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5-6 September - Iyer and Browne play in the B-Level Series National Final

Raghu Iyer and Dianne Browne played in the B-Level Series (3+) National Final at the Roehampton Club this last weekend recording eight and six game respectively for respectable midfield placings in the 16-player two-day event which was managed for the Croquet Association by Phyllis Court duo Frances Colman and Chris Roberts.

Iyer finished on 8 wins from his 15 games and browne was slightly behand on 6 wins in the event eventually won by 14-year-old Jack Good from Bury.

2 September - PCC'A' beat Winchester 6-2

There was a rare outing for the Phyllis Court first team today PCC 'A' went to Winchester and came away with a 6-2 victory in a match which is usually the deciding fixture in the an SCF A-League season.

This solid win gave each of the team, by Raouf Allim, Roberts, Goldring and Norris, slight improvements to their national ranking positions but not the league title this season, due to its suspension because of the Covid-19 disruption.

PCC 'A' - Raouf Allim (-3), Chris Roberts (-3), Roger Goldring (-1), Ian Norris (-1).

1 September - Symons wins our Beginners Tournament no.2

On Phyllis Court home turf, some of the record 57 new members who have joined this season were catered for with the introduction of a new tournament for the 2020 Beginner player, which was run in

two halves, due to Covid-19 concerns.

Gillian Symons looked very measured and assured last week and was undefeated in her six games, one win ahead of Liz Smith, and a fortnight ago Hugh Baylis won the first tournament on net hoops after he tied with Mireille O'Brien on game wins.

The two winners, Symons and Baylis, will play-off for the Beginners Singles title on Tuesday morning.

15 Sept - Symons beats Baylis 2-1 in the Beginners Tournament winners play-off

Russell Robinson reports: - Indi the dog and I went down to the courts this morning to offer some moral support for our two finalists in the Beginners’ tournament play-off between Gillian Symons and Hugh Bayliss in glorious September sunshine.

I didn’t see the first game, which Hugh won 7-5 but I did witness the second game which featured an amazing oblique angled shot into the jaws at hoop 1 by Gillian which set the tone for the game which she powered away to win 7-0.

Gillian's positioning, judgment of length and hoop running were all very impressive for someone who took up the game only this season.

She continued in the same vein in the decider, opening up a 3-1 lead, and although Hugh pegged it back to 4-3, Gillian's all-round game proved too good for a gallant Hugh, who nevertheless played well himself.

Gillian ran out the winner at the 10th hoop 7-4.

Congratualtions Gillain

13 Sept - Coates wins All England Handicap National title .

Robin Coates brought a second national title back to Phyllis Court when he won the Final tournament of the 2020 All England Handicap Competition on the challenging courts of the Hamptworth Club, near Salisbury.

Following up Raouf Allim's win in the National Selectors Second Eight earlier this month, Coates achievement is the first time that two national titles have been held by the Henley Club simultaneously.

Coates (handicap 2) actually had a terrible start to the two-day All England Final and lost his first two games of a 13 round 'all play all' format but recovered well to win a highly competitive event.

Meanwhile, Phyllis Court's other senior representatives Chris Roberts (handicap minus 3) and Ian Norris (minus 1) both set the pace by winning their first three games easily, despite conceding a huge number of extra turns each time.

The Henley club's tournament novice Patricia Mulcahy (12) took a while to find her feet in outside world of competitive croquet but notched-up her first win in round four.

Coates recovered from his poor start and won his next five games in a row including a tight 7-6 win over Norris, and Roberts was also brought back into the pack with two afternoon losses.

At the end of day one, Andy Loakes (3) from Camerton and Peasedown CC near Bath, held a one-win lead over Coates and Roberts, with Norris a further victory behind.

On the second day, Norris slipped out of contention in the first game and Loakes also lost, to create a three-way tie for the lead, with all the leaders still to go head to head.

In round ten, Loakes' extra turns did for Roberts who lost 2-7, but Coates faired much better and he defeated the west countryman 7-6 in round eleven, to establish a sole lead for the first time

The Coates v Roberts match the penultimate round had the feel of a 'de facto final' and the eyes of a growing local crowd were focussed on the 'all Phyllis Court' contest that would hinge on whether Roberts could force Coates to use his five extra turns early in the game.

Coates was wise to this however, and kept Roberts in check with no more than a one hoop lead with some accurate clearances and smooth hop running, so that the writing was on the wall for the senior player at 4-4 with four of Coates' extra turns still standing.

