How long is a game of AC? Well...

Games of Association Croquet are very variable in length – some of them last an hour or less, while others stretch on for three hours or more. Both ends of the spectrum were on display in Wycombe’s first fixture of the SCF A-league season against Aldermaston on 26 June.

Mike Porter (-0.5) was up against Andy Myers (-1.5), who proved to be on top form. Mike’s contribution to the game was three shots - playing a ball onto the lawn in the second turn, shooting and missing in the fourth turn, and shooting and missing in the sixth turn. Meanwhile, Andy took a ball to 4-back in fifth turn and made a triple peel look effortless in seventh turn to win in under an hour.

By contrast, the match between Richard Peperell (2.5) and Steve Woolnough (1) was much more interactive, with both players spurning several chances to progress. As darkness loomed, and with Mike and Andy having both returned to their families, Richard was 2-23 down. With a long hit in, Richard pulled together a break to penult and, after Steve missed his lift shot, Richard continued with his second ball to a fine,  decisive 26-23 victory, earning a draw for the team and coming close to a reduction in his handicap.

Mike Porter