd November 

We want to hear the views of club members regarding how to move the club forward in terms of membership and sustainability. Join us at the Craddock Arms from 7:30 to share your ideas.

Internal Club Competition Winners

Flamingo & Hedgehog (Doubles)

Shirley & Mark Buckley

GC High Rollers (9+)

Chris Lawman

GC Advantage Play (Victoria)

Mark Buckley

GC Level Play (Campion Cup)

Alison Murray

GC New Players ( Pavilion Cup)

Anne Wright

 
 

Excellent Turnout For The End Of Season Social

Final League Match Completed- Advantage Against Gainsborough - Draw

On a drizzly day at Gainsborough the Baverstocks and Alison played the last league match of the season.  It was the first visit to "The Venue" and due to the weather (wanting to get the game completed before the weather got worse) the match was played on half size lawns which were nice and green and flat. The first 3 rounds were all tied so it was 3 each at the lunch break. In the last round we needed 2 to win but only Mark managed to score a win so the overall result was a draw.  All agreed that was a fair result for the match.

Our results in this  trial league was 3 wins, 1 draw and 1 match (Woodhall Spa) we were unable to raise a team.  We wait to see the final positions in the league when published later this month.
 

We're Going Up....

Another win for the B Team secures their promotion from Division 3 to Division 2 next year.  Well done and and excellent proformance by the whole B Team squad and their captain Christine 

 

National A Level Final 

This year's GC A Level Final was hosted by East Dorest Tennis & Croquet Club in Poole. The East Midlands Croquet Federation was well represented with 4 players from our area taking part : Alison Murray & Mark Buckley (Leicester) plus Mike Bilton (Gainsborough) and Andy Sherwood (Ashby). The format was 2 blocks of 8 players and all but Andy were in block B so Alison & Mark had to play each other in the qualifying rounds. Alison won which pleased her!

At the end of the first day Andy (who was ranked bottom of his block) had won block A with 5 wins out of 7. Mark was top of block B and Alison (who was also ranked bottom of her block) was second, both also had 5 wins. All 3 having made the cut progressed onto Championship knockout on day two.  Mike was in the plate.

The weather was more overcast on Sunday and waterproofs were on hand but actually not required.

Alison was knocked out in 2 straight games by Giles and a similar fate became Andy as he took on Diana.

 

Mark played Les Heard and beat him in a 3 game match so went on to play Peter Balchin in the semi finals. It took Mark another 3 game match to over come Peter and secure his place in the final playing Giles Pepperell. With so many 3 game rounds the final started late afternoon/evening. Mark took the first game 7-6 but Giles came back to win the next two games 7-3 and 7-5 to win the trophy. Well played Mark, Alison & Andy who all exceeded their expectations. Congratulations to Giles on the win!!.

Mammoth High Roller Final

This is a new internal GC competition for handicaps 9+. Chris Lawman won after a mammoth match lasting three and a half hours against Phil Selvidge. It was tightly fought with Phil picking up the first game 7-5 but Chris came back winning the next 2 on Golden Hoop! It seems Chris likes to take his time beating his opponents as his previous matches against the Baverstocks took a day to complete.  Well done Chris and everyone who took part.

 

A Team Final 2 League One Matches-Wins

Two matches play over the weekend to bring Leicester's A Team season to a close.

Ashby B were played on Saturday with the Leicester team comprising of David and 2 newer players Ian & Jen (Total handicap 14 v Ashby 15). Things started well with the first 4 games all going Leicesters way however Ashby came back to win the next 4 out of 5. Going into the last round things were tight, Leicester 5 to Ashby's 4, so both teams had everything to play for and with Leicester winning 2 games the result was 7:5 to Leicester.

On Monday with threats of heavy storms the Leicester team of David, Mark & Alison travelled to play Sheffield U3A a match already deferred due to bad weather. Their lawns were small with longer grass but despite the heavy rained drained well. Again Leicester started well winning all the doubles and when lunch was called due to heavy rain Leicester were 5:1 up. Wet weather gear was found and play resumed but the break had done us no favours as Sheffield took 2 out of the 3 games in round four. Leicester had secured the match as a draw going into round 5 but in order for us to stand any chance of us winning the league a win was required, so with wet gear still on the last 3 matches were played. Both David & Mark won their games with the match resulting in an 8:4 win to Leicester and the sun came out again.

There are still some key matches to be played in Division One but with Leicester having 5.5 wins it looks like the it will come down to the Ashby A (4.5 wins) v Gainsborough match to decide top spot.

 

No Advantage Here

So although we have won all 3 of the advantage league matches played, making us top, we are now struggling to raise a team for the remained 2 games.  Unfortunately we have conceeded to Woodhall Spa and given them the game as 3 players could not be found for any of the dates provided.  We are in a similar postion with Gainsborough and there are only a few more days to go until their lawns close.  Based on this it is unlikely we will enter this competition next year if the trial proves successful.  Any availability or interest for 2024 please let Alison know.

