Welcome to Court 1 at Sussex County CC where John-Paul Moberly, the England captain, and 18-year old Aston Wade will guarantee that a new name is on the trophy. The 'old firm' of Reg Bamford and Stephen Mulliner have provided the winner from 2000, when the new form of British Open was inaugurated, until 2020.

Game 1, J-P is B and K, Aston is R and Y

B to 4ft SSW 1, good start.
R hits the 21 yarder in the middle. Have at you, sir! from Aston.
K to 5y SE 1 - a bit of an underhit, it seems.
Y to 5y S 1.

B to 2y S 1.
R to 4ft W B, hidden from K by B.
K clears Y to 2y E C1.
Y at B, clearing.... hits half-ball right, leaves B near peg, 15 yds from R.

B misses R to Sb.
R runs 1 to 7y S 2. 1-0 Aston.
K 2y S 2.
Y 1yd E K.

B 4y SSW 2.
R misses K from 5y. Unexpected.
K runs 2 cleanly. 1-1.
Y 2y NNW 3.

B 4y N 3.
R 2ft NW Y, attempted block on K at Y, fails.
K clips Y to Nb from 15y.
Y at B from 6y - misses, clears R instead!

B runs 3 to 2y SSW 4. 2-1 to J-P.

R 4y N 4.
K 1y N 4 - blocking R at 4.
Y 4y NNW 4.

B clears R to 4y N of E penalty spot.
R misses K from 14y.
K runs 4 gently to 2y S. 3-1 J-P.

Y 5ft S 5.

B 4y S 5.
R offside sent to E penalty area, plays to 2y SSE 5, not blocking K at Y.
K misses Y from 8y!
Y runs 5 to 3y N 6. 3-2 J-P.

B 2y S 6 - possible wire from Y.
R at B - clips it 4y westwards, R to 10y W C3.
K to 3y ESE 6 - overhit?
Y half-cuts K to 7y SE peg, Y to 10y SSE 6.

B 2ft S 6.
R 3y S 6.
K 3ft SSW 6.
Y at B from 10y - clips it on the right so it cannons into K, neither ball can run easily now.

J-P considers the 4y angled hoop but goes for a stop-clear, sending R to 10y N C4, B 5y S 6.
R 2y SSE 6.
K 2ft S 6.
Y from 6y E C2 takes position 3y S 6, but not blocking B at R.

B clears R to yy W C3, B to 7y N 7 - good result.
R clears K from 12y - good reply! K is 3y SSE peg.
K cut-clears Y - no balls near 6 now.
Y to 3y S 6.

B from Nb to 4ft S 6.
R from Wb to 2ft S 6.
K at Y from 14y - nails it and sends Y to 8y W C4, K to 13y N C4.
Y at B from 24y, misses, clipping R instead.

B at 6 from 3y - runs it with wire but that is 4-2 J-P.

R to 4y N 7.

K to 3y NW 7.
Y to 3y NE 7, not blocking B at R.

B cuts R to Wb, B to Nb.
R cut-clears K to W penalty-spot, R almost jawses in 7 bit spills out.
K at Y from 14y - misses on right to 11y W C2.
Y fails 7 from 3y, but stays in running position Bjust out of the jaws.

B 3y N 7.
R 2ft N 7 - blocking K at Y?
K tries 7 from boundary - misses on left to 2y N W penalty spot.
Y runs angled 7 by 4y. 4-3 J-P.

K to 3y NW 7.
Y to 3y NE 7, not blocking B at R.

B cuts R to Wb, B to Nb.
R cut-clears K to W penalty-spot, R almost jawses in 7 bit spills out.
K at Y from 14y - misses on right to 11y W C2.
Y fails 7 from 3y, but stays in running position Bjust out of the jaws.

B 3y N 7.
R 2ft N 7 - blocking K at Y?
K tries 7 from boundary - misses on left to 2y N W penalty spot.
Y runs angled 7 by 4y. 4-3 J-P.

B 3y NW 8.
R 6y N 8.
K 4ft N 8.
Y clears K to 4y E C1 from 16 yards!

B 3 ft N 8.
R tries 7y 8 but misses on left to Sb.
K 2y NNW 8.
Y misses B and clears K instead.

B runs 8. 5-3 J-P.

B 3y NW 8.
R 6y N 8.
K 4ft N 8.
Y clears K to 4y E C1 from 16 yards!

B 3 ft N 8.
R tries 7y 8 but misses on left to Sb.
K 2y NNW 8.
Y misses B and clears K instead.

B runs 8. 5-3 J-P.

R 2y SSE 8 - very runnable.
K 5y SSE 8.
Y 3y S 8.

B at R from 14y - misses by 6in left. Unusual for J-P.
R runs 8 cleanly to 6y W C3. 5-4 J-P.

R ran 9 - not 8, of course!
K 3y SW 10 not wired from R.
Y to 4y SSW 10.

B 4ft SSE 10.
R at K - clearing to 4y NNW 5.
K at Y from 15y - misses to 1y W C3.
Y at 10 from 4y straight - runs cleanly. 5-5.

B to 4ft NNE 11.
R 3y N 11.
K 1ft W B.
Y from 7y W C3 at B - nails it with B to 1y S West penalty area and Y to 3.5 yards S peg! Great result if B misses R next.

B at R from 18 yards - misses.
R at 11 from 3y - runs cleanly to 3y SSW 12. 6-5 Aston.

K to 3y N 12.
Y at 12 for the game from 4y, slightly angled - hits the wire, glued to E upright?
The rain is now evident which it is a pity. J-P dons his rain jacket.

B 2y W 12, slight overhit from the Nb.
Aston examines Y carefully. Can it jaws at all?
R at K from 6y - cut-clears K to 14y NE 12.
K 4ft N 12 - good shot.
Y to 4y WNW 12 - very mature thinking - will aim to win at 13, not 12.

B to 2y N 12 - blocking R at K?
R from 15y at 12 - just misses, flicking E upright.
K runs - 6-6.

Y 4y N 13.

B at Y from 20y - misses on right.
R from 12y W C4 to 4y NNW 13.
K at Y from 22y - misses on left.
Y at 13 from 4y for 1-0 lead - runs it cleanly! Great recovery from Aston.

A short break for the players.

B to 2.5y SSE 1.
R misses B.
K 4ft SW 1.
Y at 7 - misses on left.

B at 1 - runs at pace to Nb - 9y E C2. 1-0 J-P.