Another Sussex County success

Our AC U-league team have recently become the South-East Federation winners. In a series of home and away matches the squad managed to be the only team to win every match.

The team was made up from players with a wide range of different handicaps from low to high and provided an opportunity to improve match play with the support of more experienced players. Every game was hard fought and the team managed wins against some excellent opponents.

The squad consisted of Liz Farrow, Chrissie Merrington, Steve Chapman, Simon Fenn-Tye, David Dickens and Rosemary Faulkner. Everyone involved played so well and had memorable wins.

As a result of winning the league, next season Sussex County are nominated to represent the Federation to challenge for the Croquet England Secretary's Shield where you get to compete against all the other regional winners to become the overall national champions.

Report by Simon Fenn-Tye

Sussex County wins 2024 Murphy Shield

Congratulations to our Murphy Shield Team on their victory over Chester in the final played at a neutral venue, Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, on Sunday 6th October 2024.

The Murphy Shield is a national knock out GC Competition organised by Croquet England and was established in 2010. Twenty clubs entered the competition this year and, although coming close in 2014 when we lost a very even match to Durham, Sussex County have never won the competition before.

Each team is made up of four players who must have an aggregate handicap of at least 8. The restrictions are that the competition is for players with a handicap of 2 and above, although one player in the team may have a handicap of 1.

In each fixture there are six individual singles matches and one doubles match (all the best of three games).

Because of shifting handicaps of our squad throughout the season, making some players no longer eligible to take part, we have called upon a variety of players to represent us from the first round right through to the final. Fortunately, we seem to have been always able to field a strong team for each match which shows the depth of quality players within the Club. In addition to our winning finalists, Simon Ancell, Vincent L’Estrange, David Dickens and David King, other players who represented us in the earlier rounds were, Brian Aikens, Simon Fenn-Tye, and Konstantin Yudintsev.

Finalists David King, Vincent L'Estrange, Simon Ansell and David Dickins

The earlier rounds were regional and, in our path to the final, we had had wins against Cheam, Surbiton and Guildford.

Waiting for us in the final were Chester who had battled through against Ashby, Durham and Watford.

In the morning’s play there were some very hard fought games with each individual match having one 7-6 scoreline. However, things went well for us and we went into the lunch break with a 2-1 lead meaning that, in the afternoon’s play, we needed to win two of the remaining four individual Singles matches to clinch the match.

Vincent came up with the first of the required two wins and Simon scored the winning hoop in his three set match to bring the Murphy Shield to Sussex County for the first time in its fourteen year history. The final score was Sussex County 4.5 Chester 2.5.

The trophy was presented by George Collin who represented Wrest Park in hosting the match as well as representing Croquet England in his capacity as Trustee.

Thank you to Chester for a very enjoyable match and well done to our history making team.

(Report by Brian Aikens)

End of Season and Prize Giving dinner

Friday November 8th. 6 for 6.30
Price: £12.00

This will be a slightly smaller event than formerly as we have no mechanical dishwasher. For this reason it will be a 2 course meal, and we will be limiting the numbers to 50.( Prize winners have priority!)

Menu

• Lasagne or Vegetable Lasagne
• Green salad
• Garlic Bread
• Fruit pavlova Trifle

Numbers please, and choice of food to angela@sussexcountycroquetclub.org.uk

GC Singles 24th September 2024

A rare break in the recent weather allowed for an excellent day’s croquet on Tuesday 24th September.

Three divisions were played, with the two blocks in Division B having a final set of playoff matches to complete the afternoon and determine bragging rights.

Divisions A & C had seven players in each and did well to complete all the games within time, given that there had to be a bye in each round.

In Division A both Simon Ansell and Tony Jolly got off to a flying start, both winning their first four games. This set up what looked to be the decider in round 6, which Simon edged 7 – 6. However, Michael Jay put the cat among the pigeons by beating Simon in the final round, leaving Tony needing a victory against Chrissie Merrington to win the group. However, Chrissie prevailed 7 – 5, leaving Simon as the group winner.

David King ran out comfortable winner in Division 2 Block 1, just losing one game 7-6 to Jill Richardson, who finished second in the group. Division 2 Block C was sadly reduced to 5 players due to one no-show.

Notwithstanding, Robyn Clark had a good day, winning three of her four matches, and then beating David King 7-6 in the B v C crossover match to win the division. In fact, Block 1 finished the day with bragging rights over Block 2, winning 4 of the 5 playoff matches.

Performance of the day, however, goes to Kathy McColgan, who won all of her matches in Division. Thanks to all who took part in a very good-natured day.

And thanks to David Dickins for managing the event.

Full results

Division B Crossover Round

Robyn Clark beat David King 7-6
Jill Richardson beat Sue Nicholas 7-4
Andrea Huxley beat Jane Powell 7-6
Jim Mander beat Francis Ainley 7-4
Rosemar Faulkner beat Robin Wootton 7-5