BURY Croquet Club's Caesar squad began their season on Saturday with a visit from the old enemy at Pendle. The clash began with a somewhat confused period, when one of the rather far-flung visiting squad had trouble finding the venue.

The doubles pair of Paul Rigge and Colleen Forkin were able to start at the normal time. The game was rather attritional with cautious use of the bisques (handicap turns). Their opponents, though much stronger players, did not really get going, and a modest break just before time left them still five points behind.

They had been playing for nearly an hour before the other game got under way, on an agreed reduction in time limit and bisques. Captain Len Forkin and Yvonne Gibson then had a rather similar game, ending seven points to the good.

In the singles, Yvonne's adversary began with a good seven-hoop break. Yvonne then took three bisques to establish her rhythm before putting up a solid reply. She remained ahead until almost the end, but could not quite hold out. Paul began aggressively and got well ahead, but again his opponent did some good play and just pipped him in the dying moments of the game.

Colleen had a somewhat dour struggle, but could not get topside of an improving middle-handicap opponent. Consolation was achieved by Len, who found his opposite number was not on a good day, and thus was able to seize and retain control. This meant that the match result was a draw, three games apiece.