Blackball (also known as National Lampoon's Blackball) is a 2003 British sports comedy film, based on the game of lawn bowls. The screenplay was written by Tim Firth, and the film was directed by Mel Smith. The film features James Cromwell as a master bowls player, and Paul Kaye as a naturally talented player who have differing social backgrounds; who are placed together by Vince Vaughn to play for England against Australia. Its fictional plot is based on the bowls player Griff Sanders, who was also referred to as "The Bad Boy of Bowls".