The scratch Eton pair of Guy Smith-Bingham and Mark Hue Williams won an exciting Noel Bruce final by the narrowest of margins, with Harrows Harry Foster and Charlie Danby finishing second for the third year in a row.

The first game seemingly set the tone for the rest of the match with the hard hitting Eton pair, who were also winning more points on serve, controlling the rallies. This pattern was continued in the second game,by the end of which Eton had served 12 aces to three from Harrow.The third game showed signs of a revival from Harrow and indeed they reached 12/9 before a service run of six from Mark Hue Williams which included five aces saw Eton win the game.

The next three games were almost a mirror image of the first three. Eton took early leads in all three of them 5/0,8/0 and 6/0 before Harrow pulled them back and won the games for the loss of very few more points.

Danby and Foster played more consistently and made fewer errors than the Etonians in these games,and in the sixth game came from 0/8 behind to take the game and keep the opposition pointless in only three hands.

Harrows effort proved in vain however and Eton led 11/1 and then 14/5 in the final game and although Harrow fought back to 11/14 Eton held on for victory.