 

2023 Novice Competiton - Pavillion Cup

Each year on August bank holiday the Pavillion Cup in played for our club novices players whom are in their first or second year of play.  This year we have 6 enterances, 3 from each season so an all plays all format was adopted.  When it came to establishing the winner things were tight with both Jen Housden (Yr2) and Anne Wright (Yr1) both only dropping one game!  The manager took the approach of who beat who to decide the winner do Annie picked up the Pavillion Cup.  Well done Annie we are looking forward to see how you progress and thanks to everyone who took part, hopefully you all picked up some tips from the coaching.

National Forest Doubles At Ashby

Mark decided to enter this competition with his brother Ian so Paul & Alison decided to join them! They were drawn in different blocks so would only meet if both pairs qualified for the knockout stage. Paul & Alison qualified with a match to play while Mark & Ian took it down to the last game to make the cut. Paul & Alison lost their semifinal having taken the match to 3 games and the 2 brothers did likewise resulting in the long awaited head to head.  One 19 point game was played with a result of 10:6 and bragging rights going to Alison & Paul. The main competition was won by Mike O'Brien & Christine Wood. Good weekend even with rain

Another Advantage Win For Leicester

The trip to Nottingham was successful with a 7-5 win to Leicester in the Advantage league. The team of Andrew, Gilllian & Richard has a slightly higher handicap than Nottingham so I am pleased to see that all players won singles matches.  Most importantly a great time was had by all.

Division 2 Inter Counties - Leics/Warks/Derbys Combined Team Win

This year Leicestershire combined forces with Derbyshire & Warwickshire in order to raise a team for the Inter Counties.  So Mark, David & Paul (Alison had other committments) where joined by Noel Gill & Phil Blake to make up a team.  Everything was very tight on the last day with several teams on 3 wins out of 5 but pleased to say on net hoops theLeics/Warks/Derbys combined team won the tournement

Flamingo & Hegdehog Doubles.

12 players took part in this internal competition in better weather than previous years. Alison was tournament manager & provided Chilli Cheese Scones & home made cakes to keep everyone 's energy up and Virginia added to the fun with a hoop 4 competition.

It was a tight contest with 4 teams all on 2 wins after 3 rounds. The competition remained tight and going into the final round there was still 3 teams capable of picking up the cup. With a final win 7:5 Mark & Shirley were the winners only dropped one game (the first), with "The Melton Boys" and Ron & Gill Higgins tying for second place. A great day was had by all!


ABC- Ashby Baverstocks C Level

Gillian & Mark took on their second C Level at Ashby. Both had a good day and gained lots of experience with Mark winning 3 out of 5 games and Gillian winning 2. Well done.
 

A Trip to the Seaside

David took part in his second tournament since is return from Australia with another trip to the Southwest to play in the Budleigh Salterton Open. He had some tight games on day one but missed out on making the cut so day two was the plate but again luck was against him.


And Another Win For Leicester B At Derby

Leicester travelled to the new Derby Club venue for their match still undefeated. Pleased to say another win for the Leicester Team with a 9-3 result. The push is on for promotion.
 

Another Win for Leicester B

So with another win for the B team against Darley Dale that means they have not lost a match this season. Leicester (Richard, Christine & Mark Bav) won 9-3 so that is excellent if things are tight at the end of the season and there is a count back to games won.

 

League Results (21/7/2023)

Some recent matches might be missing however this provides and indication on how Leicester are preforming in the the level play and advantage leagues

Leicester Storm Into Hunstanton 

On a windy and rainy weekend which resulted in a change of accommodation (no longer under canvas) Mark & Alison travelled to Hunstanton to compete in the A Level GC competition. 
There were 10 competitors so it was an all plays all competition and then the top 4 into a knockout. After day 1 Mark was leading the way with 8 out of 8 wins. Second was Mike Bilton & Alison on 6 wins and Kevin Connelly on 5 wins was 4th. These ended up being the semi finalists after the final heat rounds and the others went into another all plays all for the plate.

Both semi finals involved Golden Hoop and 3 rounds but the final was between Alison & Mark which was 6:7 and 5:7 and Mark picking up the trophy!  Great result for Leicester.

 

Paul Williams Makes The Final At Nottingham B Level

Paul came 2nd in his group to make the cut only dropping one game on the heats and coming second in his group.

In the quarterfinals he won 7:2 and it was 7:5 in the semifinals before he lost in the final to Giles Pepperell on  Golden Hoop. The second time he has made it to a B level final this month.

Good work Paul!

 

A Team Bags A Win Against Dunston 

Another day another Lincolnshire club! This time the Leicester A team consisted of Mark, Paul and Jen ( her first league match), so a completely different team to the one against Branston. The match started well with Leicester winning all of the doubles games and the singles in the first 3 rounds. So at lunchtime it was 6:0 to Leicester but Dunston came back in the second half picking up 4 singles. The result ended 8:4 (71:56 hoops) and Mark kept a clean sheet for the first time in a few years plus Jen won her 2 doubles and a singles which is a great start for her first league match.

