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• 2016 >
• Soham winter 2016-17

Soham winter 2016-17

Association Croquet Golf Croquet	Click on images for an enlargement	Soham by season: 2024 - 25 2023 - 24 2022 - 23 2021 - 22 2020 - 21 2019 - 20 2018 - 19 2017 - 18 2016 - 17 2015 - 16 2014 - 15 2013 - 14 2012 - 13 2011 - 12 2010 - 11 2009 - 10 2008 - 9 2007 - 8 2006 - 7 2005 - 6
See also: Indoor Doubles Speed Croquet Laws ( 15 kb) Timer software Summary of indoor events & winners Summary of indoor trophies & winners

 18-19 March 2017 - Speed Doubles

Saturday 18th March

Bygrave winners (L-R)
James Hopgood & Peter Whiting

The Millennium Cup - First Blood to Bygrave

The final weekend of the winter indoor programme saw a strong turnout of players totalling 8 Mandatory Peels and various time penalties which include what is now almost becoming an annual invasion, and despite the ingenious barriers being put up by the local players, are becoming almost unstoppable in their quest to take away the trophies up for grabs. On Saturday the play turned out to be exceptionally competitive with all but two of the games finishing in time, a high percentage going to the peg, and almost all having very close finishes. However, the Bygrave pairing of visitor James Hopgood and local regular Peter Whiting, keeping a steady nerve, managed to see out the day's play undefeated, leaving the rest of the field trailing in their wake scooping up the scraps.

Sunday 19th March

The Soham Trophy – Bygrave do it Again

Bygrave winners (L-R)
James Hopgood & Duncan Hector

The morning did not bode well when the time-clock computers decided to play up and not function as they should, deciding that the winter must be over and on several occasions shutting down by going into hibernation mode. This was also compounded by travel problems causing the day's start of play to be delayed by half an hour, leaving the Manager hoping that play would be expeditious for the rest of the day. However, he was not to be disappointed when an even stronger field of players made up of 13 mandatory peels and various restrictive time penalties managed to get under way, and quickly eliminated the time gap by some very competitive and keen play.

Another unusual feature of the day was that the play was so evenly matched that of the first four games, three managed to finish as draws, an event considered very unusual. Even so despite this unusual start play eventually settled down and a picture began to emerge of the likely leaders of the pack. Despite a strong field of established players the Bygrave pairing of Duncan Hector, returning after a 3 month break, and Saturday's victorious James Hopgood kept a firm grip on play, being undefeated during the day to run out the eventual winners, and leading to Bygrave clearing up the whole week-end.

This brings to the end another successful winter programme of events, and I look forward not only to an enjoyable summer outdoors on the lawns but also to seeing you all again next September when we are back indoors for the 2017/18 winter.

 Sun 12 February 2017 - Speed Doubles

Bygrave winners (L-R)
David Clancey & Robert Skeen

The Cornelius Cup - Bygrave Sneak It

The Sunday was back to the normal speed doubles, which was full of surprises with four of the teams all finishing on four wins apiece, i.e. Bygrave, Colchester, Hunstanton and Wrest Park. As three of the four managed to obtain all their wins in time it was made easy for the manager to reduce the list down to three removing Wrest Park, as one of their victories went to time. This meant the manager next had to revert to the quality of opponents to determine the overall winner. This turned out to be the Bygrave pair of Robert Skeen and David Clancey, closely followed in second place by Colchester and, surprisingly, Hunstanton in third.

 Sat 11 February 2017 - Progressive Doubles

The Martin Trophies

Winners (L-R) Jeff Race & Roger Bowman

16 individual entries split into a low and high handicap blocks using the proven established format originally compiled by Colin Hemming played a Pro-Am tournament which went to the wire in both sections.

In the Low Handicap Block it became a close finish between Jeff Race, Phil Eardley and Terry Mahoney, the latter two relying on the defeat of Jeff who up to then had not lost a game. However, Jeff partnered by Peter Ross in their last game overcame Brian Havill and Georgeen Hemming by +4, enabling Jeff to be successful in lifting what turned out to be his 40th overall win indoors.

In the High Handicap Block things were much closer, in that any one of four contenders could win the block providing Roger Bowman of St Albans lost his last game, the other three being Sarah Barley, Peter Ross and Peter Allnutt, in which case it would all depend on quality of wins. However, it was not to be as Roger partnered by Terry Mahoney saw off Terrey Sparks and David Wicks +5 leaving Roger the overall winner. A remarkable performance by Roger in what was only his second appearance on the indoor carpet.

 Sun 15 January 2017 - Speed Doubles

Norfolk Roll On - the Albert Lawrence Trophy

Winners Bryan Saddington & Jeff Race

Despite a handicap reduction nothing appears to be able to stop the Norfolk steam-roller of Jeff Race and Bryan Saddington as it trundles on, pushing all opposition to one side as they add another indoor win to their belt. However, things did not go all their own way after suffering an unexpected defeat by the Norwich pairing of John Reddish and Sarah Barley, bringing the Colchester husband and wife team of Colin & Georgeen Hemming into the picture with a chance providing they saw off Hunstanton in their final game. However, in a closely fought game Hunstanton edged it +3 to end up the day's winners.

