Top Seeds in New Zealand Championships Take Charge After First Four Days by Steve Jones [CROQUET WORLD exclusive] Posted January 17, 1998

"Steve Jones will try to retain the doubles title he won in 1997 with Paul Skinley; his 1998 partner is Toby Garrison."

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This second of three reports on the 1998 New Zealand Championships shows that doubles semi-finalists are likely to include the Jones/Garrison and Jackson/Westerby teams, while placement in one of the doubles blocks is still uncertain. Singles have been reduced to the final 16.

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Day One - Doubles Start with Triple Peel Displays

The Championships began in cold, blustery conditions for the doubles. Aaron Westerby was the first to warm the hearts of the few spectators when he completed the first triple peel of the tournament in under an hour. He and Bob Jackson served notice of their intentions against the luckless Bay of Plenty pair, C.Jones and Le Masurier, and later went on to beat Wellingtonians Edmonds and Roberts.

Other early triple peelers were Chris Shilling and Pete Landrebe, both from the far South of New Zealand and both obviously relishing the cold weather. Landrebe's triple was an excellent TPO on John Prince's ball, but the dreaded 3-hour time limit prevented the game being played out to its conclusion, and Landrebe had only to peg out his own ball after time was called to gain a deserved, though unsatisfactory victory.

Day Two - Doubles Block Leaders Emerge

Leaders began to emerge in the doubles today as one pair in each block remained unbeaten. The upset of the tournament so far was the shock defeat of Richard Baker and Shane Davis in block 1 by a spirited performance by Dennis Bulloch and the USA's Rich Lamm of Denver, Colorado. The dreadlocked pair reached rover and peg early, but two all-round breaks from Lamm and then Bulloch turned the tables.

Madalene Hadwin and Pat Jones lead their block but still have to play Baker and Davis. In block 2, Toby Garrison and Steve Jones remain unbeaten after a professional performance against an inspired Sue Hoddy and Chris Shilling. Block 3 seems to be the undisputed property of Jackson and Westerby, each completing a triple today. Shot of the day belonged to 70-year old David Curtis. Playing the shot out of the 4th corner after a New Standard Leave, he managed to flick the ball at hoop 4 with the ball being sent to hoop 2 - and, in the same stroke, get a perfect rush on it to hoop 1!

Day Three - Singles Begin in Gale Force Winds

Little changed in terms of block placings after today's round of doubles. Garrison and Jones seem set to win their block and will play Jackson and Westerby in the semi-final if they win theirs. The latter stretched their run of triple peels to 5 out of 6 games, but they had a scare this morning against Australians Ian and Trevor Bassett. Ian made #9 and Trevor followed to the peg before the masters took control. The winners of block 1 are still uncertain.

The Open began this afternoon amidst sunshine and gale force winds. With the lawns drying out fast, precision play was difficult but was mastered by a few, with Jackson, Prince and Pat Jones completing early triples. The biggest scare of the day was by Creina Dawson of Australia, who almost beat 5th seed Shane Davis but eventually had to settle for a commendable 24-26 defeat.

Day Four - Completing the Singles Qualifier

A fine , hot, sunny, windless day saw the completion of section play in the singles. John Prince had a sensational run, completing his 5 games with a triple peel in each. Pat Jones came closest with 12 points but only 2 other points were scored against him! The biggest upset of the tournament was the defeat of 3rd seed Steve Jones by Madalene Hadwin. Despite Jones not making any errors of his own volition, Hadwin took control midway through the game and never looked back. Despite his defeat, Jones qualified for the last 16 (albeit in 2nd place) along with all the other 7 seeds who came through unscathed.

The draw for the last 16 includes an intriguing match between Jones and Prince, while co-favourites Jackson and Westerby take on Colin Jones and Don Reyland, respectively. The only overseas player to qualify, Trevor Bassett, plays Peter Couch.