 

David Travels To Sidmouth

Having just returned from his travels David hit the road again to play in the Sidmouth Open. With limited practice and some strong competition David had his work cut out and on the first day he started slowly before finding his feet. David just missed out on the cut and therefore went into the plate on day 2. David did better on day 2 and with 4 people only dropping one there was a plate knockout. David's match against Martin French (from Bude) resulted in 5:7 to Martin and their other knockouts game was equally tight with Marc Colson (Budleigh) just loosing to David Thirtle Watts (Hunstanton) 6:7. The main event was won by Stuart M Smith.

 

Leicester AC 14 Point Tournament 
Fantastic that after a few years of absence Leicester were able to field a team to compete in the East Midlands 14 Point AC tournament held at Ashby. Richard, Owen & Mel were up against teams from Nottingham & Ashby who have a good membership base of AC players. All 3 Leicester players had wins but it was not enough with the final scores being Ashby 5, Nottingham 4 & Leicester 3. We are pleased to be back on the AC competition circuit. Well done lads!

 

Leicester A v Branston 5:7

Alison, Andrew & Ian made the journey to Branston for this division one match unsure how they would fair with the "interesting" lawns & predicted thunderstorms.  Well it lived up to expectations, the lawns had not been flattened over night and play was underway in the second round when the heavens opened and everyone ran for cover and sheltered from the lightning in the metal container!!! The play was pretty level with matches going to 7:5 or golden hoop & rain continued but lighter so players battled through not stopping for lunch as more thunderstorms were predicted for 2pm. The Red Arrows and the Saudi equivalent both decided to put on wonderful air displays to lift everyone's spirit and distract from play or rumbling stomachs. Heading into the last round Leicester needed all 3 games to win but despite great efforts and 2 golden hoops only one win was achieved giving Branston the match 7:5

 

Leicester A Team v Ashby A - Draw!

Ashby brought out the big guns for this clash - Mike O'Brien, Paul Durkin & Keith Pounds all playing off scratch, so it was game on for Mark, Alison & Paul (total handicap 8). After the first 2 rounds the teams were drawing but then by the lunch break, at the end of the doubles rounds, Leicester had pulled ahead with a 2 game lead.  Ashby came back in the remaining singles winning 4 of the 6 of those games.  The final score was a 6:6 draw but Leicester are claiming the win because of a 2 hoop advantage 64:62! Great result for the team given the strong opposition

 

Leicester Take Advantage 
Richard, Gillian & Alison played Branston in the Advantage League. Once starting scores had been established the next challenge for all was keeping track of the scores. Laden down with pegs play commenced in the 60 minute, no 8 shot games. There was one drawn game so after 6 hours the result was a 9.5:2.5 to Leicester.

 

Hunstanton B Level

Paul Williams took part in th B Level at Hunstanton and had a successful day winning all 5 of his group games & the semi final. Due to an off lawn incident Paul withdrew part way through the final so David Brammer of Branston picked up the cup but Paul left undefeated.

Rain Stops Play.....

The storms flooded our lawns twice this week!!

The Division 3 League match against Dunston was postponed and there will be no club play this weekend.

Hoping for sun & wind to help the drying process to enable the Division 1 match against Branston to go ahead as planned on Monday

.

A Plate From Crake

Mark & Alison made the long trip up to the Lakes to play in the A series at Crake Valley.  Mark made the cut after the first day but was knocked out in the quarters.  Alison didn't make the cut but did not go home empty handed as she managed to win the plate.  Glynis Davies from Northampton won beating Mike Bilton from Gainsborough.  The full Crake report is on the CA website. 
 

Winning Weekend For Leicester.

Teams took part in both handicap and level play league matches with great success.  In the handicap league Leic V Ashby was a 10:2 result with Gillian, Andrew & Paul making up the team.

On Saturday it was the A team division one match against Gainsborough which was a very tight match for Paul, Ian & Mark. (Alison was tea lady for both matches).  The result was 7:5 to Leicester as Gainsborough came back in the singles rounds.  Both days were hot so ice creams and beer/ Pimms were available to help players cool down after play.

Leicester Venture To Chester - Murphy's Shield

A team of 4 ( Paul, Sue, Gillian & Alison) went to represent Leicester in the Murphy's shield, a competition Leicester has not taken part in for many years.  It was always going to be a challenge to win the match as our handicaps totalled 28 verses Chesters 14!  Everyone fought hard on the renowned slopey lawns but Chester won 5:1 (well done Paul).  It was a great trip out to a new location and a match played in good spirits.

 

An Away Win For Leicester B

The B team made the well trodden journey to Ashby to play their C team, and new faces were fielded on both sides.  Owen Pugh played for Leicester and did not drop a match whcih helped Leicester to a 10:2 victory

 

Internal Club Competitions - GC

The draws for the 3 singles GC competitions have been made and emailed to participants.  The scheduals will also go up on the club noticeboard in the next week.

We are hoping to run the doubles competition as a days event as it was a popular format a couple of seasons ago.  We are just looking for a convenient Saturday in August.

The AC tournement will be arranged but we are just holding out for a few more people to enter.

