 |
 
|
| Canada vs Scotland and Wales.... RESULTS and comments |
|
CANADA BEATS SCOTLANDFor the first time in croquet history, representative teams of Canada and Scotland faced each other:
SCOTLAND CANADA
Malcolm O'Connell Leo McBride
John Surgenor Brian Cumming
Rod Williams Louis Nel
Brian Murdoch Gordon Lunn
Every member played two successive singles games (International Rules)
against every member of the opposing team. The two games together lasted
4.5 hours, with 2.5 hours maximum for the first game. Doubles games
lasted 2.5 hours.
It took place in Edinburgh, 14 - 16 August 1998. Extensive whiskey
tasting on the eve of the battle failed to rattle the visitors. Canada
got off to a good start on Day 1, with a 6 - 4 split in its favor:
Cumming & Nel 26 Williams & Murdoch 17 O'Connell & Surgenor 19 McBride & Lunn 18 Malcolm O'Connell 26 Brian Cumming 4 Malcolm O'Connell 26tp Brian Cumming 10 Leo McBride 26 John Surgenor 13 John Surgenor 26 Leo McBride 18 Gordon Lunn 23 Rod Williams 14 Gordon Lunn 23 Rod Williams 6 Louis Nel 26 Brian Murdoch 9 Louis Nel 26 Brian Murdoch 23On Day 2, Scotland fought back strongly to overtake Canada and gain a 11 - 9 lead: Williams & Murdoch 23 McBride & Lunn 14 Surgenor & O'Connell 26tp Cumming & Nel 3 Malcolm O'Connell 26 Gordon Lunn 13 Malcolm O'Connell 26 Gordon Lunn 6 John Surgenor 26 Louis Nel 24 Louis Nel 22 John Surgenor 13 Rod Williams 22 Brian Cumming 21 Rod Williams 26 Brian Cumming 5 Leo McBride 26tp Brian Murdoch 5 Leo McBride 26 Brian Murdoch 15Thus, after two days, the match was still wide open. At this point the hosts made a tactical mistake: they allowed the Canadians to eat haggis at the hoolie thrown in their honor. This experience fortified the visitors for play on the crucial third day. The morning session resulted in a 4 - 4 split: Malcolm O'Connell 26 Louis Nel 8 Malcolm O'Connell 26 Louis Nel 25 John Surgenor 23 Gordon Lunn 22 Gordon Lunn 26 John Surgenor 11 Rod Williams 23 Leo McBride 18 Leo McBride 26tp Rod Williams 0 Brian Cumming 26tp Brian Murdoch 11 Brian Cumming 18 Brian Murdoch 17So, at the start of the final afternoon session, Scotland still clung to a narrow lead of 2 games. Then Canada took charge, winning 7 of the remaining eight games: Leo McBride 26 Malcolm O'Connell 23 Leo McBride 26 Malcolm O'Connell 19 John Surgenor 26 Brian Cumming 17 Brian Cumming 26 John Surgenor 23 Louis Nel 22 Rod Williams 21 Louis Nel 22 Rod Williams 13 Gordon Lunn 26 Brian Murdoch 4 Gordon Lunn 20 Brian Murdoch 19Final Score: CANADA 20 SCOTLAND 16 Thus Canada gained its first test match victory in international croquet. It was a welcome consolation after the 22 - 14 loss suffered against Wales a few days earlier (reported elsewhere). Fixtures against these two countries are projected to continue at two year intervals. ********************************************************************* CANADA vs WALES, 9 - 11 August 1998Canada made its debut in international test match croquet by taking on Wales in Cardiff. The picturesque Dyffryn courts and beautiful sunny weather provided a perfect setting. Friendly Welsh hospitality added unforgettable enjoyment for the visitors. The event was a public relations winner. Three Welsh TV channels covered it and on the front page of the local daily, a striking photograph of the action could not fail to attract attention. The teams on both sides were headed by respective national champions of the current and previous years:
WALES CANADA
William Prichard Leo McBride
Tony Mrozinski Brian Cumming
John Evans Louis Nel
John Grimshaw Gordon Lunn
Adrian Trickey sometimes substituting for John Grimshaw on the Welsh
team. In International Rules, each player (or doubles pair) played one
game (without time limit) against every player (doubles pair) of the
opposing team . In USCA rules, 75 minute singles matches were played:
each player against every player of the opposing team.
On Day 1 (International Rules), Wales took a decisive 9 - 1 lead. Only
Leo McBride withstood their charge:
Prichard & Evans 26tp Cumming & Lunn 2 Mrozinski & Grimshaw 26 McBride & Nel 9 John Evans 26 Gordon Lunn 1 William Prichard 26 Brian Cumming 8 John Grimshaw 26 Leo McBride 6 Tony Mrozinski 26tp Louis Nel 14 John Evans 26 Brian Cumming 18 William Prichard 26tp Gordon Lunn 0 Leo McBride 26 Tony Mrozinski 13 John Grimshaw 26 Louis Nel 11Day 2 was played under USCA Rules. The Canadians, being more experienced in these rules, won 10 games to 6. On many occasions the superb shooting of the Welsh overcame whatever shortcoming they may have had in the finer points of American rules strategy: Brian Cumming 26 William Prichard 12 Adrian Trickey 19 Gordon Lunn 11 Leo McBride 26 Tony Mrozinski 3 John Evans 26 Louis Nel 8 John Evans 21 Brian Cumming 20 Gordon Lunn 26 Tony Mrozinski 10 Leo McBride 22 William Prichard 19 Louis Nel 19 Adrian Trickey 17 Brian Cumming 23 Adrian Trickey 21 Gordon Lunn 26 William Prichard 5 Leo McBride 15 John Evans 6 Tony Mrozinski 21 Louis Nel 12 Brian Cumming 21 Tony Mrozinski 13 John Evans 17 Gordon Lunn 15 Leo McBride 26 Adrian Trickey 10 William Prichard 26dp Louis Nel 7After Day 2: Wales 15 Canada 11 On Day 3 the action returned to International Rules and this time Canada did better to get 3 wins: Mrozinski & Grimshaw 26 Cumming & Lunn 22 Prichard & Trickey 26 McBride & Nel 22 Adrian Trickey 26 Leo McBride 20 William Prichard 26tp Louis Nel 2 Gordon Lunn 26otp Tony Mrozinski 9 Brian Cumming 26 John Grimshaw 14 William Prichard 26 Leo McBride 23 Louis Nel 26 Adrian Trickey 15 John Grimshaw 26 Gordon Lunn 3 Tony Mrozinski 26tp Brian Cumming 0Final Score: WALES 22 CANADA 14 Thus Wales became the first winner of the ATLANTIC PLATE, a beautiful trophy they generously donated for this ongoing international series.
Louis Nel
|
« About Us » « News » « Clubs » « Members » « Tournaments » « Photos »
« Contact » « Equipment » « Learn » « Rules » « Links » « H O M E »
Time Now : Wed, Mar 21, 2001, at 1049 PST