Open Championship Singles Results After First Four Days
(Top 2 in block qualify for last 16)

Block 1

1.	Bob Jackson	b.	Bonner 26-0 TP; McIntyre 26-2; Bassett 26-5 TP; Versey 26-9; Yeates 26-0 TP
2.	John Versey	b.	McIntyre 24-15; Bassett 26-1; Bonner 24-14; Yeates 26-17
3.	Yvonne Yeates	b.	Bassett 17-16; Bonner 20-16
4.	Jane McIntyre	b.	Bassett 26-21; Yeates 26-20
5.	Dick Bonner	b.	McIntyre 26-10
6.	Ian Bassett	b.	Bonner 22-15

Block 2

1.	Aaron Westerby	b.	Stutz 26-1; Bassett 26-0 TP; Edmonds 26-12; Edwards 26-9 TP
2.	Trevor Bassett	b.	Edwards 14-11; Edmonds 26-19; Stutz 26-1
3.	Laurie Edwards	b.	Edmonds 22-13; Stutz 21-6
4.	Judith Edmonds	b.	Stutz 26-10
5.	Myer Stutz

Block 3

1.	Chris Shilling	b.	Mawhinney 26-0; Jones 23-13; Filbee 26-6; Hadwin 26-4; Guest 26-11 TP
2.	Steve Jones	b.	Guest 26-11; Mawhinney 26-0; Filbee 26-2
3.	Jerry Guest	b.	Filbee 26-1; Hadwin 26-6; Mawhinney 26-10 TP
4.	Madalene Hadwin	b.	Jones 26-11; Mawhinney 26-4
5.	Peter Filbee	b.	Hadwin 26-13; Mawhinney 26-6
6.	Neville Mawhinney

Block 4

1.	Richard Baker	b.	Browne 26-1; Hoddy 26-11 TP; Smith 26-6
2.	Graeme Roberts	b.	Baker 26-12; Hoddy 26-4; Smith 26-4
3.	Barry Browne	b.	Roberts 26-5; Smith 23-6
4.	Sue Hoddy	b.	Browne 26-13
5.	Gordon Smith	b.	Hoddy 14-12

Block 5

1.	Shane Davis	b.	Dawson 26-24; Lowe 26-9 TP; Landrebe 26-23; Fellows 26-8 TP; Yeates 26-2
2.	Pete Landrebe	b.	Yeates 26-6; Lowe 26-23; Fellows 21-13
3.	Robert Lowe	b.	Fellows 25-6
4.	Kevin Fellows	b.	Yeates 26-8
5.	Ian Yeates	b.	Lowe 24-20
Creina Dawson (Scratched after 2 games)

Block 6

1.	John Prince	b.	Gellatly 26-0 TP; Jones 26-12 TP; Baker 26-0 TP; Kroll 26-0 TP; van Saarloos 26-2 TP
2.	Pat Jones	b.	Baker 26-0 TP; Gellatly 26-19; Kroll 26-18
3.	Bruce Baker	b.	Gellatly 26-5; Kroll 26-17; van Saarloos 26-13
4.	Aart van Saarloos	b.	Kroll 21-13
5.	Anne Kroll	b.	Gellatly 24-19
6.	Norman Gellatly	b.	van Saarloos 26-14

Block 7

1.	Peter Couch	b.	Duncan 19-13; Reyland 17-16; Batchelor 23-22; Lamm 22-15; Le Masurier 26-3
2.	Don Reyland	b.	Batchelor 26-10; Duncan 26-2; Lamm 26-8; Le Masurier 26-13
3.	Peter Batchelor	b.	Duncan 22-16; Lamm 22-17; Le Masurier 26-14
4.	Peter Le Masurier	b.	Lamm 26-21; Duncan 26-25
5.	Rick Lamm	b.	Duncan 26-1
6.	Ian Duncan

Block 8

1.	Toby Garrison	b.	Curtis 21-7; Bulloch 26-1; Jones 21-12; Fellows 26-0 TP
2.	Colin Jones	b.	Curtis 21-15; Fellows 26-17
3.	David Curtis	b.	Bulloch 24-15; Fellows 24-14
4.	Dennis Bulloch	b.	Jones 26-22; Fellows 26-0
5.	Pamela Fellows