Sunny Day & A Win For Leicester A

Beautiful day for the A Teams first league match of the season. Leicester took on the promoted Woodhall Spa and came away with a 10-2 win.  The games were closer than the result suggests with many ending 7-5 or golden hoop.

Star player was Andrew York who won 2 of his single games against lower handicaps. 
Let's hope this is the beginning of a trend

Lots of Play This Weekend 12/5/23-15/5/23 ....... Good Luck

So we have lots of members involved in matches this weekend so we wish them luck and if you want to go and offer your support I am sure you will be very welcome.

  • Leic B Team @ Southwell - Mark & Gillian Baverstock & Chris Lawman play away and start the B teams league play for this year on Friday
  • Bass & Coors Cup - Our team of Ian, Christine & Jen represent us at Ashby on Saturday
  • Bury A Level - Mark & Alison travel to Bury for their first tournament of the season.

Good luck & check back for results and updates

UPDATE ON RESULTS.

  • A very sucessful weekend as the B team won away at Southwell with a victory to Leicester 7-5. Mark Baverstocks first league match so what a way to start!
  • Bass Shield Leicester made it to the final and came a very respectable 2nd against and experianced Long Eaton team.  Ian Buckley missed out on the Coors cup because of one drawn match!  He never lost again of this games so another great effort.
  • In the end both Mark & Alison made the cut at Bury and they finished a respectable 5th & 6th.

​All teams were lucky with great weather.

                          

Remember Sunday is Fun Day

Play followed by food to share all with a coronation theme, so get your glad rags on & don't forget your crown.

 

Lots of Tournament Dates

There are loads of dates flying around so please check out the notice board in the clubhouse or here to see if you are in the squad.

 

Tournament Season Starts - Good Luck

With the tournaments starting we wish Gillian & Mark Baverstock good luck as they head off to Watford for their first ever GC "C" Level tournament.

Paul Williams then heads to Camerton & Peasdown trying to get his first "B" level Tournament win to bring home a cup

 

***UPDATE***** Congratulations to Paul on coming 4th!!

 

Advantage Play

Andrew, Mark & Alison get to grip with Advantage Play armed with a pocket full of pegs to help with scoring as the game started from a -2 v +3 position in Andrew's favor!

It seemed to work well as all games ended on Golden hoop.

AGM & Start of Season

Just a reminder that the AGM is on Sunday 16th April which is also the start of the season.  Hopefully the new ramp will be out and Alison will be there if anyone needs a quick refresher on shots or tactics.  There will also be another opportunity for a refresher the following Sunday 23rd.  Membership fees are also due and remain £30 for the season.

 

GC League Fixtures 

The fixtures for the Advantage, A & B level teams have been updated on the Matches & results tab.  The dates are only those suggest by the federation and the actual fixtures are still to be arranged on a mutually convenient date.
 

Murphy's Sheild Update -Draw

The draw has been made and Leicester has a bye in the first round.  This means we will have an away fixture to be played by 12th June against the winner of the Chester v Durham match.

 

2023 GC League Update

So the teams for the leagues have now been announced and the details below.

 

The A Team are in division 1 and will play:

  • Ashby A & B
  • Branston A
  • Dunston A
  • Gainsborough
  • Sheffield U3A
  • Woodhall Spa

The B Team are in division 3 and play:

  • ​Ashby C
  • Darley Dale
  • Derby (new club)
  • Dunston B
  • Nottingham B
  • Southwell B (new club)
  • Torksey

 

There has been some interest forming an Advantage League and therefore we will be playing the following clubs in this new handicap approach:

  • Ashby 9/6/23 proposed home
  • Branston
  • Gainsborough
  • Notthingham. 21/8/23 confirmed away
  • Woodhall Spa​
     

National Tournaments - Open, A, B & C Series - Sign up Now     (Feb 2023)

The Croquet Association tournament booking system is open so make sure you register for any competitions you are interested in early as it helps the organisers. It is great to see that some of our newer members have signed up and are competing all over the country.  It helps improve their game which also helps the club raise the standard of the club play.  Sign up for an event in the series that fits your handicap as there are competitions hosted in Nottingham, Ashby and Hunstanton if you do not want to travel far.

 

Leicester Enter Murphy Shield - Want to be part of the team?

For the first time in many years Leicester have entered the Murphy Shield competition and now we are looking for a team! This is a nation GC knockout competition and for  each round we will need a team of 4 people.  It is pitched for mid range players (that's us) and anyone with a handicap less than 2 can't play. That's Mark & David out.  Let Alison know if you are interested in taking part and then when we get more details on who we will be playing in the first round we can select the team. .

 

New Club High Handicap Players GC Competition 

This year there will be a new knockout competition for those club players with a higher handicap. The competition will run alongside the existing knockout competitions but will only be open to our club players with a handicap of 9 or above.  Look out for more details when the season starts
 

Season Start Date

So the provisional start date for the season to start is Saturday 15th April with the AGM on the 16th.
 

