Mike Fenn reports:
Twelve teams entered with the four seeds receiving a bye into the second round namely St Olave's (1), Shrewsbury (2), Harrow (3) and Eton (4).
Ipswich lost narrowly to St Olave's 2-1 having beaten Mill Hill 3-0 in the first round whilst Shrewsbury succumbed 3-0 to non seeds Highgate. Harrow went straight into the semi-finals with a walk over against Aldenham and Eton comfortably beat Lancing 3-0.
In the semi-finals first seeds St Olave's had no problems defeating Eton in three straight game matches and Harrow, with the Dunbar brothers at one and two, comfortably saw off Highgate. The Dunbar factor ensured a pair win in the final but the depth of strength in the St Olave's side ensured that they retained the Alan Barber Cup for the fourth consecutive year.
First Round
Old Ipswichians beat Old Millhillians 3-0 at Mill Hill
Second Round
St Olave's beat Old Ipswichians 2-1 at Orpington
J Toop & D Mew beat M Graves & T S Fletcher 3-0 (12-5, 12-9, 13-10)
H Wiseman & D Hawkins beat P Forrest & D Cox 3-0 (12-0, 12-5, 12-4)
D Eames & S Regan lost to S A Woolfries & J A Caudle 0-3 (7-12, 6-12, 11-12)
Old Etonians beat Lancing Old Boys 3-0 at Eton
T McCall & W Sorrell beat ? & ? 3-0 (12-7, 12-5, 12-2)
W Hopton & E Morrison beat ? & ? 3-0 (12-7, 12-7, 12-6)
A Basey & A Sibia beat ? & ? Not played due to late arrival of Lancing pair
Old Harrovians beat Old Aldenhamians 3-0
Old Aldenhamians conceded all three pairs
Old Cholmeleians beat Old Salopians 3-0 at Highgate
N Addy & G Chapman beat E Taylor & E Taylor 3-0 (12-10, 12-10, 12-7)
A Varma & H Young beat M Hughes & P Nichols 3-2 (6-12, 5-12, 12-3, 12-6 ret)
Old Salopians conceded third pair
Semi-finals
Old Olavians beat Old Etonians 3-0
J Toop & M Wiseman beat A Illingworth & W Sorrell 3-0 (12-7, 12-5, 12-0)
H Wiseman & P White beat T McCall & A Sibia 3-0 (12-0, 12-2, 12-6)
D Mew & S Ranasinghe beat F Eckersley & S Randall 3-0 (13-10, 12-7, 12-8)
Old Harrovians beat Old Cholmeleians 2-1
T Dunbar & J Fleming beat N Addy & R Beenstock 3-0 (12-0, 12-1, 12-3)
P Dunbar & N Shaw beat H Young & M O'Callaghan 3-0 (12-2, 12-8, 12-9)
J Frederick & R Bryan lost to G Chapman & D Davis 2-3 (12-9, 13-10, 11-15 ret)
Final
Old Olavians beat Old Harrovians 2-1
M Wiseman & J Toop beat T Dunbar & J Fleming 3-0 (12-4, 12-7, 12-6)
H Wiseman & D Hawkins lost to P Dunbar & R Bryan 0-3 (6-12, 8-12, 5-12)
D Mew & P White beat J Frederick & N Shaw 3-0 (12-3, 12-4, 12-7)