The final is a best of 3 with cumulative time limits of 3 hours, 2.5 and 2.0. The first two games were shared. Mike won the first 22-21 and Greg won the second 13-12. We then ran out of daylight so couldn't complete the match on schedule yesterday. Both players agreed to come back this morning. Play commenced at 7:50 am.

Mike chose to play first and is Black and Blue. Black to East boundary. Yellow to West boundary tice position. Mike hits Black with Blue and moves Yellow closer to hoop 2.

Greg hits Yellow with Red from B-baulk, attempts a break but fails hoop 1 with Blue nearby.

Mike hit Red with Blue, set the lawn, but then missing a rush after hoop one to give up the balls. Greg hit Red with Yellow and set with his balls near corner 2 and other near hoop 1 and in the open court.

Mike uses Blue near hoop 1 and misses partner to East border. Greg gets to hoop1 but fails it with Black nearby.

Mike gets a break going with Black, but never really gets it under control. Battles his way around until he denies a long roll into hoop 5 and retires. Greg misses.

Mike resumes break with Black, puts Blue as tight load on 6, and then fails hoop approach to 5 and retires to west border near corner 1. Greg fires at partner on East border near hoop 4 but misses, leaving balls near each other.

Mike plays Blue from near hoop 6 and hits Red, rushes Yellow to hoop 2 and makes it, puts Yellow near hoop 3 and then retires to partner near corner 1. Greg plays Red at Yellow - a miss here will leave his two balls at Blue's hoop with Blue and Black together near corner 1. If Greg hits, he has two balls at hoop 1, Red's hoop. Greg didn't miss.

Greg set up a cannon in corner 1 but his inexperience showed out. He appeared unclear on what he could do to set up up the balls and then played the cannon putting the roqueted ball near the West boundary about 3 yards North of hoop 1 (instead of at or near hoop 2). The priority ball was suitably rushed towards hoop 1. He runs hoop 1 with Red, but misses the return roquet into A-baulk.

Mike fires Blue from mid court at Black on West boundary but misses. Greg shoots at opponent's balls with red from A baulk. Misses

Mike hits Black with Blue and obtains a cannon. Yellow is already North of hoop (and so in the vicinity of his hoop (hoop 3)). Inexplicably he doesn't use the cannon to advantage (Putting croqueted ball into the lawn (close to hoop 4 if possible) and sending the other ball close to Yellow). He effectively leaves Black behind and does get Red close to Yellow. Make hoop 3 using Yellow, but he then has nothing and retires to partner. Greg fires a partner a long way away and misses.

These guys have shown wonderful single ball skills over the 4.5 days of the event. They have made many breaks (more than the rest of us!). What they need now is a good coach each. The wasted opportunities with the cannons demonstrates how much their game could be improved by good knowledge of basic set-plays and better tactical knowledge. Are there any coaches in NSW and Victoria willing to take them on?

Mike is Black/Blue and Greg is Red/Yellow. Black is on hoop 5, Blue is on hoop 4, Red is on hoop 2 and Yellow is on hoop 1. Mike now plays Black and we see our first actual break of the game. He scores his first hoop with a 15 yard rush. He doesn't stop at 4-back.

Mike makes to remaining hoops, leaves Yellow on West boundary near hoop 1 (its hoop), leaves Blue 19 yards from each baulk on East boundary, rushes Red to near corner 3, takes off from Red leaving it just out of the corner, and pegs off Black. A great break! But Red is rushable to Black.

Actually, Red is rushable to Blue. 9 minutes left on the clock. Greg takes the rush, but fails to get position with Yellow on hoop 1 and retires to partner. Mike plays Blue tto o South boundary 3 yards from A-baulk. Why not just out of corner 4? Greg rushes Red towards hoop 1, takes off and gets a rush on Blue to hoop 1, does a successful hold and load using Blue, but then misses Red leaving partner balls 15 yards apart.

Mike puts Blue in corner 1. Greg misses partner on East boundary. Mike moves Blue a few inches out of the corner. Greg rushes Yellow towards hoop, and sets up.

Mike heads towards corner 4. Greg makes hoop 2 with Red, Time is called! Mike is Box and hoop 4 (16 points). Greg is on hoop2 with yellow and in play with Red. He needs two peels and a pegoff to draw level with only 3 balls on the court. He runs hoop 3, digs Blue out of corner 4 loading 5 but fails hoop 4.

It is all over. Mike Gidding is the new Victorian Open Champion beating Gre Hill 22-21, 12-13, 16-4 in the final. Mike only lost 2 games for the tournament. Very impressive fighting spirit. Congratulations to Greg too, who showed the same qualities. Thanks to Mike Cohn for refereeing throughout the tournament and particularly today. Also the lone spectator, Tim (surname unknown, first name known due to QR code entry).

Thanks to the players, the volunteer referees, volunteer hoop setters, volunteer cleaners (the players!), Alan Honey and Kerri-Ann for doing an amazing BBQ, and the court preparations by Lester Hughes and his team of volunteers.

See you all here next year.

Kevin