Interested In Playing In A Handicap League In 2023?
The East Midlands Federation are considering running a handicap league in 2023 as a trial using "Advantage" play rather than "Extra Turns" as the handicap basis. Advantage play is the new kid in the block and it works on the basis that the higher handicap player needs to score less hoops to win the game than the lower handicapped player. An example might be that the lower handicapped player might need to win 7 hoops to win the game whilst their opponent might only need 4 to win, so effectively you start the game 3-0 to the higher handicap. The rest of the game and tactics is the same as level play so you no longer have to think of the tactics of when is best to use your "free turns" like you do in the traditional handicap game.

If there is enough interest Leicester would look to field a team in this trial league and again it is a perfect opportunity for new players to get involved in some non club competitive games.

For more information regarding Advantage play check out the CA website. Advantage

 

A Date For The Diary - Bass Shield & Coors Cup - 13th May 2023

So Ashby have announced the date for the 2023 Bass Shield 13th May.  Leicester will look to enter a team of 3.  It is a great opportunity for some of the less experienced players to play in a one day competition so if you are interested in playing let Mark Buckley know.  ** Update*  Christine, Ian & Jen will be representing Leicester.

 

2022 Season

Let's end the season on there 3 club competition winners - 2022

Sad News - Margaret Reichenbach 

I am sad to advise that our dear club member and friend passed away on the 16th Sept 2022. Our thoughts go out to her husband Peter (also a member) and her family.
 

Leicester A team End of Season Report.

So Leicester ended 2nd in Division 1 (Ashby A won) which is an excellent achievement. Thank you to the squad members: David Bell, Mark Buckley, Paul Williams, Alison Murray & Andrew York, all of whom put in excellent performances. With David being away for first half of the season Andrew was drafted in to bolster the team and with a 50% success rate in his singles and 100% in doubles he did his job well. Unusually Leicester did well in all the doubles only dropping 2 games all season. Singles were good too with 2 out of every 3 games resulting in wins. There were some big match wins 11-1 and 10-2 but overall Leicester won 75% of all games.  Next year we plan to bring in some more new players and with the support of the "old timers" we should remain in the mix. What an excellent season!!!
 

League 1 - Ashby v Leicester Match to decide who wins the league.

This match determines who wins the league.  Leicester need the win but Ashby would win with a draw.  The clubs have close ties as they play together to represent Leicestershire in the intercounties and there are some great friendships but all that was put to one side for this "important" match.  The Ashby team had a total handicap of -1 whilst Leicesters was slightly higher at 3, but none of that matters when it is level play!

Leicester started well winning the doubles and singles in the first round, the second round another doubles win but dropped the singles, the last round before lunch was not good so it was 3-3 at lunch.  Leicester needed to creep ahead but at least were in the mix.

The second half of the match saw Alison win both of her singles games, David securing another win but Mark failed to pick up a game.  The result was a DRAW 6-6 which means Ashby wins the leagues.

A big thank you to our supporters Virginia & Andrew, and to our Ashby hosts.

 

Leicester B Travel to Darley Dale - Last Match of The Season

So Christine, Gillian & Ian Buckley made the long journey to Darley Dale with the knowledge that a win could save relegation. Well the lawns were no flatter than last time and they are not full sized so home advantage counts. The match result was 10-2 to DD but that score line does not give a true reflection of how close Leicester came with at lease 5 singles games going to 7-5 or golden hoop. Looks like the B Team will be going down but they will come out fighting next season. 

 

Internal Club Competitions - Final Stages
The club competitions have all reached the final stage and the doubles has already been completed.  So the AC final is between Richard Whiting & Richard White and the result of that might depend on who wins the toss.  Meanwhile in the GC tournaments: Paul Williams takes on Mark Buckley in the handicap final and Paul needs to use his 3 free shots wisely. Mark is also in the level play final and his opponent is Alison Murray so that will be a high stakes match!

***UPDATE***

Level play final Alison beat Mark 2-0 to win the cup 

 

B Team Match - Gainsborough Bring Out The Big Guns.
The B team travelled to Gainsborough for the match aware that they might have a challenge if Gainsborough decided to play Mike Bilton handicap 1. The good news was that Mike was away playing a tournament at Pendle so unavailable for selection.  The bad news was that his son Richard Bilton handicap -4 (England player) was in town and on the team sheet and playing. Needless to say there were some tough games and the match ended 9-3 to Gainsborough.

 

Flamingo  & Hedgehog Final

The final was Gillian & Ian verse David & Virginia.  Play started at 4pm with the hope that the rain would hold off.  The first game went to David & Virginia in a tight 7-5 match.  The second game swung the other way with Gillian & Ian winning 7-2. So it was game on for the third and final game.  Virginia & David pushed through with excellent hoop running by Virginia and determination by David.  It was just too much for Gillian & Ian and after 3 hours of fascinating play the match was finished just before dark.  Well done to Virginia & David and thanks to all those who took part.

