Evening all. On we go with the second of ten quarter-finals. No-one will be going home or through tonight, but the winners could afford to lose again and would only have to win once more to go through, while the runners-up up couldn't afford another loss and would have to win twice again to go through. Even Paxo appears to be fed up with this system now; a sure sign that reform is needed!
St Catharine's College Cambridge narrowly defeated our old friends Southampton in the first round, and more convincingly saw off Nottingham in the second, doing very well on both the buzzer and the bonuses on both occasions, giving them reasonable chance of progression. They were the still the same foursome:
Calum Watson, from Stirlingshire, studying Maths
Ellie Chan, from Brighton, studying History of Art
Captain: Calum Bungey, from London, studying Chemistry
Alex Cranston, from London, studying Biological Natural Sciences
St John's College Oxford comfortably defeated Bristol in their first match, and Queen's University Belfast in their second, comfortably winning the buzzer race both times, though their bonus rate was much better first time around than second. They were also unchanged from before:
Alex Harries, from South Wales, studying History
Charlie Clegg, from Glasgow, studying Theology
Captain: Angus Russell, from Mill Hill in North London, studying History and Russian
Dan Sowood, from Uxbridge in Middlesex, studying Chemistry
Off we set again then, and St John's set off first courtesy of Mr Clegg, and two bonuses on literary clergymen followed. St Catharine's followed them off the mark, with Mr Bungey, superb in the earlier rounds, doing the honours again, though just one bonus followed. A second starter went to St Catharine's, and two bonuses followed this time, but then a slip-up pushed them back slightly. St John's promptly drew level, and then took the lead with their bonuses. The first picture round, on £2 coins, went to St John's, who swept the bonuses clean, and thus led 60-30.
Mr Bungey promptly took St Catharine's back into proceedings, and two bonuses on Shakespeare followed. The Cambridge side took another starter, but just one bonus followed from a tricky set on Internet codes and UK postcode districts. It was enough to put them in front, but St John's reclaimed the lead thanks to Mr Clegg, and took all three bonuses on US presidents, giving them more breathing space.
The music starter was dropped by both sides; the bonuses, on operatic pieces inspired by the Bible, went to St John's, who took one, and upped their lead to 100-65. St Catharine's fought back courtesy of Mr Cranston, and did well to take two bonuses from a rather complicated physics set. St John's weren't going to let them catch up, though, Mr Clegg taking another starter, and a full set of bonuses accompanying it. Another starter to St John's, two bonuses, and they were firmly in the driving seat going into the home straight.
The second picture round, on portraits of European monarchs by court painters, went to St John's, who took one bonuses, and so now led 160-85. Another starter went to St John's, and, though just the one bonus followed (though, again, it was another complicated set), they were now 90 ahead, and within a starter of putting the game out of reach. St Catharine's, however, kept their hopes alive, with Mr Watson taking the next starter, and all three bonuses accompanied it.
Another starter, a very impressive piece of quick arithmetic, went to Mr Watson, and two bonuses went with it, and now the gap was within reach again. Mr Cranston gave St Catharine's another starter, and another two bonuses meant they were now just one starter and full bonus set away! They got the starter they needed, but only two of the three bonuses left them five adrift! And that was the gong! St John's scraped it, 175-170!
Another cracking match between two finely matched teams, both worthy of the semis. Unlucky St Catharine's, but a valiant effort, so nearly a superb fightback pulled off, and very best of luck in your eliminator! Very well done to St John's, though; another good performance, and they did well to weather that late surge, and very best of luck in your qualifier!
Mr Clegg was the best buzzer of the night, with seven starters to his name, while Mr Bungey was, again, best for St Catharine's with four. On the bonuses, and this is extraordinary, both sides converted 17 out of 27, but St Catharine's incurred a penalty, which was the deciding factor! I don't think we've had such a finely balanced match in the nearly four years I've been doing this! Superb stuff!
Next week's match: don't know yet, but Imperial, Nuffield, Newcastle and Liverpool are the teams in the hat
Now that Only Connect is over for another series, I'll need some new spring filler. I'll get my thinking hat on, and get back to yous in the coming weeks.
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