Final 16 Singles and Games Upcoming

Couch	v	T.Bassett
P.Jones	v	Shilling
Davis	v	Roberts
C.Jones	v	Jackson
Westerby	v	Reyland
S.Jones	v	Prince
R.Baker	v	Landrebe
Versey	v	Garrison

Championship Doubles Results after First Four Days

Block 1

Hadwin & P.Jones	b.	Kroll & van Saarloos 26-14; Filbee & Browne 26-10; Batchelor & Reyland 19-18; Couch & Duncan, 26-16; Bulloch & Lamm 26-11; Dawson & Fenwick 20-17
R.Baker & Davis	b.	Dawson & Fenwick 26-13 TPO (D); Kroll & van Saarloos 26-10; Browne & Filbee 26-2 TP (D)
Kroll & van Saarloos	b.	Batchelor & Reyland 26-18
Batchelor & Reyland	b.	Filbee & Browne 26-9; Couch & Duncan 21-14
Bulloch & Lamm	b.	Batchelor & Reyland 26-11; Baker & Davis 26-24; Dawson & Fenwick 26-14; Couch & Duncan 26-15 ODP
Browne & Filbee	b.	Bulloch & Lamm 26-11; Kroll & van Saarloos 26-16; Couch & Duncan 26-11
Couch & Duncan	b.	Dawson & Fenwick 25-18; Kroll & van Saarloos 18-17
Dawson & M.Fenwick	b.	Kroll & van Saarloos 26-8; Batchelor & Reyland 23-22

Block 2

Garrison & S.Jones	b.	Bonner & Stutz 26-4; Gellatly & Smith 26-10; Hoddy & Shilling 26-12; Edwards & Landrebe 26-22; McIntyre & Prince 26-10 TP (J); Baker & Fellows 26-8
Edwards & Landrebe	b.	Prince & McIntyre 19-18 TPO (L); Baker & Fellows 26-11; Bonner & Stutz 21-7
McIntyre & Prince	b.	Gellatly & Smith 26-5; Bonner & Stutz 26-5; Baker & Fellows 26-8 TP (P)
Gellatly & Smith	b.	Bonner & Stutz 25-17; Baker & Fellows 21-15
Hoddy & Shilling	b.	Landrebe & Edwards 26-5 TP (S); Bonner & Stutz 26-6; McIntyre & Prince 26-0 TP (S); Gellatly & Smith 26-10
B.Baker & K.Fellows

Block 3

Jackson & Westerby	b.	Jones & Le Masurier 26-0 TP (W); Edmonds & Roberts 26-11; Yeates & Yeates 26-0 TP (J); Curtis & Versey 26-1 TP (W); Bassett & Bassett 26-21 TP (J); Fellows & Young 26-0 TP (J)
Yeates & Yeates	b.	Bassett & Bassett 18-17; Jones & Le Masurier 19-17
Curtis & Versey	b.	Bassett & Bassett 26-14; b. Jones & Le Masurier 26-5; Fellows & Young 19-13; Roberts & Edmonds 26-1
Guest & Lowe	b.	Edmonds & Roberts 26-12; Yeates & Yeates 22-21; Jones & Le Masurier 26-16; Curtis & Versey 26-10; Fellows & Young 26-10
Bassett & Bassett	b.	Guest & Lowe 22-17; Edmonds & Roberts 22-17
Edmonds & Roberts	b.	Yeates & Yeates 26-5; Jones & Le Masurier 26-21; Fellows & Young 26-4 TP
C.Jones & Le Masurier	b.	Fellows & Young 25-22
P.Fellows & Young	b.	Yeates & Yeates 26-9; Bassett & Bassett 19-17

[Watch this space for further CROQUET WORLD reports on the 1998 New Zealand Championships.]