Chris Clarke (croquet player) Chris Clarke (croquet player) Chris Clarke (born 1971 in Lancashire) is an English croquet player who has been ranked among the world's top players since the late 1980s. He now represents New Zealand. Chris has won two World Championships in Association Croquet, in 1995 and again in 2008, six AC World Team Champs and one GC World Team Champs. 2008 was perhaps Chris's finest year, overtaking previous world champions Robert Fulford and Reg Bamford to regain the position of world number one player, which he held for in excess of 16 months. He also reached the semi-finals of the WCF
Spooning (croquet) Spooning (croquet) In croquet, the term spooning has historically been used to refer to two ways of setting the ball into motion. The term is rarely used in the modern game and is not defined in the official laws. In one sense, it is simply pushing the ball with the mallet instead of tapping. It is recognized by making no noise. This was at one time considered an unfair but good technique, upon appeal the umpire must declare whether the ball was spooned or tapped. In modern Association Croquet, pushing the ball would generally constitute a fault under rule 28.a.4,