There was no way back from that position for Roberts and, despite some huge clearances, Coates wrapped-up the game 7-5, to go into the final round one win ahead of Loakes and two in front of Roberts and Norris with the All England title his to lose.

Loakes was first to finish to keep the pressure on Coates to win, Roberts beat Norris to secure third place and Patrice Mulcahy was delighted to end her first tournament with a last round third game win.

However, Coates still had to see-out his last match a win, to avoid the agonising calculations of a net hoop count tiebreaker.

His tactic of delaying the use of his extra turns as late as possible worked again and, after an unusual wrong ball incident at hoop 11, he took control of the closing stages to win at the last hoop 7-6.

Phyllis Court's own Croquet Association Council member Frances Colman had managed the tournament with her usual calm authority and was on hand to represent the CA in presenting the All England Handicap Trophy to the 2020 Champion Robin Coates.

Congratulations Robin!

23 September - Roberts retains Open Singels 'Blue BAll' tournament title - by ONE HOOP!

Chris Roberts won the coverted Blue BAll Trophy as the winner of todays Open Singles tournament, aftera thre-way tie had to be seperated by a net hoops calculation.

Ian Norris and Raouf Allim tied with roberts on 5 wins from 7 games in the 8-player 'all play all' block.

The tone for the day was set when Roger Goldring sprung a surprise win over top seed Charlie von Schmieder in Round 1 and other unexpected results followd in each roud thereafter.

Von Schmieder uncahacteristicly lost twice more before the final round (to Ian Norris and Mike Fensome) and other of several other unexpeced results, the satnd-outs were defeats for Norris and Allim at the hands of Helen fensome and Robin Coates respectivly who claimed the rare feat of 'positive hnadicap' players beating 'minus players'.

Going into the last round, if three resulst went the right way, we could have had a five-way tie on four wins each, proving how com,petitive our club is at the top levle, where in a one-off game anyone can beat anyone.

By mid afternoon, it fealt like the weather was go0ing to beat everyoen as the rain lashed down and the wind chilled to the bone, as Manager Frances Colman retreated with a job well done.

In the last round crucial games, Roberts improved his net hoops score with a 7-2 demolition of Goldring, Norris beat Mike Fensome and Allim went all the way to the 13th hoop to beat von Schmieder, which meant that it was 'maths time' to separate ROBets, Allimand Norris on net hoops.

Allm had taken Noris apart 7-1, and that big diferental ruined Norris' hopps tally to just +3, Allims close last game left him on +9, and Roberts benifited hugely from his big margin last game win to end on +10.

So Roberts took the spoils again, in the form of the Blue Ball Trouphy whicyh was presented in a socilaly didstanced way by Crqoute Chairmn Madeleine Probert.

Finishing order: Finishing order: Chris Roberts (handicap -3), Raouf Allim (-3), Ian Norris (-1),Robin Coates (1), Roger Goldring [-1], von Schmieder (-2), Mike Fensome (2), Helena Fensome (2)

Comeptition Finals Weekend

26 September - Chris Roberts wins 'Club Championship' Open Singles final

Chris Roberts beat Charlie von Schmieder in straight games 7-5, 7-2 to win our 'Club Championship' Open Singles season-long competition final today.

The first game was a long affair with both players displaying inconsistency in their form with both brilliant long-range clearances and then missed short hoop shots in evidence.

Roberts pulled back von Schmieder’s slim lead at the eighth hoop when he capitalised on a the latter's poor first ball to hoop nine to take control of that contest.

Several strong clearances from Roberts won him that hoop, the led for the first time and command of the closing stages.

A smooth run through hoop 11 down to in front of hoop 12 ramped up the pressure on von Schmieder and despite a game saving clearance, Roberts returned for an easy tap-in game win.

The second game was better quality fayre from both players, although Roberts had all the fortune, typified when he scored hoop 3 accidentally when he over-hit an long approach shot from 25 yards when intending to stay just in front of the hoop.

von Schmieder missed a regulation 7-yard clearance at hoop 4 allowing Roberts to run that one with ease and then hoop 5 soon after and at 5-1 up his confidence was sky high despite this being his first final appearance for four years.

The seventh hoop was well contested before Roberts moved to 6-1 up but Von Schmieder threaded his way through the tiniest of gaps to take hoop eight, with fiats approach advantage to the next hoop it didn't take Roberts long to wrap up the game, match and Championship win 7-2.