Mark Buckley Wins GC B Level Final at Hunstanton 

So the winners of this years B level events (and those who collected enough points - Paul Williams) met at Hunstanton for the final. All parts of the country were represented with people from: Isle of Wight, Wales, London, Budleigh, Compton, Auckland & Broadwas to name just a few. The competition was different to previous years as the first day was 2 blocks and the top 4 of each block made the cut for the knock out on Sunday. Mark had an ok first day & made the cut while Paul was less successful so went into the plate competition. Mark won his first match comfortably but the semi final (against Jill Waters) was a lot more challenging with him taking the match to a 3rd game after a lucky shot on the 12th & winning on golden hoop. The final was Mark v Peter Adams (Guildford) and after the first game went 7-6  the second was won 7-3 to give Mark the trophy.  Diana Wilson won the sheild and Steve Haynes the plate. It was a great weekend and the competitors were up for the challenge.

Leicester B play Nottingham Away

Critical match as a win for Leicester would confirm they remain in division 2, whilst Nottingham need a win to prevent certain relegation. Come on Chris (x2) and Gillian.

David Bell Wins the Plate in the Budleigh GC Open

After a less than perfect performance on the first day David went into the plate competition which he went on to win, only dropping one game on golden hoop. With Niall Litton also on 4wins it was all down to hoops and David won having a net hoop position of 13 v Niall's 10.  Well done David

September Sunday Social

So another great event hosted by Christine & Ron in great weather ?. There were joint winners: Leo playing with Julie whilst Geoff was partnered with Gillian.  Well done & I am sure the rest had an enjoyable afternoon.

Owen Wins The Pavilion Cup.

8 players from the last 2 seasons turned out to complete for the Pavilion cup.  After 6 rounds Mark, Andrew and Owen all had 5 wins each meaning a "hoop off" was required.  Owen was victorious on his first attempt so picks up the trophy. A good day was had by all picking up some new skills as the day progressed

Leicester A v Sheffield U3a

On a nice sunny day the Leicester team made up of David,Paul & Mark took on Sheffield U3a. They were 4-0 up when they broke for lunch and went on to win 9-3 dropping 1 doubles & 2 singles.  Leicester could win the league if they can win their final match against a very challenging Ashby team.

C.A. Diploma For Richard Whiting

Our chairman Richard has been awarded a C.A. diploma for his contribution to croquet and Leicester Croquet Club.  Richard as been involved in the club since it was established over 20 years ago.  He plays both AC & GC on plays for us in the East Midlands League. Richard also runs many taster sessions each year which are critical to the running of the club.  Congratulations Richard, well deserved.

Leicester Represents Leicestershire In The Intercounties.

David, Paul, Mark & Alison travelled to Southwick to represent Leicestershire in the GC intercounties, along with supporters Christine & Bertie Williams.

Expectations were not high as other counties were fielding higher ranked players. Leics beat 3 other teams and finished with 17 single match wins and 4 doubles which was slightly better expected. Paul was star player with 5 single wins and 2 doubles. Weather was good and a lot of time was spent at this bench waiting for our next match.


2nd At Nailsea For Paul
An excellent result for Paul in this B level and with the 6 points for coming second he has a good chance of qualifying for the B level final at Hunstanton. There he will compete against 15 others including Mark Buckley and Pauline Donner for the cup. 

Rain Stops Play!!!☔️
Leicester A played Long Eaton at home and there was rain!! The match was delayed starting because the lawn was in the middle of being mowed. Then part way through the first game the rain started & got heavier.  Players finished the game a bit soggy and then adjourned for a cup of tea whilst the rain passed over. The rest of the match was uneventful (except Alison took a dive after tripping over the string), and the result was 11- 1 to Leicester. The team was David, Alison and Andrew York with Christine providing lunch.
 

3rd At Broadwas

If you have ever been to Broadwas you will know it is a lovely setting with some interesting lawns.  Paul Williams played on some undulating fast lawns in the B level even and managed a very respectable 3rd place to add to his other B levels this year.  He might make it to the B level final at Hunstanton at the end of the season on points - time will tell.  Well done Paul.

B Team - Richard, Sue & Ian

And The Week Starts With A Win...

 

So the B Team faced Bakewell at home with newly set hoops and a debut for Ian Buckley.
 

It was a match of 2 halves as Leicester lost all of their doubles games but struck back winning 8 out of their 9 singles.

 

Well done all and let's turn this into a winning streak!

Lots of Games This Week (1st August)

This week is a big week full of lots of games taking place.

Tuesday the B Team play Bakewell at home so drop down to support them. It is also a debut for Ian Buckley playing his first competitive match.

Off to Broadwas for Paul Williams to play in their B Level and hopefully come back with the trophy Alison won last year.

Mark & Alison are off to East Dorest (Poole) for the A level tournament which will certainly be a challenge for them both.

Don't forget it's social Sunday. It's being run by Mark & Gillian B so remember to get down early so you can be partnered up. (1:45)

A Shield  At Hunstanton 

Mark just made the cut on day one but then lost in the heats.  He then went on to win the Shield which meant he came 5th overall and dropped to a handicap 2.  Alison just missed out on the cut on day one and then missed out on the plate on hoop count back.  Yes it was a couple of very hot days and lawns & hoops challenged all competitors.

