Back to
The Front Page
1997 Archives

IT'S MULLINER FOR SURE IN THE MEDALIST ROUND, WITH CORNELIUS AND DAWSON LIKELY TO FOLLOW

by Bob Alman

With three of four days of block play completed, British players have nailed down one medalist position and are almost certain to take another two as well. In the fourth block, the lead of New Zealand's Tony Stephens is being challenged by Aussie Harley Watts and dark horse Leo McBride of Canada.

England's Stephen Mulliner, with five triple peels in six block wins, has confirmed his status as the favorite to win it all for the fourth time. Fellow Britons Debbie Cornelius and Jeff Dawson are playing well and will likely also win their blocks..

Other highly touted Brits are having some difficulty in this qualifying round, including current world champion Chris Clarke and Steve Comish, a star performer at the recent Solomon matches between the United States and Britain. Chris Clarke will probably qualify to continue into the elimination round on Friday, while Comish will have a difficult time making the cut. European champion Simon Williams of Ireland has failed to find his game, having won only one of his first four games, and faces the likelihood of not being one of the 16 players who continue past Thursday.

The block winners gain a favored position at the end of a single-elimination ladder played by the other 12 qualifiers - the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th positions in each of the four blocks of seven. With three of the four medalist positions still undecided, many critical games are to be played on Thursday, the final day of qualifying block play.

On Friday, the four block winners (the medalists) will play a round-robin, with the winner advancing to the "holder" position, guaranteed second place and needing only to play off against the sole survivor of the elimination ladder to decide the 1997 championship on Saturday.

BLUE BLOCK - RESULTS AFTER FOUR DAYS

Jeff Dawson alone is undefeated in his block and probably needs to win only one of his two remaining games to qualify for the Medalist Round as block winner. It is still possible, however, for number two Lewis Palmer of Wales to catch up if he wins his two remaining games.

Aaron Westerby
Robert Rebuschatis
Aaron Westerby
Simon Williams
Robert Rebuschatis
26 TP
26
26
26
22
v
v
v
v
v
Colin Pickering
Rhys Thomas
Rhys Thomas
Colin Pickering
Simon Williams
22
4
0
0
14
Jeff Dawson
Jeff Dawson
Lewis Palmer
Lewis Palmer
Rhys Thomas
Aaron Westerby
26
26 TP
26 TP
26
26
26 TP
v
v
v
v
v
v
Colin Pickering
Aaron Westerby
Colin Pickering
Rhys Thomas
Simon Williams
Simon Williams
0
9
0
9
9
0
Jeff Dawson
Jeff Dawson
Lewis Palmer
Colin Pickering
Colin Pickering
26 TP
26 TP
26 TP
26
26 TP
v
v
v
v
v
Lewis Palmer
Rhys Thomas
Robert Rebuschatis
Rhys Thomas
Robert Rebuschatis
23
1
0
0
0

RED BLOCK - RESULTS AFTER FOUR DAYS

Debbie Cornelius is undefeated in her block and needs to win only one of her final two games (against American Phil Arnold and Aussie Jeff Newcombe) to take the medalist spot from Steve Jones of New Zealand. She has already won her game against Jones by a one-point margin.

Debbie Cornelius
Debbie Cornelius
Steve Jones
Steve Jones
Jeff Newcombe
26 TP
26 TP
26 TP
26
26 TP
v
v
v
v
v
Ren Kraft
Rod Williams
Jeff Newcombe
Rod Williams
Ren Kraft
0
1
9
1
10
Chris Clarke
Chris Clarke
Steve Jones
Ren Kraft
Jeff Newcombe
Rod Williams
26 TPO
26 TP
26 TP
26
26
23
v
v
v
v
v
v
Steve Jones
Ren Kraft
Phil Arnold
Rod Williams
Phil Arnold
Jeff Newcombe
13
0
1
24
17
21
Phil Arnold
Phil Arnold
Debbie Cornelius
Debbie Cornelius
Steve Jones
26
20
26 TPO
26
26
v
v
v
v
v
Chris Clarke
Ren Kraft
Chris Clarke
Steve Jones
Ren Kraft
23
17
14
25
4

BLACK BLOCK - RESULTS AFTER FOUR DAYS

Harley Watts of Australia could knock block leader Tony Stephens of New Zealand with wins over both Steve Comish and Toby Garrison This is the only block the British cannot win.

Leo McBride
Mik Mehas
Tony Stephens
Tony Stephens
Harley Watts
26
24
26
26 TP
26
v
v
v
v
v
Harley Watts
Erv Peterson
Leo McBride
Erv Peterson
Mik Mehas
17
9
14
2
5
Steve Comish
Toby Garrison
Mik Mehas
Tony Stephens
Harley Watts
Harley Watts
26
26 TP
26
26 TP
23
26
v
v
v
v
v
v
Erv Peterson
Mik Mehas
Steve Comish
Toby Garrison
Tony Stephens
Erv Peterson
4
0
21
0
22
4
Toby Garrison
Leo McBride
Leo McBride
Mik Mehas
Tony Stephens
26
26 TP
26 TP
26
26 TP
v
v
v
v
v
Steve Comish
Toby Garrison
Mik Mehas
Tony Stephens
Steve Comish
0
12
9
4
0

YELLOW BLOCK - RESULTS AFTER FOUR DAYS

Undefeated Stephen Mulliner of England has a lock on the medalist position, having made five of his six wins with triples. He beat his closest rival in the block, American Wayne Rodoni, by a margin of three points.

Stephen Mulliner
Stephen Mulliner
Wayne Rodoni
Jerry Stark
Jerry Stark
26
26 TP
26 TP
26
26
v
v
v
v
v
Mohammad Kamal
Wayne Rodoni
Tony LeMoignan
Mohammad Kamal
Tony LeMoignan
0
0
0
2
15
Shane Davis
Brett Hewitt
Brett Hewitt
Stephen Mulliner
Wayne Rodoni
Wayne Rodoni
26
26
26 TP
26 TP
26 TP
26 TP
v
v
v
v
v
v
Tony LeMoignan
Tony LeMoignan
Brett Hewitt
Jerry Stark
Shane Davis
Jerry Stark
0
13
0
11
23
11
Brett Hewitt
Brett Hewitt
Tony LeMoignan
Stephen Mulliner
Stephen Mullineer
26
26 TP
22
26 TP
26 TP
v
v
v
v
v
Shane Davis
Mohammad Kamal
Mohammad Kamal
Shane Davis
Tony LeMoignan
23
2
21
9
14


Thanks to John Taylor and Mike Orgill for making possible these daily report in CROQUET WORLD ONLINE MAGAZINE.


 
Back to Top   Copyright © 1996-2022 Croquet World Online Magazine. All rights reserved.