Public Schools Old Boys Doubles (Noel Bruce Cup) 2012
Sep 22, 2012 - Sep 27, 2012 The Queen's Club R Tulley/A Gourlay
Draw (with results)
Results
Thursday 27th September (Final)
Harrow 1 bt Cheltenham 1 13/15, 15/7, 5/15, 15/10, 15/2, 12/15, 15/2
Tuesday 25th September (Semi Final)
Harrow 1 bt Harrow 2 12/15, 15/8, 15/5, 18/13, 15/1
Cheltenham 1 bt Eton 1 15/6, 15/6, 15/4, 15/4
Sunday 23rd September
Cheltenham 1 bt Cheltenham 2 15/5, 15/8, 15/10
Harrow 2 bt Winchester 1 3-1 (score tbc)
Saturday 22nd September
Winchester 1 bt Marlborough 1 15/1, 15/9, 15/10
Harrow 1 bt Tonbridge 1 15/12, 16/13, 15/0
Friday 21st September
Tonbridge 1 bt Charterhouse 1 15/9, 15/6, 15/6
Eton 1 bt Malvern 1 18/13, 15/5, 15/6
Wednesday 19th September
Cheltenham 1 bt Winchester 2 15/0, 15/2, 15/10
Cheltenham 2 bt Malvern 2 15/8, 15/10, 15/12
Harrow 1 bt Radley 1 15/2, 15/6, 15/12
Malvern 1 bt Tonbridge 3 15/5, 15/3, 15/5
Tuesday 18th September
Eton 1 bt Cheltenham 3 15/2, 15/7, 15/8
Harrow 2 bt Eton 2 15/11, 9/15, 15/6, 15/4
Report by A Gourlay
The Noel Bruce Cup always starts the rackets season with a bang. This year we had a high quality entry of twenty-three pairs from twelve schools. Four pairs were seeded, the 2011 finalists, Harrow I (Alex Titchner-Barrett & Charlie Danby) were seeded one, with Cheltenham I (Queens Club Head Pro, Ben Snell and Nick James) the second seeds. Eton I (Guy Smith-Bingham and James Rowland Clarke) and Winchester II (Patrick Maxwell and James Bailey) made up the seeds, three and four. The rest of the pairs had to endure a group qualifying round where they were placed into groups of four with the winners and runner-ups advancing through to the round of 16. The qualifying sessions, produced some intriguing rackets. In Group A, Harrow II (Joe Bone and Alaister Orchard) won all their matches easily however the closest match of the group was between Marlborough I (F Roumani & Sam Barclay) who narrowly lost to Winchester II (W Morse and B Philbrow) 13/18, 17/14, 15/6, this was made even more painful for the Marlborough pair as they served twice for the match. Winchester II became the runners-up in the group by the skin of their teeth. Group B provided a tantalising final game between the then unbeaten Charterhouse I (Alastair Gourlay & Rupert Ramsay) and also the unbeaten Malvern II (Ryan Tulley & Tom Seymore-Mead) fighting for the group winners place. However Malvern II proved too strong for Charterhouse and finished top of the group with Charterhouse I coming in as runners-up. The return of former top player Rupert Owen-Browne partnering Nick Hutton for Tonbridge I was a terrific sight to see as they powered themselves through the group matches until they encountered Cheltenham II (Andrew Stout and Alex Coldicott), however it was the former world singles challenger who upped his game in the 3rd to take the winners spot for Tonbridge with Cheltenham II qualifying as runners-up. Group D, became a group of three, after a last minute drop out, and provided some of the most intriguing games on paper with Malvern I (the Bomford Brothers – Ben and Tom) fighting it out against Wellington I (Mark Penna & James Fuller) and Eton II (Charlie Braithwaite & Max Seely) making up the third spot. Although Eton II were quickly dispatched by Malvern I, a walkover against Wellington in their favour put them through as runners-up. However Wellington I went down fighting, and put in a terrific effort against Malvern I by taking them to three games, before losing valiantly. The final group, consisted of Radley I (Mark Silcox & Simon Higson), Malvern IV (Olly Sloane & Hylands), Tonbridge III (J Maltz & Alex Judd) with Sevenoaks (Oli Harris and Simon Mansfield) making up the group. Radley proved too strong for all of their other competitors with Tonbridge III coming in as runners-up. Although history was made with Sevenoaks recording their first ever victory – albeit a walkover but it’s the participation that counts. With the winners and runners-up secured in the qualifying, two lucky losers were also picked on the total number of points achieved during their three matches. Marlborough I and Cheltenham III were also through.