Thank You Ashby

The B Team played a very strong Ashby team today.  They thought our lawns were some of the best lawns in the East Midlands.  They took full advantage and we suffered a defeat.

Ashby (Martin) also provided us with this lovely rug of the new Leicestershire rug.  Many thanks.

 

It's A Scorcher For The A Team

Why do they always arrange their matches for the hottest days!? There is only one lawn at Sheffield and it was sun baked, no green grass & running fast.  They also play on a crowns green bowls lawn to add a bit more of a challenge for the visitors. With only one lawn there was a welcome opportunity to rest from the sun whilst others double banked. The result was 2-10 to Leicester but games were closer than the score implies.
 

Sheffield Away for the A team on Sunday 

Paul, Alison & Mark travel north on Sunday for their match against Sheffield.  Good luck & if you win let's hope they don't withdraw from the league. ?
 

July Fun Day

The funday was run by David & Gillian Higgins - Thank you.  Only a small number turned out to play but they all enjoyed themselves and the competition was won by 2 new members Leo & Jenny.  Well done as Leo is returning to the game after a couple of years off an Jenny is new to it all having only learnt in the last month.
 

Bad News For Leicester A

Nottingham A team have now withdrawn from league 1 which is bad news for Leicester. The hard fought win result for Leicester is now scratched and currently the A team sit with one win & one draw in the league.
 

Leicester B Team Took on Branston At Home

A nice day and our lawns were looking good but unfortunately Leicester were defeated by a stronger (better handicapped) Branston team.  Richard, Chris L & Christine F started the match but Gillian made her first appearance for the team as a substitute for Richard after the first couple of games.  Well done to Christine for bagging a couple for singles games.

 

Paul's Off To Hunstanton 

He is playing in the B level on Saturday.  Good luck...

Update - Paul put in another good performance and ended the competition in 4th place so collected some more points towards the B Level final.  Pauline Donner from Branston (& Hunstanton) won the event
 

Barclays return.

Hosted Barclays again for their team building corporate event. 12 players in some good games resulting in a hoop shoot out to find the winning couple.  All had a great time & hope to return again next year.
 

Another Sunny Win At Nottingham 

The A Team consisting of Paul, Alison & Mark played their league match away at Nottingham on another lovely sunny day. Leicester managed to win all of their doubles games and only dropped 4 games in some hard fought tussles. The lawns were lovely as normal and not too fast.  A few weeks rest for the A Team now until their next match but the B team are in action next week. Good Luck.

 

A Message From Paul Williams

Meanwhile up in the Lake District, here I am having just come 3rd, just 'Pipped at the post' by a couple of hoops. All those new to the club, in case you didn't know, as long as you have a green handicap card there are dozens and dozens of tournaments all over the country for all standards you can sign up for them on the Croquet association website. Combine a short break with a day of croquet, smashin'!

A Good Friday..

So it was a win for the Leicester A team at Dunston in 33 degrees heat.  Their lawns are small, bumpy and fast plus with them using foxy hoops ( flimsy and slack) it was a different type of game. It was Andy York's first league match but he stepped up to the challenge winning both of his doubles games and a singles. Mark just dropped one game & Alison was "all wins" so the result was a strong 9:3 to Leicester.

Paul Williams as also had a good day at Crake Valley.  He won 4 out of 5 games in his block thereby qualifying for the finals but lost in the semifinals endings up in 3rd position.  A good performance up in the Lake District.  Well done!!

 

 Crake Valley B Level

Good luck to Paul Williams as he travels to the Lake District to take part in the B Level.  A win would be great so he could join Mark at the B Level final at Hunstanton at the end of the season.
 

First Home Game For The A Team

Branston come to Leicester to start the A team's  (Division 1) season off. Play starts at 11:00 if anyone wants to go down & support Paul, Alison & Mark. Match report to follow...... After the first 2 rounds it was 2-2, then again at lunch 3-3. Round 4 put Leicester one up but in the 5th round Branston won 2 games to Leicester's 1 giving the march result as a draw and Leicester being slightly ahead on hoop count.
 

July Fun Day Great Success 

16 player joined in for croquet and afternoon tea. Ron & Janet C won the competition with Leo & Janet A coming second.  A good day for the Janet's. ?
 

Jubilee Weekend 

The fun weekend was rescheduled to the following Sunday (12th) as many members had their own plans for the long bank holiday weekend and it was a good decision give the weather.

There as sunshine in Sidmouth where Mark & Alison played in a GC A level tournament. At the end of day one Mark made the cut for the cup but Alison was only playing for plate having had a bad day. Mark ended 7th and Alison finished 11th overall.

B team Away to Woodhall Spa

The B team Richard, Christine & Sue travelled away to play on some challenging lawns. They ran the opposition close on many games but the result fell in favour of the home team 8-4.
 

Flamingo & Hedgehog Cup

The Sign up sheet is in the clubhouse for this doubles tournament.  It will run as a knockout tournament throughout the season.  Doubles partners will be drawn and then you can arrange your match(s).  Don't be shy put your name down as it is just a bit of fun.

