GC team challenge Sliced Bread for ‘Best Thing Since…’ accolade!
Our GC Level League Team ended their second match of the week with another
hard-fought win against mighty Compton down in Sunny Eastbourne, confounding
their harshest critics (i.e. themselves)!
They end the season with two wins and two losses, which exceeded
expectations and leaves them as legends in their own lunchtimes. A big
improvement on last season’s performance that gives team members hope that,
if we continue to practise 24/7 and improve from this point, we could be in
the running to become ‘League Champions’ by 2068.
The match was again played in blazing 35 degree heat and on lawns so hard
that the merest tap sent players scurrying after their croquet balls before
they disappeared over the horizon, reflecting the curvature of the earth.
Our overall 4-3 win was again down to epic and fabulously consistent play
from David Pratt and Phil Taylor in their two singles matches. David and
Phil turned things round for Tunbridge Wells, after Michael Gentry and
Trevor Houghton-Berry had ‘snatched defeat from the jaws of victory’ in the
doubles. Leading 7-6, 6-6, Trevor faced a 5 footer directly in front of the
‘golden hoop’ for victory, but sadly he had a ‘Gareth Southgate’ penalty
moment and sent is ball crashing against the hoop upright for complete
humiliation…a shot that will see him waking up in a cold sweat at 3am every
morning for the foreseeable future. Hopefully, with therapy and strong
medication he may recover in time for the 2027 season. In the consequential
deciding doubles game, Michael’s magnificent opening shot, which had left
his ball 6 inches in front of ‘Hoop One’ was cleared by our opponent’s
opening ball, with Compton enjoying the bonus of a magnificent hoop-running
‘in off’ with the same shot! A few minutes later, Michael’s mallet
inexplicably and spectacularly snapped after a fairly standard clearance,
so the Tunbridge Wells team knew the ‘Croquet Gods’ had turned against them.
They duly slumped to a 7-2 defeat and dreams of what might have been ….
A great season and an encouraging result for The Royal Tunbridge Wells
Croquet Club. Hopefully it means we have broken the hoodoo of always being
‘Royally Thrashed’ in Croquet South East’s ‘Blue Ribbon’ event for the Golf
Croquet Fraternity…or should that be the Golf Croquet ‘Massive’?!