Hot-shots turn on style

LOCAL APPEAL: David Wickham (left) and Aiken Hakes take a break from play at the Central Premier Silver Badge tourney last weekend. Both have a close association with the Masterton club. PHOTO/ANDREW BONALLACK

Expectations were met when the Wairarapa Croquet Association hosted the Central Premier Silver Badge tournament last weekend.

With seven of the players ranked in the top 100 in the world, and two in the top 10, high-quality competition was anticipated and that transpired.

The popular pick for the major spoils was Toby Garrison from the Waimarie club in Lower Hutt. A silver medallist at the 2002 world championships and a long-time New Zealand representative, Garrison had captained his country in their 2003 MacRobertson Shield clashes with Australia, England and the United States. He has an impressive world ranking of four.

Second favourite was Wellington's Greg Bryant, whose imposing CV included being named player of the year in 2011, the season in which he also became national open champion. The New Zealand Croquet Council national development officer is ranked sixth in the world.

And then there was Paul Skinley, of Wellington, with a world ranking of 26 and a record of having won three New Zealand open titles and being part of MacRobertson Shield-winning combinations in 1979 and 1986.

If there was to be a "dark horse" Skinley seemed most likely to fit that description although another Wellington player, Michael Wright, with a world ranking of 53, couldn't be discounted.

All told, 42 matches were played over the two days on the well-groomed lawns prepared by the Masterton and Carrington clubs and the first upset came at Carrington when Garrison was toppled by Dick Smith, a Wellington visitor with a world ranking of 272, who had spent many years playing in Australia.

While Garrison recovered to score some good wins in later matches, this defeat opened the door for others to strike and Bryant and Skinley emerged as the prime contenders for top spot. They finished with 85 per cent winning ratios but Bryant was awarded first place on the basis of having beaten Skinley in the early rounds.

Not surprisingly, though, it wasn't just the favoured few whose performances attracted keen interest from spectators.

The fact he lacked tournament play was always going to count against Masterton's David Wickham but he did well to finish with a 50 per cent winning ratio.

Winner of a national singles title last year when he also played for New Zealand against Australia, Wickham was always willing to attack and made some good breaks in what was an encouraging performance. His world ranking stands at 63.

Aiken Hakes, an ex-Masterton player now based in Wellington, also did himself proud, completing three triple peels and scoring handy victories along the way. He is ranked 106 in the world.

This was the first of two major tournaments to be staged by the Wairarapa Croquet Association this season. The second, a women's invitation event, is set down for February. It is guaranteed to attract a high-quality field.