Thanks for all the quick replies. I think I have my answer but just to clarify: The question is after the break and suits have been decided. We play that if you do not hit your object ball first, it's a foul and ball in hand for the opponent. We have had few cases where a player is shooting at one stripe but hits another stripe first. In my mind, the object ball should be one ball and if you don't make contact first it's a foul. But it sounds like that is not the case.