Super Saturday at York, 30/09/23

This year’s Intra-Fed Challenge, a warm-up for the resumption of the Inter-Fed Challenge next year, featured the Reds and the Blues in a triple bill of croquet – AC doubles, GC doubles and 1-ball. 18 YCF players competed to sample the two codes of the sport.

Eugene led the Reds to a 1 point lead after the morning session of 18-point AC doubles. Callum’s Blues pushed them hard with some fine hitting-in by playing partners Andrea and Chris. 3-2 to the Reds. Fortified by lunch and cake the teams resumed play with two rounds of GC. Newbie James Moir excelled, with outrageously good hoop running at 6 and a fast mastery of the in-off. Strong performances by Eugene and Lionel against Callum and Ted kept the Reds ahead, 9-6 after Round 2.

9 games to go and a final round of 1-ball singles. Could the Blues make up the deficit? Callum led the charge with victory over Eugene, Ted pipped Sally and Debbie pegged out against David. Thereafter a ‘red wash’, though Lionel entertained with several attempts to hit the peg before scoring a 6th point for the Reds. Final score: 15-9 to the Reds. Well played team Red (Eugene, Lionel, Cathie, Jack, James, Sally, Malcolm, David, Ian), commiserations team Blue (Callum, Ted, Philip, Chris, Maggie, Andrea, Helen, Denise, Debbie).

Great to have representation from so many clubs in the YCF (Sheffield, BERCC, Ryedale, Bishop Monkton, Ripon Spa, Huddersfield, York, Driffield) and to have some new faces this year. Special thanks to Ted for tall that he has done to encourage interaction of the codes, and for introducing the hybrid 1-ball to the YCF.