STYLE: Mait Cole of Whangarei and his partner got into the final.
Northland Croquet Annual Golf Croquet Doubles event:
This is an annual event with venues alternating between Kaitaia and Kensington.
Limited to 12 teams of drawn partners and with no two club members partnering each other.
This year the venue was the Kensington Croquet Club.
The standard lawns are reduced to six half-sized lawns so that no two games are played at the same time on a lawn (Double Banking).
Drawn into two sections, each team has five games to play and then a final playoff between the winners of the two sections.
The lawns were in great condition and again some incredible jump shots played. Shirley Cox (Kensington) displayed the correct way to gain a successful jump shot and hoop point. Mait Cole (Whangarei) with Reg Smith (Waipu) won four of their five games to gain a place in the final. Jean Kent (Waipu) with Colin Williams (Kensington) also won four of their games for a place in the final.
The final, played in extremely hot conditions, saw the Kent/Williams combination beat Cole/Smith 7-3. Kensington put on their usual sumptuous afternoon tea after which the Golf Croquet Doubles Trophies were presented to Jean Kent and Colin Williams by Northland president Lois Wilkinson.
Now the various Club Championships begin, with Silver Badge Playoffs and the Gold and Silver Stars playoff. Then the Northland Representatives are away at Auckland Anniversary weekend for the Upper North Island Events. A busy time indeed.
The Warriors lost on the pitch but the Northland pair came home winners.