National semi-final place for Peterborough Croquet team after victory at Central Park
Peterborough are through to the semi-finals of Croquet England's Secretary's Shield after a win over Hampstead Heath at Central Park.
Several of the quarter-final games were close, but the city stars held their nerve and emerged with a resounding win by six games to one.
The competition is a National Association handicap knock-out for nine 2023 Regional champions. Peterborough qualified for it by winning the East Anglian title last year.
Debbie Lines - the current Women's World Champion - and her husband Ian LInes were first and second strings for the hosts with captain Adrian Kirby and Stephen Cornelius third and fourth strings.
Hampstead Heath’s star player was Gabrielle Higgins - runner-up to Debbie LInes in the 2023 Women's World Championship in New Zealand and she recorded her team’s sole success, 26-13 over Kirby in a singles clash.
Debbie LInes won a tight singles 26-23 before Kirby and Cornelius won a doubles match 21-19 to give Peterborough a 2-1 lead going into four afternoon singles.
And the home side won them all.
Cornelius enjoyed a narrow 12-10 win, Kirby triumphed more comfortably 26-13, Ian Lines won a fluctuating contest 26-16 and Debbie Lines repeated her World Championship success by winning 26-21 against Higgins.
Peterborough will meet last year's Secretary's Shield winners, Phyllis Court, in the semi-final.
The other semi-finalists are Middlesbrough and Bury.