Nailsea and District Croquet Club (NDCC) recently hosted a Golf Croquet English National Championship qualifier, the first time this event has come to North Somerset.

The event attracted a first-class field of 16 players who played a best-of-three match format within the block stages, leading to the knockout stages.

The winner of a single golf croquet game is the first player to score 7 hoops, with hoop 13 used as a deciding hoop if the score is level at 6 all. NDCC was represented by local international player, Marcus Evans.

In the block stages, top tournament seed Stephen Mulliner, (Surbiton), predictably topped Block A.

However, upsets were seen elsewhere.

Steve Leonard, (East Dorset), 2nd seed in Block B, upset the apple cart by achieving three match wins, relegating top block seed Evans, (Nailsea), into second place.

Block C saw the biggest changes with John Taylor (Watford) ranked 14th from the 16 players overall, coming second in his block.

In the Quarter Finals of the championship knock-out, Leonard’s winning run was brought to a halt by Tim Jolliff (Budleigh) with a straight 2/0 match win.

The remaining Quarter Finals all ran to three games, with Evans taking out Mulliner; Richard Bilton (Gainsborough) overcoming John Taylor (Watford), and Stuart M.

Smith (Budleigh) losing on hoop 13 in game three, after an excellent jump shot by Jack Good (Bowdon): 4/7, 7/5, 6/7.

Good’s strong but considered play led him to victory in the first of the Semi Finals against Jolliff.

Evans and Bilton had a much tighter three games, with Bilton ultimately successful: 7/4, 6/7, 7/4.

The championship finalists Richard Bilton and Jack Good gave the remaining players and several club spectators a real example of GC croquet at its best.

Both players were clearing superbly and countering the other’s moves on every occasion.

Jack won the first game with the narrowest of victories, 7/6 and game two looked like it was going all the way to a deciding hoop 13 as well.

Faced with Jack having a commanding position at hoop 12, Richard attempted a hoop run from the north boundary that just skipped past the hoop.

In the next rotation, this same ball, now on the south boundary, had the merest glimpse of Jack’s ball in position that was guarded by his partner ball.

Richard showed great composure getting the clearance on target with a resulting round of applause from the spectators.

Nevertheless, Jack continued to consider every move, and manipulated the hoop until he was ready to sweep to victory in game two, 7/5.

David Hunt, the outgoing treasurer of NDCC had generously provided the winner’s trophy, and was at the tournament in person to make the presentations.