With the qualifying over the knockout competition won with the round of 16 announced. All were fairly straightforward games for Harrow I, Tonbridge I, Harrow II, Winchester I, Eton I, Malvern I and Cheltenham I & II. With the quarter-final stage beginning the most intriguing match was Cheltenham I & II fighting it off against each other. But messieurs Snell and James proved too strong for Coldicott and Stout. Harrow I beat Tonbridge I, fairly easily, but it was Harrow II who shocked the number four seeds Winchester I and advanced to the semis to face their first pair. Eton I dispatched Malvern I, three games to love, although they were pushed in the first game to a set to five. The semi-finals were set and Harrow I beat their second pair by four games to one and Cheltenham easily dispatched Eton I four games to love.
With the final pairs announced, it proved a tantalising encounter. With a packed gallery, Cheltenham certainly had the vocal support as they vied for their first ever Noel Bruce cup. With the first game beginning at 1915, it certainly proved a match where everything was to be thrown at it. Within the first minute, the crowd knew that they were in for something special as the ball was hit with ferocious pace around the walls. Nick James and Alex Titchner-Barrett exchange powerful blows at each other, both utilising the angles to great effect. The man of the first game was certainly Nick James who was ably supported by his partner. Cheltenham took the lead 14-11 but were both put out. ATB served first and at 12- 14, a tense encounter occurred as three lets were called on his serve. On his forth try, ATB aced Snell to take it to 13/14. Serving to James, he faulted his first serve and on his second was duly punished by James’s classy double handed backhand. As the second string, Danby took to the service box, Snell easily returned serve and fierce rally ensued finishing with an unforced error by Danby. Cheltenham were back in the box, serving for the game 14/13. Nick James was put out immediately and it was Snell to try and close the game. His first serve, a fault, on his second serve the rallies began and after an exchange of more than twenty shots, Snell forced the ball in the back left hand corner which subsequently died on the floor. Cheltenham were one game up. The second game began with Cheltenham being put out immediately, ATB stepped up to serve and was duly put out too, however Danby served for a run of five points. Cheltenham retaliated and put together a run of 6 hard earned points. But it was Harrows turn to take control and the game finished 15/7. The game score was 1 – 1. The third game, started again with no points earned from the pair serving and Cheltenham reacted by racing away to 8/0. Harrow managed to get them out but couldn’t capitalise on their serves and before they knew it they were 11/2 down in the game. With some strong serving from James, Cheltenham took the third 15/5. With the clock reading 2045, the match was proving to be a real testament of mental and physical fitness and the fourth game proved to a real cracker. Cheltenham again failed to capitalise on serving first and Harrow raced into the lead with eight points. Cheltenham answered their serves and managed to pull back to 7-8. Some ferocious points were then exchanged both pairs failed to capitalise on getting each other out and after further attempts at serving, both pairs reached 10/10. The game was anyone’s. However it was Harrow who took the initiative and closed out the game 15/10. With over two hours played and four games completed, and the game was all square at two games all. The crowd were boisterously supporting Cheltenham, but Harrow had the last laugh, and took the fifth game with ease, 15/2. The sixth game started tentatively, with both teams in and out quickly and Cheltenham slightly ahead 3/2. Harrow got back in and served to 7/4. But Cheltenham responded with Snell serving to 9/7, before being put out by some solid defence play by Danby who seemed literally unmovable from the front of the court. Some closely fought rallies brought the sides to 12/12 before James who was quite literally exhausted managed a cheeky back hand drive down the side of court to get the Harrow pair out. The crowd went bananas. Cheltenham stepped up and served the game out. It was three games all. With physical exhaustion evident on both sides, Cheltenham once again failed to score any points from being the first hand in and were duly put out. ATB stepped up and using all of his experience served point after point to race to 13/0. The final nail was in the coffin and Cheltenham tried everything to get back into the game, but could only manage two points. With ATB back on serve again, he duly served one ace and then with everything Snell and James tried to get control of the serve but failed losing the final game 15/2. Harrow had the won the Noel Bruce Cup four games to three.