Sussex Open GC Championship September 5th - 6th

This Championship is part of the Croquet England Open Series of tournaments. We had a maximum entry this year of 32 players. There was a good sprinkling of Overseas plays making it an international event, and this is a great compliment to the club for offering such good facilities.

The field was split into four block for the Saturday each player playing 7 games.

Block A was dominated by Dominic Nunns and Albie Willett who both had 6 wins out of 7.

Block B was a closer affair with Luis de Alarcon our Spainish competitor and Alex Aiton coming out on top.

Block C was won by Gabrielle Higgins with 6 wins followed by Richard Brooks who had 5 wins.

Block D was a clear cut win for Peter Payne, our Swiss competitor, who had 7 wins out of 7 followed by Sam Murray.

On the Sunday the players were split into 4 Knockouts: 8 player in each of the Championship/Bowl/Plate and Saucer. The winner and runner up from the Blocks went into the Championship knockout where they played a 19 pt quarter-final and best-of-three semi-final and final.

I'm pleased to say that after hard fought matches the final was played out by our two Sussex County competitors, Gabrielle Higgins and Dominic Nunns, with Gabrielle coming out on top, wining 7-4, 7-2.

The consolation prizes were as follows: The Bowl was split between Chris Roberts and Miroslav Havlik, last year's winner; they ran out of time and therefore their final was tied.

The Plate was won by Andrew Hobbs who beat Davide Cogrossi in the final and the Saucer won by Gerald O’Brien.

All in all there had been a good account made by Sussex County players in both the championship and the consolation events.

Roger Sutton

Into the Final for Sussex County

Short Croquet Semi-final: Sussex County beat High Wycombe 6-5 at Sussex County Croquet Club on 4 September 2026

The results were (Sussex names first)

Liz Farrow (0) and Mike Akester (6) beat Richard Coward (1.5) and Matthew Miles Griffiths (3.5) 14-6
Nigel Billingham (1) beat David Cotton (1P) 14-7
Rob Harper (4) lost to David Tryon (6) 6-14
Liz Farrow beat David Tryon 14-10
Nigel Billingham beat Matthew Miles Griffiths 11-7
Rob Harper beat Richard Coward 14-4
Mike Akester lost to David Cotton 13-14
Liz Farrow lost to David Cotton 0-14
Nigel Billingham lost to Richard Coward 13-14
Rob Harper beat Matthew Miles Griffiths 14-7
Mike Akester lost to David Tryon 12-14

Congratulations to the team and to everyone who has played in the competition. And to their Manager Gabrielle Higgins for her support and expertise.

The final is against Peterborough Croquet Club who beat Nottingham and Bowden teams to gain their place.

The final will be on 26th September at a venue yet to be announced.

Sussex County Annual AC Tournament 2026

This year we had a full complement of 32 players competing for the three trophies on offer. The weather was fine and the lawns were fast and playing well.

At the top end there were 8 minus players to whom were added a scratch and 0,5 handicap player (by D Grade) to make 10 players for the prestigious Abbey Challenge Cup. This was played as an unseeded knockout and consolation Swiss, with single games until the final which was best-of-3 games.

Top grade player Nick Parish lost to Thomas Cullis in the quarter-final, and Thomas went on to beat third placed Nigel Polhill for a place in the final where he was joined by Gabrielle Higgins.

In the first game Thomas (who had won the cup the previous year) made all the running and looked set to take the match until an error let Gabrielle into the game at hoop 3. She took her first ball round past one back when her approach to 2-back rolled sideways to give an angle of about 40 degrees. In a display of supreme confidence she took the hoop hard, running to the boundary and recipient ball. From then on it was plain sailing to the peg where she pegged out Thomas’ ball and went on to win the game.

The second game was an efficient display of controlled play by Gabrielle who won the trophy 2-0. Just as Thomas Cullis was a first-time player in the event last year, so (perhaps surprisingly) was Gabrielle this year.

Gabrielle Higgins with the Abbey Challenge Cup

3rd place went to Nigel Polhill and Nick Parish won the consolation event.

Nick Parish A-Class Consolation event winner

At the other end of the tournament, six players took plart in an American block to play for the Daldy Cup. This was convincingly won by Margaret Page, despite being the second highest handicapped player at 10 handicap, with 4 wins out of 5 (in what was also a level advanced event).

Margaret Page and the Daldy Cup

With 16 players in the B-class competition for the Scott Cup, a knockout competition would have given a definitive winner but only 4 games, so the competition was played in strict Swiss format.

By the end of the first day Richard Peperrel had settled at the top of the ‘ladder’ together with Timothy Luke, on 3/3 wins each. Sadly, Tim had to withdraw injured and Richard lost his fourth game so that by the end of play there were 3 players on 4 wins: Richard Peperell, Adam Newbould (who had beaten Richard) and Paul Castell. Since they had not all played each other, They agreed the winner would be decided on net hoops. In the end there was only 6 hoops between them and the winner was Adam Newbould with +56 points.

Thanks to our catering teams for excellent lunches, cakes etc and our barman for some interesting beers!

See you all next year I hope.

John Low
Manager

Sussex County v Surbiton

Report by Mike Akester

Sussex team met at 8.30 at The Robin Hood pub. Jo drove us to Surbiton for our final R League match.

Jo & Davide won the doubles, Kathy beat their "tricky" Margaret. Korky got a "Brucey Bonus" beating their Bruce.

0 -3 at at splendid lunch.

They came back at us in the afternoon under some hot sun.

Jo "Bing" Crosby could not hit it "Straight Down the Middle".

Korky lost too many of his nine lives against Margaret 7-6...7-6.

Davide demolished Eddie Grundy (from The Archer's) and Kathy went 3 rounds to win.

Result 2-5.

Sussex played 4 WON 4 this summer.

Sussex County & Surbiton teams at Surbiton