 Sat 14 January 2017 - EACF GC Inter-Counties

A Win for Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire winners
Terrey Sparks & Peter Ross

Failing the non-appearance of the forecast bad weather, play was definitely a bit more turbulent at the first indoor event for 2017 on the Soham indoor carpet, which was the annual GC Inter-Counties. It attracted a good turn-out. A strong start form the Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk teams set the pace with all recording wins in their first games. However, as play progressed it soon became clear that this was going to be a two horse race between Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, with a slight outside chance for Norfolk relying on other team's efforts. As it turned out the final game between Suffolk and Cambridgeshire became a final decider in which the Cambridgeshire side of Peter Ross and Terrey Sparks eventually overcome the Suffolk pair of Mike Percival and Peter Allnutt 5/3 in a tense close game that went to time.

 Sun 11 December 2016 - Speed Doubles

Front: Bryan Saddington & Jeff Race (winners),
back: Cliff Jones (in awe of their victory)

Back to Hunstanton - The Belgian Cup

Although with different names to be engraved on it, The Belgian Trophy also winged its way back to Hunstanton following another day of undefeated play by Jeff Race and Bryan Saddington. However, the final outcome remained uncertain until the final game, since provided Norwich could see off the Hunstanton pairing then another name would have adorned the trophy. The final game proved to be a tense affair that went to the final wire with Jeff scoring the final hoop over John Reddish & Sarah Barley +1(T) to ensure another piece of silver went north, avoiding a Manager's headache in having to sort out a 4 way tie.

 Sat 10 December 2016 - Alternate Shot Doubles

Hunstanton Make it 3 in a Row - The Mike Percival Trophy

Hunstanton winners Jeff Race & Peter Brown

Despite a high quality field in which only four games went to time and despite a handicap cut the Hunstanton pairing of Jeff Race & Peter Brown need not have bothered to bring the trophy back, as for the third year in a row it again went back to North Norfolk after winning all their 6 games, all within time. There was a determined effort by the Letchworth pair of Nick Mounfield and William Gee who ran a close second with 5 wins, though falling in their first game against the winning duo from which they were unable to recover, relying on others to stop the rampaging pair. Shot of the day was William Gee's double running of hoops 3 & 4 with a superb shot.

 19-20 November 2016 - Speed Doubles

Saturday 19^th November – The Rose Bowl:

Hunstanton March On

Hunstanton winners Jeff Race & Peter Brown

The day did not start well at Soham when the keys to the equipment box did not turn up due to them being away for duplication, resulting in a bit of breaking and entering and a late start. On top of this the coffee machine was out of action and then one of the screens decided to play up. However, eventually things got back to normal and play resumed as usual, although a little behind schedule.

The Suffolk pairing of Mike Percival and Peter Allnutt, making a strong challenge, kept the Hunstanton pair of Jeff Race and Peter Brown on their toes right to the very end of the day. Both teams started strongly winning their first two games convincingly, before both suffered a loss, Mid-Suffolk against Pinchbeck and Hunstanton against Colchester respectively. However, both pairings recovered winning their remaining two games to finish the day on four wins apiece. Referring to the Tournament Regulations the Manager Terrey Sparks declared Hunstanton the winner due to the fact all their four wins were within time whilst Mid-Suffolk only had three.

Click on images for an enlargement

Sunday 20^th November – The Soham Trophy:

Bygrave Triumph

Bygrave winners Peter Ross & Duncan Hector

This was another close-run event which went to the wire, in which the successful winning streak of the Hunstanton pairing of Jeff Race and Bryan Saddington was dramatically brought to a close at the end of a day's play which saw the welcome return of Cliff Jones after many years, accompanied by his daughter Alison. Both Bygrave and Hunstanton stood tied on four wins apiece, all game wins within time. For the second day running the Manager again had to refer to Tournament Regulations, which determined quality of opponents as the tie-breaker: Bygrave on 48 points, beating Hunstanton's 43, was declared the winner.

 Sun 16 October 2016 - Speed Doubles

Hunstanton winners
Bryan Saddington & Jeff Race

Hunstanton Triumph Again – The MCP Mallets Shield

Another great day at Soham in which Hunstanton dominated thus winning for the 35th occasion. With seven teams we were allocated 23 minutes per game, two minutes less than normal. Nick and Terry were squeezed into second place but did very well considering the 2 minute additional penalty and 3 peels they had to do. In third place, Bygrave's team struggled to run hoops and Mid-Suffolk's Mike Percival had not been reminded that he was due to play so turned up a little late. So Peter Allnutt 1 played with Peter Allnutt 2 in the first game and contrived to lose to Bygrave – if only Mike had been there, they might have won the day.

 Sat 15 October 2016 - EACF AC Inter-Counties

The Norfolk winners
Jeff Race & Peter Brown

Norfolk Retain the Inter-Counties Cup

Despite fierce opposition from Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire the Norfolk duo of Jeff Race and Peter Brown again took the trophy with 5 wins out of 6 games. The event went to the wire with the Cambridgeshire pair of Adrian Kirby and Terrey Sparks needing to record a win against Norfolk to even the points and take the trophy. However, this was not to be and Norfolk ran out the winners +3 in a very closely fought game. Surprise of the day was the report that "Charles Ostler was seen actually running across the carpet to preserve time"!!!!

Click on images for an enlargement