www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk The Gazette,Saturday, June 23, 2012 15 The Romans played it, the French reckon they invented it, the Irish say they brought it to England. It’s not cricket, but croquet. Jacqui Morley reports Hoop hoop hooray orget Wimbledon. At South Shore Tennis and took her own kids to asummer school at Club, at Midgeland Road, Marton, they Lancaster University. Fare courting adifferent game. Liz, Fylde Croquet’s North West Federation of And it’s awhole new ball game for many of Croquet Clubs representative, likens the game those involved. more to snooker. “There are similar tactics, you Croquet. As promoted by Fylde Croquet, try to block your opponent and suchlike.” which has 25 members, including several In association croquet alarge number of players at England competitive level. different strokes are used to achieve various Such is the success of the first beginners’ aims. Once one ball is struck (‘roqueted’) course organised there by champion player Liz it allows two further strokes –the croquet Jones –another one starts any day. stroke, where the player’s ball is placed next It started with free taster sessions earlier in to the ball roqueted and both are struck, and the year, followed by courses proper. And now acontinuation stroke, in which another ball those first timers are moving into pastures new may be roqueted or ahoop run. In this way, –association croquet. breaks are established, and some players can If you think croquet is all about jumping get aball through every hoop in one turn. In through the hoops, think again. “It’s agame of association croquet, both of aplayer’s balls have strategy, and skill even, at its simplest level,” to go through every hoop (each is run in both says Liz. directions). And she’s aplayer who strikes fear into the If that sounds far too complicated here’s the hearts of those further afield, pegged at 12th in good news. All of Liz’s first batch of beginners England out of 100 female players. “At one point have thoroughly enjoyed it. They include Bart Iwas up at ninth,” she says. and Ann Ball, who we catch up with on arare Two words which strike fear into most sunny evening picking up the finer points under hearts are “bridge” and “maths” –and Liz has the watchful eye of another first-rate player, recruited two novice players from both fields. Catherine Morton. Bill and Hazel Winter, former maths teachers, Both enjoy walking, but Bart’s passion is fly learned about the croquet open day at their fishing –and he says croquet gives them time bridge club –and decided to try. together. Six weeks after starting the course Both are already hooked on the association both are determined to stick with it. “It’s fun, game which is, says Liz, “more to do with it’s competitive, and it’s also very sociable,” says manoeuvres and tactics than the golf croquet Ann. “There’s great rivalry between husband all abouT STraTeGy:New playerann ball lines up acroquet shot game.” She’s already added to the silverware and wife too.” PIcTuREs: Rob Lock this summer. Catherine concludes: “The greatest thing “It’s alovely way of getting out and keeping about croquet is you can play it at pretty much fit, and doing something that’s fun and makes any age. You don’t have to be marvellously you think,” says Hazel. physically fit, but relatively active, and it will Bill, achess player, enjoys the strategy. “You improve your level of fitness in no time.” don’t make amove without thinking about it Croquet is said to have been introduced to first ,” he explains. Hazel admits that he’s the England from Ireland in the 1850s ,but its origins “better player” but adds: “For the time being...” go back far further. The Croquet Association likens the difference The 17th century diarist Samuel Pepys between golf croquet and association croquet to watched agame very similar to croquet being the difference between draughts and chess. played by the Duke of York in St James Park. Not that golf croquet’s adoddle. Yes, you It was called Pele Mele (Pall Mall), and was have to hit aball through ahoop with amallet introduced to the court of Charles II from weighing about 3lb, but those balls are only half France. an inch smaller than the width of the hoop. The North West Festival of Croquet is held in In golf croquet there’s asequence, each player Southport next weekend. tries to get their ball through each hoop first . The Fylde club hosts an open tournament Once the hoop is scored, players move on to the too. The club next plays away to Southport second hoop and so on. on July 7. The next beginners course starts PICKING uP TIPS: bartball and There are six hoops. Generally it’s the Wednesday, 6pm to 7.30pm. For details visit Catherine Morton discuss tactics simplest and fastest version of the game. But it’s www.fyldecroquet.co.uk or email Liz Wilson on still “aggressive,” stresses Liz who’s clearly a [email protected]. and, (left) organiser liz Wilson highly competitive player. prepares to teachthe finer points Liz picked up love of croquet from her dad, [email protected] of the game to the latest recruits

t’sbeen another weirdweek, so to raise £500,000 for Veterans in chopped her head off with asword, join WIllIaM WaTT foraround- Action (VIA). and then paraded it through his Iup of the strangestories in the It is the first time he has dived for village. news from the past seven days... more than adecade, after he lost a Police said the man was upset by friend in an underwater accident. her having affairs with men, and IN LIFE you’ll be asked for quite a Next up, proof that you don’t became enraged when she eloped few favours by your close friends, have to be clever to gain aposition with one of them two weeks ago. but one guy in New York has taken of power. ALabour education And finally, gamblers at a it alittle too far. agetaway car after she robbed the said the province’s police chief spokesman was mocked after a roulette wheel in aLas Vegas He asked his mate to shoot him in shop of $320 (£205). was determined to “turn the force maths blunder in the Commons. casino were astonished to see the the leg, because he wanted to know The woman was caught as she into afitone.” Police doctors will Kevin Brennan, aformer number 19 come up seven times in what it felt like. ran out with the money, only to measure the force’s 175,000 officers economics teacher, said three in 10 row. According to reports, the odds Police said 25-year-old Shawn discover the cabbie had flagged at the end of the month. Oversized pupils got good GCSEs in 1997 but of that happening are 144 billion to Mossow gave in to his friend’s down apoliceman. He thought she ones will be taken off operational claimed that was 60%. one. repeated requests and shot him was about to disappear without duties. It was an attempt to attack If some bold gambler had left a once, in the right leg. paying the fare. Back at home, aformer soldier Michael Gove’s ability at maths, 10 dollars bet to accumulate seven The victim is expected to make a Elsewhere, overweight Pakistani has taken the plunge for charity, as but it backfired, and led the times, he or she would have won full recovery. Mossow was charged police officers have been given he aims to break aworld record by Education Secretary to say $643bn (£412bn). with reckless endangerment. until the end of the month to shrink staying underwater for five days. percentages were not Labour’s Staying in America, aFlorida their waistlines below 38 inches, or Ex-Royal Engineer Mark Colman, strong point. MoNDay: Taking woman hired ataxi to take her to get off the streets. is aiming to stay submerged in a Next up, aman in India upset stock with Rob stocks astore –and then tried to use it as APunjab police spokeswoman water tank for 120 hours in abid over his daughter’s lifestyle