Dorset B Level - Won By Mark Buckley

After 2 glorious days of sunshine and competition in Poole Mark Buckley came way with the B Level cup and now qualifies for the B level final at Hunstanton in September.  Alison also took part and came 4th coming up against Mark in the Semi finals.

Bass Shield & Coors Cup 17th May

Good luck to Paul, Virginia & Andrew who travel to Ashby to represent Leicester this weekend in the Bass Shield.  They will be competing against 5 other clubs in the hope of retaining the sheild (a team event) and the Coors cup (best individual play) both won by Leicester last year.
 

Humberstone Fayre.

Thank you to Richard & Christine for attending the fayre to promote the club.  I understand there was quite a bit of interest and lots of leaflets.  Lets hope we get some interest from it
 

Bury GC A Level Series 14th & 15th May - Updated

Good luck to Mark & Alison as they compete in this Bury tournament this weekend.  I hope it stays dry for you.

update******

Mark made the cut in 1st position whilst Alison missed out on hoop countback. On the second sunny day Mark slipped back ending the tournament in fifth place. Day 2 ended with Alison 3 wins and on hoop count back by one hoop won the plate.  She also managed to reduce her handicap to 3.  Well done 5th & 6th position!
 

Club Competitions Closing Date - 15th May 2022

Remember to enter the club knockout competitions.  The closing date is coming up shortly.  If you can't get down to the club to sign up let either Christine, Alison or Lawrence Whitaker know and they will make sure you are in!

 

1st Sunday Social 2022

The sun and 17 members turned out for the first social of the season.  With Christine in command everything was under control.  Ann & Lena came first with 18 hoops and won themselves some homemade marmalade !!!

Next one is the first Sunday in June

Rain Stops Taster
Heavy rain today at the club put a stop to the second half of the Market Harborough U3A taster session.  The first group had finished their play and had a great time but a downpour soaked the lawns and that was the end of play for the day to the disappointment of the second group.  Hopefully they will reschedule for a nice sunny day.  Thank you to Richard & Mark for running the session.


GC B level tournament- Cameron & Peasdown

Mark & Alison travelled south to take part in this tournament on the May bank holiday. The tournament was 4 blocks of four players with the top 2 going into challenge for cup.  Mark came 3rd in his block so just missed the cut while Alison did slightly better and came second in her group, thereby qualifying.  More games played by both parties but the result was no silverware.  Alison ended up 5th and Mark was slightly lower. 

 

Welcome New Members
We have had 4 new members so far this season so if you see them around don't forget to say "Hi" and point them in the right direction. Welcome...Debbie, Teresa, David & Leo.

 

Sunday 1st May - Refresher Session
Remember the last GC refresher session takes place on Sunday.  There is also a Learn to Play so members might be restricted to one lawn for a while.

 

Club Knockout Competitions 
Sign up for the club knockout competitions. There are 3 competitions: GC Level play, GC Handicap and an Association Croquet competition. All entries must be in by the 15th May, just add your name to the sheet at the club.  If you can not get down by then let Lawrence or Alison know and they will make sure you are entered.

 

WhatsApp

Don't forget we have a WhatsApp group if you want to check if anyone is going down to play.  Contact Christine Fagan to get yourself added to the group.

 

Bass Shield -21st May

If you are interested in playing in the Bass Shield on Saturday 21st May let Mark Buckley know.  We have entered a team so Leicester need 3 players to represent us.  No match experience required so newer members encouraged to come forward.
 

New Club Mallets

Couple of new smaller mallets this year.  Only 33 inches so will suit our shorter members.

 

Bowler Matches

The court diary on this site has been updated with bowlers matches so check it out if you were going to use their lawn

 

Facebook

Remember our Facebook pages are regularly updated so don't forget to check them out. Just click on this Link
 

Changes to GC Rules
If anyone is interested in watching the Stephen Mulliner interview on this introduction to the WCF 6th endition GC rules please use this link 6th edition rules

 

Refresher GC sessions

Remember Resfresher sessions  take place from 1pm to 2pm on Sunday 17th April & 1st May.
 

Cheltenham Open 2nd & 3rd April

Good Luck to David Bell who competes at Cheltenham this weekend, before we have even opened our lawns
 

First GC League Fixture Arranged
Sheffield away is in the diary at the beginning of May for the A Team. Lots of practicing to take place once the season starts 

 

2022 Membership Fees Now Due
This year's membership fees are now due.  Fees remain £30 for the year, payment in the normal ways.

 

2022 Season Starts

Remember the season starts on Sunday 17th April with the AGM the following Sunday.

 

New League Players Wanted - Golf Croquet 2022

Both the A & B teams are looking for players to join their squads.Only requirements are keen to improve and want to play a slightly competitive game.  Interested speak to Mark Buckley, Alison Murray, Christine Fagan or Richard Whiting

Address

Monks Rest Gardens

Vicarage Lane

Leicester

LE5 1EE

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