Croquet: Three Kiwis on target to qualify

New Zealanders Peter Batchelor, Robert Lowe and Aaron Westerby are well placed to qualify for post-section play in the world croquet championships at Cheltenham, England.

They have five wins each from six section qualifying games over the first two days of play among an 80-strong field. Three more rounds remain, with the top four players from each of the eight groups qualifying.

Batchelor is second to unbeaten Englishman Chris Clarke in their group after beating American Jerry Stark 26-9 and Russian David Foulster 26-21 yesterday but losing 9-26 to Welshman Chris Williams.

Westerby and Lowe are in a group headed by unbeaten 2001 world champion Reg Bamford, of South Africa.

Westerby won his first five games but dropped his sixth, 8-26 to Australian Liz Fleming, the New Zealand Open doubles titleholder. Lowe, who had one loss the previous day, won all three of his matches yesterday, including a 26-0 victory over Fleming.

Toby Garrison also claimed three scalps yesterday and has four wins overall to lie third in his group headed by British Open champion David Maughan, of England, and American Mike Jenner.

- NZPA