26/04/21: After another lengthy enforced interruption, the competitive 2020/21 Fives season returned to the courts over the weekend with the resumption of the Alan Barber Cup.
The competition had reached the quarter-final stage by the start of the year and with the semi-finals on the horizon, Mill Hill was the venue for two of the quarter-finals. Saturday saw the Old Cholmeleians through at the expense of the Berkhamstedians but not without a fight: Jonny Ho & Chris Blackaby only just managed to hold off the threat of the Berkhamsted captain Andrew Joyce in game one before going on to win 3-0 and Guy Chapman & Joe Marks had to come from 2-1 down to defeat Charlie Nicholls & Alex Rattan. With the Cholms already 2-0 up, time ran out on an epic third pair match which finished with Emily Scoones & Abs Bhattacharya 11-10 up in the fourth game against Ollie Green & James Steadman and a point away from taking the match into a fifth game before time ran out.
Next up for the Cholmeleians will be defending champions the Olavians, who made it through without venturing onto court as the Wulfrunians were unable to raise a team.
Sunday's match saw a young and ambitious Westminster side taking on the dark horses of Aldenham and making no mistake against potentially tricky opposition. The first two Westminster pairs of Riki Houlden & Harry de Quetteville and Hugo Young & Laurie Brock made short work of their opponents while the third pair of Sahil Shah & Can Koksal survived a mid-match wobble to finish strongly and make it a 3-0 win.
The final tie of the round is being played on Wednesday, again at Mill Hill, and will see the Citizens take on the Salopians for the right to play the Westminsters in the last four.
UPDATE 29/04/21: The Salopians beat the Citizens 3-0 at Mill Hill last night to take their place in the semi-finals.
You can see the full results from this year's competition HERE
Alan Barber Cup 2020/21 Quarter-Finals
Old Olavians beat Old Wulfrunians
Old Wulfrunians conceded all three pairs
Old Cholmeleians beat Old Berkhamstedians 2-0 at Mill Hill 24/04/21:
J.Ho & C.Blackaby beat A.Joyce & J.Pemberton 3-0 (14-13, 12-3, 12-3)
G.Chapman & J.Marks beat C.Nicholls & A.Rattan 3-2 (12-6, 12-14, 11-15, 12-6, 12-6)
E.Scoones & Ab.Bhattacharya were trailing O.Green & J.Steadman 1-2 (7-12, 13-12, 6-12, 11-10 timed out)
Old Citizens lost to Old Salopians 0-3 at Mill Hill 27/04/21:
J.Reynolds & N.Choustikov lost to E.Taylor & R.Worth 0-3 (6-12, 2-12, 2-12)
J.Gee-Grant & J.Greenhouse lost to C.Hughes & S.Welti 0-3 (4-12, 0-12, 0-12)
S.Shah & S.Kelly lost to G.Williams & H.Blofield 0-3 (1-12, 0-12, 0-12)
Old Aldenhamians lost to Old Westminsters 0-3 at Mill Hill 25/04/21:
C.Cernuschi & A.Rennie lost to H.Young & L.Brock 0-3 (3-12, 4-12, 3-12)
D.Patel & N.Patel lost to R.Houlden & H.de Quetteville 0-3 (1-12, 2-12, 7-12)
G.Pulsford & O.Lawton lost to S.Shah & C.Koksal 1-3 (2-12, 2-12, 12-7, 9-12)
Semi-Finals
Old Olavians v Old Cholmeleians
Old Salopians v Old Westminsters