1870 and Zacara score wins in British Open
By Herbert Spencer
Adrian Kirby’s 1870 team, playing for the first time without their injured star John Paul Clarkin, squeaked by Nick Clarke’s Salkeld 11-10 on the second day of the British Open Championship for the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup at Cowdray Park Polo Club.
In 1870’s new and untried line-up, Argentine Polito Pieres replaced Kiwi Clarkin, out of the tournament with a broken collarbone. Pieres fitted well into the team, sharing top goal-scoring honours with Aussie Ruki Ballieu, but their victory was a close-run thing.
The game was tied up at the end of each of the first three chukkas as Salkeld’s England players Luke Tomlinson and James Beim and Chilean José Donoso matched Pieres and Ballieu goal for goal.
Only in the fourth period did 1870 forge ahead 9-7 with goals by all four members of the team including patron Kirby. Kirby’s side increased their lead in the fifth chukka as Ballieu scored twice against one goal by Salkeld patron Clarke.
Salkeld held 1870 scoreless in the sixth and final chukka and reduced their deficit by two, but it was too little too late.
In the day’s other Gold Cup match, Lyndon Lea’s Zacara walloped the Australian-patroned Stella Artois, newcomers to English high-goal, winning their first game by 10 goals to 5.