Middle Bisquers 2018
9-10 June 2018, Knightswood
Twelve players entered with handicaps ranging from 3 to 16. The format was two seeded blocks, 26-point level advanced games with 2½ hour time limits; block winners to play in a final, ties to be decided on gross hoops then net hoops.
Play started in warm sunny conditions on much improved lawns, until mid-afternoon when thunder, lightning, hail and torrential rain brought play to a halt, with the lawns eventually flooding. Play was abandoned and games pegged down, not an easy process in heavy rain and waterlogged lawns.
Pegged down games were completed on Sunday morning followed by rounds 4 and 5. Block A's deciding game saw John Owen beat David Houston. Block B had the scenario of a potential three-way tie but Alistair Malcolm won his last match against Bill Strachan to remain unbeaten.
Performance of the weekend was George Plant’s only win, against Jamieson Walker. George hit in on his second turn and took a three-ball break to 4-back. Jamieson missed his lift turn. George hit in and took another three-ball break this time to peg. Jamieson again missed his lift turn. George then eventually completed a turn and pegged out. Quite a feat for anyone, but a 14 handicapper???
Time restrictions forced the final to be reduced to an 18-point (clips starting on hoop 5) game with a two hour time limit. John hit in first. His approach to hoop 1 left an angled hoop run which he made, only to be told that hoop 5 was the first hoop. Alistair then made good progress with both balls to 4-back. John then made a good break to 4-back with black and Alistair missed his lift shot. John then took blue to peg in his next turn leaving a rush to yellow. At this point scores were level with yellow on penult and red on rover. Alistair again missed his lift, but John, attempting a long rush across the lawn, completely mis-hit black and ended up close to yellow. Alistair hit in, ran penult and rover and pegged out yellow. John missed his roquet attempt and Alistair won by 3 hoops.
Thanks to Hamish as manager and referee, Janice as his assistant on Sunday, Joe and others for setting up and dismantling the lawns and the Glasgow Club for hosting the event and providing refreshments.
Bill Strachan
Results
The results are also on Croquet Scores.
Final (18-point game)
Alistair Malcolm beat John Owen +3T (16-13)
| Block A | DH | JO | RSR | JL | JW | GP | Wins | Gross | Net |
| David Houston | -11T (10-21) |
+4T (15-11) |
+3T (11-8) |
+1T (14-13) |
+7T (9-2) |
4 | 59 | 4 | |
| John Owen | +11T (21-10) |
+3T (12-9) |
+22 | +24 | +8T (22-14) |
5 | 107 | 68 | |
| Rosemary Saunders Robertson | -4T (11-15) |
-3T (9-12) |
+2T (22-20) |
-1T (22-23) |
+8T |
2 | 85 | 2 | |
| Joe Lennon | -3T (8-11) |
-22 | -2T (20-22) |
-4T (17-21) |
+1T (13-12) |
1 | 62 | -30 | |
| Jamieson Walker | -1T (13-14) |
-24 | +1T (23-22) |
+4T (21-17) |
-24 | 2 | 61 | -44 | |
| George Plant |
-7T |
-8T (14-22) |
-8T (13-21) |
-1T (12-13) |
+24 | 1 | 67 | 0 |
| Block B | AM | BS | LD | HD | JJ | KW | Wins | Gross | Net |
| Alistair Malcolm | +4T (18-14) |
+16T (23-7) |
+4T (17-13) |
+23 | +18T (19-1) |
5 | 103 | 65 | |
| Bill Strachan | -4T (14-18) |
-9T (10-19) |
+25 | +4T (23-19) |
+5T (12-7) |
3 | 85 | 21 | |
| Lorna Dewar | -16T (7-23) |
+9T (19-10) |
+12T (19-7) |
+22 | +9T (12-3) |
4 | 83 | 36 | |
| Hamish Duguid | -4T (13-17) |
-25 | -12T (7-19) |
+3T (14-11) |
-1T |
1 | 35 | -39 | |
| Jola Jurasinska | -23 | -4T (19-23) |
-22 | -3T (11-14) |
-1T (12-13) |
0 | 49 | -53 | |
| Kevin Wright | -18T (1-19) |
-5T (7-12) |
-9T (3-12) |
+1T (8-7) |
+1T (13-12) |
2 | 32 | -30 |
Handicap changes over the weekend
Lorna Dewar down to 9
Kevin Wright down to 14
Jola Jurasinka up to 14
The weather forecast was for blazing sunshine all weekend but the stark reality was an easterly wind and a cold and clammy Edinburgh haar which settled on the Meadows for almost the entire weekend and shrouded the players in a ghostly white cloud.