Author: nigelmartin

She are playing a Division 1 League Match at home against Auckland on Saturday 27 June so there will be no roll-up social play that day. Spectators are, of course, always welcome.

Croquet Durham will be holding 5 free taster sessions for anyone interested in (golf) croquet.

They will take place on the five Saturday mornings in May from 10.30 am to 12 noon.

No experience is necessary, and all equipment will be provided. Participants are asked to wear flat-soled shoes to protect the lawns.

The council has informed us that the lawns will be available for play from Saturday 11 April, which will be our first session of the 2026 season.

Following an initial loss away against Alnmouth in mid-April, where some members of our team found the ‘undulating’ lawns hard to cope with, Croquet Durham went on to win all their remaining fixtures to top the league with 5 wins and one loss.

Many thanks to William Steadman for organising our players and to all who contributed to our success.

After a very pleasant day (21 August), Arthur Brewster beat Nigel Martin 7-3 in the final to take the 2025 John Cotes Trophy.

Unfortunately there was not time to complete the Plate competition, so the final between Andrew Carpenter and Ken Wilson was played a week or so later, with Andrew prevailing to win the Plate competition.

Durham Cuthbert, our team in the CN GC League Division 3, played their final match of the season away to Alnmouth, where they prevailed by 10½ games to 7½ to complete a full set of 5 wins for the 2025 season

Many thanks to team captain Kathleen and the players who contributed to this excellent result.

We welcomed Bishop Monkton on Wednesday 21 May for our annual home friendly against a team from a village just south of Harrogate.

It was teams of 8 playing 7 rounds of 4 doubles matches strictly timed at 35 minutes each, with victory decided on the total number of hoops scored by each side. The play arrangements ensured that each played partnered each of their teammates just once and opposed each opponent at most twice.

Using two greens meant two matches starting at opposite corners of each green, so inevitably the two matches on same green bumped into each other, which often meant one of them diverting to another hoop out of the normal sequence to ensure continuous play.

So very much a fun day. Durham used our home advantage well to maintain a generally increasing lead, and at the end of the day Durham prevailed 132 – 100.

A continuous supply of tea, coffee and biscuits were available throughout the day, followed, as tradition will have it, by cake at the end.

Many thanks to all who took part in a very enjoyable day.

The return fixture is due to take place on 9 July.

Our Division 1 squad had mixed fortunes in the first two CN League matches of the season.

The first match was away to Alnmouth Blues which we lost 7-11. The hospitality was great as usual, but it did not make up for the challenging non-flatness of the lawns, which some of us struggled with throughout. Many thanks to Arthur, Nigel, Peter, and Roger for showing the flag.

The next match was at home to Bamburgh on lawns that were dry and very fast (and level). The team of Andrew, Peter, Roger, and William took home advantage to heart and came a way with a 16½ – 1½ win.

Many thanks to all members of the squad.