This was Roberts fourth Championship in eight appearances in the final and, on these courts, he still trails von Schmieder's seven wins and eleven appearances.

The match headlined a day of finals at the Henley Club that opened with the first leg of Rick Lilley's unprecedented bid to win three competitions in the same season:

26 September - Rick Lilly wins 7+ Singles final

Rick Lilley got his bid fro a 'Phyllis court Treble' foo to a great start when he beat Jeff Smith today in a very competitive 7+ season-long competition final.

I what was probably the highest quality croquet shown at this level since to completion was started back in 2011, the pair fought out three very close games.

Lilley won the first 7-? but Smith (the junior player by handicap) came back well to win the second game 7-6.

The decided went 'hoop for hoop' which concentration high and errors few leading to a 4-4 score line and cliff-hanger ending in sight.

Perhaps drawing on the confidence gained at the National C-Level Series Final last weekend, Lilley then ran hoop nine well and finally stabled a two hoop cushion at hoop 10.

Smith was not out of it by any means and manoeuvred well to command hoop eleven, only to see Lilly attempt a long-range clearance from 20 yards, miss the target ball by a whisker and sail though the hoop for the game and teach win.

Croquet Chairman Madeleine Probert and several other members had craved the chilly conditions for the afternoon and she presented trophies to the four finalists.

26 September - Raghu Iyer wins 3+ Singles final

Raghu Iyer won the 3+ Singles Final late this evening 7-6, 5-7, 7-2.

Unfortunatly, the author (Chris) has had a 'moment' with the report he wrote heer and has deleted it accidentally.

The details will be added back in here when I've spoken to Raghu and Rick to get the story again!

Sorry fellas.

27 September - Raghu Iyer wins Handicap Singles final

Raghu Iyer won the 3+ Singles Final lthis (sunday) morning.

After going to 6-4 up, Raghu won the first game relatively easily 7-5 but the second game was altogether different.

Rick raced to 2-6 lead, Raghu didn’t get anywhere with anything he tried and Rick won the game 2-7.

Gam 3 continued in tyhe same vein - Rick again raced to 2-6, jawsing a couple of hoops along the way.

Then he missed a hoop and a couple of clearances and Raghu managed to get in at this point with a couple of good clearances of his own and came right back to 6-6.

Raghu finally clinched it 7-6 at the golden hoop! - What a match!

Croquet cvlub Chairman Madeleine was there to present the trophies and offer congratulations and comiserations to Raghu and Rick respectivly,

7 September - Lilley wins the 3+ Singles 'Red Ball Trophy' Tournament

Rick Lilley secured the first tangible proof that he is the most improved Phyllis Court player this season when he lifted the 3+ Singles tournament's Red Ball Trophy today, rounding of the busiest seven days of the Club's competitive scene so far.

This is a tremendous achievement for a player who only picked up a mallet for the first-time last season, and a good croquet career on the national competition circuit beckons for the ambitious player from Frieth.

Lilley's winning margin over the experienced Raghu Iyer was the closest possible under the tournament regulations when the pair tied on six wins from their seven games, also tied with the same net hoops score and could only be separated at the end of the all-play-all eight-player block by their head to head game result.

Lilley had won that crucial match 7-4, but had then lost out to Bill Pitkeathley who announced his return to croquet with an impressive third place finish just one game win adrift.

Also meriting a mention in dispatches was Kevin Ward who came in as late replacement player on the morning of the event and picked up three wins despite being the outsider on handicap grade.

Lilley is one of a number of Phyllis Court players to have qualified for national finals this month.

Open Singles T'ment	CVS	RA	CR	RG	IN	MF	HF	RC	net hoops	WINS	Rank
Charlie von Schmieder		6	7w	2	6	3	7w	7w	-3	3	6
Raouf Allim	7w		5	7w	7w	7w	7w	4	+9	5	2
Chris Roberts	4	7w		7w	4	7w	7w	7w	+10	5	1
Roger Goldring	7w	6	2		3	7w	7w	3	-3	3	5
Ian Norris	7w	1	7w	7w		7w	5	7w	+3	5	3
Mike Fensome	7w	3	4	5	5		7w	5	-8	2	7
Helena Fensome	4	5	3	3	7w	6		7w	-8	2	8
Robin Coates	5	7w	5	7w	6	7w	3		0	3	4