Sussex County played Caversham in the semi-final of the Secretary's Shield (a Croquet England competition for last season's winners of each region's AC handicap league) on Sunday 13th July.

Caversham, in contrast to Sussex County, is a one-lawn club and so the match was played at Southwick. All of Sussex's players were giving bisques to their opposite number which gave rise to fears of banditry which were largely unfounded.

David Gillett and Robyn Clark lost the doubles by one point and Steve Chapman also lost but Simon Fenn-Tye kept Sussex in touch at lunchtime.

Wins for Simon and Robyn and a loss for David made the score 3-3. Steve's game went to extra time and he scored to put Sussex County into the final against either Peterborough on Middlesbrough.

David Gillett