2012/13 Alan Barber Cup: Olave's win the Barber (Part 2)

Mark Williams reports:

The Old Harrovians had their best six players available for this year's Alan Barber Cup final, and were optimistic for their chances of finally toppling the Olavians' recent domination of this event, especially since Pete Cohen was unable to play at short notice.

In the first pair Wiseman and Toop quickly established commanding leads in the first two games, but Dunbar and Shaw rallied strongly to produce a tight finish to both games, but narrowly lost both. In the third game the Olavians won more easily.

In the third pair, Fleming and Bryan were too strong and consistent for Wiseman and Ranasinghe and won in straight games relatively easily.

The match hung therefore on the second pair, and Dunbar and Jones won an important first game narrowly. Cooley and Mew responded with some excellent Fives to win the second game easily, but in the third, the match was tantalisingly balanced at 6-5 when Will Jones incurred a freak injury, his head colliding with the guttering at the back of the court whilst running backwards, and had to go to hospital for stitches.

The Harrovians had to concede the second pair therefore and with it the match. It was a great shame therefore that the spectators were deprived of a potentially close finish, but congratulations to the Olavians on their tenth consecutive success.

Old Olavians beat Old Harrovians 2-1

H.Wiseman & J.Toop beat T.Dunbar & N.Shaw 3-0 (12-10, 14-11, 12-6)

S.Cooley & D.Mew beat P.Dunbar & W.Jones 3-1 (9-12, 12-1, 6-5 ret)

M.Wiseman & S.Ranasinghe lost to J.Fleming & R.Bryan 0-3 (5-12, 6-12, 2-12)