By John Thomson
On Thursday 14 March, the Lilydale Croquet Handicap team traveled to the Monash Croquet club. The weather was fine with a southerly breeze which helped keep the temperature at a comfortable level.
The Lilydale team consisted of Craig McCracken, Alan Jones, Kerri McCracken and Graham Rhodes.
Lilydale’s Alan Jones was first up in a singles game. Because both players were on the same handicap neither player had an advantage so it was just a straightforward shootout. The game was close all the way through, with each hoop a battle and the scores were level a number of times, but in the end, Alan was able to just edge in front at the end. The scores Lilydale 7 hoops Monash 6 hoops.
The next game was a doubles and Lilydale’s captain Craig McCracken teamed up with Graham Rhodes. The Monash team started with one extra hoop, and in a very close game this extra hoop was what made the difference in the end. Monash 7 hoops to Lilydale 6 hoops.
Kerri McCracken played in the next singles. The Monash player got off to a flying start and did not let Kerri get into the game at all, with Monash winning 7 hoops to Lilydale 2 hoops.
In the next doubles Alan Jones and Graham Rhodes played. Alan and Graham have not played a lot together but they teamed together well, and in the end had a reasonably comfortable win 7 hoops to Monash 4 hoops.
At the lunch break there was nothing in it. The score was Monash 2 games 24 hoops to Lilydale 2 games 22 hoops with a singles and a doubles game to play.
In the last singles Craig McCracken was playing. Because of the handicap difference between the two players Craig was having to make up two extra hoops. The game was tight, the Monash player was playing well and the two extra hoops that Craig had to make up was just a mountain too far with Monash winning 7 hoops to Lilydale’s 4 hoops.
This win put Monash one game and 5 hoops up so it was up to the Lilydale doubles team to see if they could come from behind to win the day, the pressure was on.
The Lilydale pair of Kerri McCracken and Alan Jones had to make up one hoop on their opposition. Both teams were playing well, Kerri and Alan were able to make up their one hoop to level the score tally and then just work their way in front to win 7 hoops to Monash 6 hoops.
Both Teams were fairly evenly matched on the day and this certainly showed on the scoreboard.
Monash won the day, 3 games 37 hoops to Lilydale 3 games 33 hoops.
Next week we will have the Monday Level Play teams back playing again after the Labour Day public holiday.
