Congratulations to Jason Hewett after he beat team-mate Khurram Khan 4-2 to win the Cardiff Handicap Singles at Rumney British Legion. It was a tremendous match full of attacking play and fluent break-building and gives Hewett his fifth title this season, and with it the opportunity of an unprecedented clean sweep when they contest the Cardiff Open Singles in a fortnight.

However, it was Khan who started the stronger with a break of 28 and a couple of other contributions to add to his 14-point handicap, which left him snookers up with two reds remaining to make it 1-0. He started the next with some fine long potting, but left a chance for Hewett who made the most of it with a break of 60, missing the blue on a 78 clearance to level the match.

Hewett continued his form in the next with an early break of 36 and he stayed ahead to win the frame and take a 2-1 lead, before the pivotal fourth frame saw Khan miss a red to the middle pocket on 36 allowing Hewett to respond with a 31 to take it to the colours which he won on the blue to move two frames ahead. Both players were keen to take advantage of any half-chance left to them by their opponent and Khan got in first in the fifth frame with a 43 break to go 60 up and despite a few attempts at snookers from Hewett, the frame was won by the colours to close the gap to 2-3.

The match was being played at a fast pace and with long potting being the standout feature of the night from both players and a tremendous red gave Hewett the first chance which ended on 37 taking the frame once again to the colours. Some safety followed with both players missing chances before Hewett sank yellow, green and brown to leave Khan needing snookers which he wasn’t able to get and the handshake followed to seal a superb contest which could have gone either way, but it was Hewett who is the 2023 Handicap Singles champion.