Kevin Beard
6th March

The World Golf Croquet Championships start on Saturday in Cape Town and
today we had our final preparation in Johannesburg in the form of an
"Australia versus South Africa Test Match".

The match was organised at the Country Club Johannesburg followed by a
couple of hours play under lights with local members and members from
neighbouring croquet clubs. The evening was completed with a dinner in the
club rooms in honour of the players going to the championships. It was a
very impressive level of support from the Country Club and the local
croquet-playing community.

The South African Team was Victor Dladla and Mike Corcoran who are playing
in the World Championship, Meshack Mazibuko who was offered a wild card but
couldn't take it up and John Hedding.

Results
Kevin Beard def Mike Corcoran 7-5
John Levick lost to Victor Dladla 4-7
Owen Edwards def John Hedding 7-3
Tony Hall lost to Meshack Mazibuko 4-7

Beard def Hedding 7-4
Levick lost to Mazibuko 2-7
Edwards def Corcoran 7-5
Hall def Dladla 7-3

Beard def Dladla 7-2
Levick def Corcoran 7-2
Edwards def Mazibuko 7-3
Hall def Hedding 7-1

Australia def South Africa 9 games to 3 games

All the visiting players are indebted to the organisational skills of
Esther Jones and Chris Bennett. We were given unlimited court time, met
lots of local players, were entertained at dinner each night, and were
taken on a guided tour of downtown Johannesburg, Soweto, Pretoria and the
Voortrekker Monument. Today was the culmination with the serious match
practice followed by the dinner. Thank you Esther and Chris.

If you are ever in South Africa and looking for a game of croquet don't
miss the Country Club in Johannesburg. Email me if you want contact
details.



Kevin