The 2024 Southern Challenge, met in style!

Over the weekend 22/23 Jun, Keith Toovey, Rich Waterman, Bridget Goodman (on loan from Ealing CC) and Ian Shore (Captain) travelled to the sunny South Coast to represent High Wycombe Croquet Club in the Southern Challenge Tournament held annually at Susses County Croquet Club at Southwick, near Brighton.

... and what a weekend of splendid croquet it was!  

We played against 5 other clubs: Cheam, East Dorset, Guildford, Ryde and Sussex, with each club being played twice, making 10 games.  Clubs were then to be ranked, with the top two clubs, the next two and the final two, required to play the best of three, to produce the final order.  

The format required us to field a double pair and two singles for each match (13 point level GC), with all players being required to play an equal number of doubles and singles.  

Rich partnered Keith, while Ian paid up with Bridget, which proved to be a even mix.

After the end of the first day, we had 4 wins and 3 loses, putting us in the middle order.  On Day 2, the Ian and Bridget pair and Keith solo held the day against East Dorset. Although the next match v Cheam produced a disappointing overall result (despite a comprehensive win by the Rich and Keith duo), the final match against Ryde produced a 3-nil victory, with all players playing strongly.

The result was to place High Wycombe in the Final against the formidable Sussex County Club, who were able to draw on 6 strong players for their team.  Nonetheless our team performed above standard, to allow the final result all to rest on the third game between our captain and their best player.  Early hoops went Sussex’s way and it was 4-2 to them after the first 6 hoops.  An impressive long jump at Hoop 8 and an important boundary hoop run at Hoop 9 started to turn the tide, which eventually meant that all depended on the replaying Hoop 3 as the deciding hoop.  With most other players watching on, an ambitious, steeply angled, close to the wire, jump stroke by High Wycombe agonisingly just grazed the near post and shied away, allowing the honours to fall to Sussex with a straight forward final hoop.

Playing a total of 13 very demanding games to a high standard, over two days, on excellent lawns, with fellow team members, against competitive clubs proved to be a first-class weekend of croquet.  We came away proud that High Wycombe were the Runners Up. 

If you would like to join us for next year (there is no bar on the number we can take), please let me know.

​Ian Shore