Morning all from Cheltenham, I am sat on the tea room veranda on the last table next to the clubhouse, so just behind hoop 4 on lawn 8 which is where the final will be played. Last night it was estimated to be running at about 10secs but with rain over night and dark clouds looming it is likely to be slower today.

Samir has gone up to the hut between lawns 6 & 7 and looks to be applying sun cream which is probably a tad optimistic. He has played in two Opens finals previously, against Rob Fulford in 2008 and Reg Bamford in 2013, losing both 3-0, I think it would be surprise scoreline today.

Couple of pundits sittings next to me are talking about the result, both favor Samir, although predict a tight match at 3-1 or 3-2

Ben Rothman got to the World Championship final in 2009 losing 3-0 to Reg Bamford and so although perhaps slightly less experienced than Samir, I don't think he will be too affected by the status of this match, at least not in the early stages. He has only dropper one game this week, I believe, and that was yesterday against Paddy, so he will be confident about competing toe to toe in this final.

Simon Jenkins is attempting to set up a livestream to broadcast the final, it depends a lot on the WiFI which struggles to reach the tea room but it's worth a go. He has found a long power extension and is fiddling around so watch this space.

It's 10:01, they are still practicing.

I am now connected to Sam Murray's Ipad which has a 10gb data connection so we shouldn't run out

Rothman conducts the toss, offers a choice of Bird or Balls, Samir opts for Balls but it was Bird. Rothman takes the play and Samir chooses Red & Yellow. The players shake hands and we are off in the 2016 British Open Single Championship Final

A local club member walks past and says he wasn't go to come to watch this morning, he had planned to go to church but he changed his mind at the and has come to worship the croquet gods instead

So as with pretty much all other games this week, It was an East Boundary opening from Rothman, just North of h4, Samir went to C4, Rothman missed partner from A Baulk and then samir hit. He poked a ball ok a couple of yards and rushed to hoop 1, tried to run it gently and ended up hampered from the reception ball. Some early action for ROT Ian Vincent who goes on to watch the hampered stroke, which is to join up a yard or so south of partner in c2.

Watch here http://livestream.com/accounts/19068945/events/5798694

Rothman missed with Black from h1 at Red & Yellow by c2, This has given Samir a nice chance at a easy start of a break for his h2 ball

Poor croquet stroke from Samir from North West of h2, sending out black as a pivot trying to get a rush on yellow which was North East of h6 towards h3, he ends up with a rush pointing back at h2. He hits it and rolls it down behind h4, thats yellow his partner, goes to blue which has been left down by the east boundary near h4 since turn 4 of tha game. Rolls that out between h1 & h2 attempting to get position in front of h3, has a go at a long angled hoop but it bounces back towards him. He will be disappointed with that turn.

Rothman takes his 10 yarder with Black between h3 & h4 at red near h4, missed to the north boundary.

Samir hits his 6 yarder with red and black and approaches h3 to a rough position but runs it smoothly, he should now have a break

So Rothman sits and watches from the very far end of the bench in front of the clubhouse, about as far away as possible from where Samir will be sat while he is off the lawn, he has set up on the veranda of the tea room at the end nearest the CA office

Samir has made h5 and is setting up a tight cross peg leave before going to partner as his h6 pioneer

Samir has made 6 and rushed over to the east boundary, leaving a rush for his 1b ball. Shot from A Baulk will be should as looks like he is south of the line of h5.

Rothman shoots with his ball east from the peg as it lay, missed what must have been some sort of larger target

Samir pokes it out a bit, rushes partner to the middle of the lawn, sends it towards 2b, gets a rush to 1b which is pointing at h6. Plays a cut along the right line but well short, needs a backward take off, the wind blows a bit for the first time while he casting for the hoop stroke. He steps back, casts again and has run the 1b

Samir has made 1b and will be making a Diagonal spread after 3b

No he won't he had previously sent his 1b eception ball to the peg, but after 2b rushes it towards 3b, so will be an NSL. Why didnt he croquet it to 3b after 1b?

