Alan Barber Cup Final 2015: Deadly Dozen for the Olavians

Mark Williams reports:

19/01/15: The Alan Barber Cup was won at Eton yesterday by the Old Olavians for the twelfth year in succession, with a 2-1 win over the Old Salopians in the final.

Old Olavians beat Old Salopians 2-1

J.Toop & M.Wiseman beat H.Lewis & G.Thomason 3-0 (12-5, 12-5, 12-5)

S.Cooley & P.White beat I.Hutchinson & G.Williams 3-1 (7-12, 12-8, 12-10, 12-6)

H.Wiseman & T.Gallagher lost to C.Hughes & T.Welti 0-3 (5-12, 12-14, 6-12)

In the first pair, Toop and Wiseman had too much know-how for Lewis and Thomason, but the Salopians fought gamely.

In the third pair Hughes and Welti played very well to outmanoeuvre Wiseman and Gallagher, who is still at school.

The match hinged on the second pair where Hutchinson and Williams won the first game convincingly. Thereafter Cooley’s class and White’s experience just held the day, but it was a close run thing on the third game.

The Olavians thus completed a 12th consecutive victory, but there were moments when it might just have gone the other way.