Samir has got black on the front of h4, I dont think that will rush south of h1 but will rush somewhere close to h1, sends blue over the the west of the lawn and lays a rush for his h1 ball on the east boundary somewhere level with h5

Rothman lifts black from on h4, takes the long shot down the wobbly east boundary, hit it at a moderate pace and probably at a ball but its clear that it slowly hilled to miss to c4

James Death has turned up and seems fairly happy that i have volunteered him for commentary duties this afternoon, he has gone over to the managers tent in search of a random Z game for something to do

Samir made h1, rushed close to the ball in c4, switched the balls over, has now got a break with partner at h4

Samir flirted with the south boundary after h3, but hes ok and now has the balls out for a delayed tp

Samir missed the hoop completely on his peel attempt before h6, he is now leaving his 2b pioneer at 4b before going over to make 1b

Samir peels 4b before 2b and plays an ok rush to 2b

Samir peels 4b before 2b and plays an ok rush to 2b

Samir has made 3b and has 2 peels to do

Partner is in the jaws of penult while making 4b

Has a good position for the straight rover peel, should finish

Oliie Chapman has taken his dad up to lawn 11 in search of snails

Samir gets his straigth rover peel with an ugly full roll irish peel fomr a couple of feet

Samir takes game 1 26tp

Game 2 starts with Samir playing to the east boundary, Rothman went just out of c2, Samir shoots from c3 down the east boundary at partner towards c4, misses to a foot west of c4

David Magee just asked James Hopgood if he is having lunch, and he says he isn't?! Must be a first, he always plays better after a hot lunch! Although he isn't actually playing today

Rothman shot at partner i c4 on turn turn, missed, Samir has now played his ball from by c4 and rush partner up to 4 yards east of h3, takes off to Rothmans balls, and misses!

Rothman shot at partner in c2 that should have said

Rothman has made 1 and is now rushing making h2 off partner, his hoop 3 pioneer will be Samirs ball that is 4 yards east of h3

He has sent out a h4 pioneer and rushed the piovet off the east boundary by his h3 pioneer so is in good shape with a 4 ball break

I think Rothman will go straight to 4b in this turn

He has sent out blue as an early 2b pioneer after h5

Ollie Chapman reports back that he didnt find a snail yet, he says they have all gone on holiday

Miranda confirms that all the snails have gone to the beach to build sandcastles

Rothman has got partner in c2 after 1b

As predicted, Rothman has made 3b and is leaving Samirs balls across c4 and will be going off to c3 with his last stroke

Samir drags his ball from the south boundary up to c3, plays the usual roll sending yellow out towards h1 going to partner near c4.

Samir leaves a rush to hoop 1 from 4 yards north of c4

Rothman shoots yellow at Samirs blue, hits

Jmes Hopgood is sitting next to me, and next to him is Dave Kibble, the conversation keeps returning to Mac selection

Conversation now turns to his wedding in a couple of weeks, he says he just cant wait to get it out of the way with now

Conversation now turns to his wedding in a couple of weeks, he says he just cant wait to get it out of the way with now

Rothman has moved Samirs balls to h3 & h4 and has left a rush for his h1 ball to h1 from c2

Looks to me like Samirs ball near h4 has a some sort of double at Rothmans balls

Samir instead shoots at partner, I'm right behind the line and t was always missing on the right

Having a few troubles with internet for some reason

Rothman has made h2 and rushed partner over to h3, should be a standard tp from here

Jeff Dawson has just beaten Mark Avery in the Plate, he went to report the score to the manager but he is asleep!

Rothman has failed the 4b peel after h3

Im getting a lift home with Mark Avery who is leaving about 13:00 so you will need James Death from then onwards

Rothman has made h5, he has set up for the peel going to hoop but no forward rush means a big roll

Good roll gets strikers ball close to partner but cant keep it in of 4b for the peel

I don't know whats happening, the internet seems to be ok but commentary isnt sending without me constantly refreshing the pages so I am giving up, sorry