Evening all. Well, I don't know about you, but I'm drained after tonight's quiz hour! I was already feeling tired enough after a good day at work, and, after a few hours rest, most of it spent listening to Alice Cooper, I was ready for some hardcore quizzing, and we certainly got that! For tonight's runners-up, a score of 180 or more would guarantee a return, but something around 160 would probably do.
Wolfson College Cambridge was founded in 1965 as University College, and is a mostly postgraduate college: alumni include musician Matthew Fisher and retired politician Rupiah Banda. It has only appeared once before in the BBC series, when its team unluckily lost to Sussex by just five points in the 2003-04 first round. This year's foursome were:
Justin Yang, from Vancouver, studying Public Health and Primary Care
Ben Chaudhri, from Cumbria, studying Natural Sciences
Captain: Eric Monkman, from Oakville, Canada, studying Economics
Paul Cosgrove, from Cookstown in Northern Ireland, studying Nuclear Energy
The London School of Oriental and African Studies, or SOAS for short, dates back to 1916, and is also predominately postgraduate; alumni include musician Paul Robeson and Asian politician Aung San Suu Kyi. It last sent a team three series ago, who had a good run to the semi finals before losing to eventual runners-up Somerville. This year's quartet were:
David Bostock, from Cheltenham, studying Southeast Asian Studies
Magda Biran-Taylor, from Harrow, studying Southeast Asian Studies
Captain: Henry Edwards, from London, studying Near and Middle Eastern Studies
Odette Chalaby, from London, studying Near and Middle Eastern Studies
Off we set again then, and Mr Monkman very confidently got the game underway by identifying The Colour of Magic as the first Discworld novel, as did I; a full bonus set on scientists and their musicians, including Richard Feynman and the bongos (thanks Big Bang Theory!). Mr Monkman took a second starter as well, but just one bonus followed this time. Three starters in a row were then dropped, all three incurring penalties, one of which, for Wolfson, was one of those borderline ones. Ms Biran-Taylor finally stopped the rot by taking SOAS's first starter of the night, and the Londoners took just one bonus on explosives. The first picture round, on islands in the Greater Antilles, went to SOAS, who took two bonuses, unluckily missing the third, which put them on level pegging, 30-each.
Mr Monkman restored Wolfson's lead, and a bonus set of the Battle of the Somme provided them with five more points. (I really should have done better on that set, given I've actually been there) Mr Edwards pulled SOAS within five, and they took the lead thanks to a full bonus set on rice cultivation. Back came Wolfson thanks to Mr Cosgrove, and they retook the lead with two bonuses. Mr Monkman appeared to realise his answer to the next starter was wrong as he was saying it; Mr Bostock picked up the points, and SOAS took two bonuses, again unluckily missing the third.
The music round, on classical recordings by Ms Jacqueline du Pre, went to Wolfson, who took just the one bonus, which put them back in front 80-75. That lead was wiped out when Mr Monkman slipped up on the next starter, but SOAS couldn't capitalise. They did, however, when Mr Monkman incurred a second penalty in a row, and a bonus set of the Nobel Economics Prize provided them with two correct answers. Mr Monkman made up for his errors by taking the next starter, but just the one bonus followed this time. SOAS then incurred one of those borderline penalties (thus ensuring that the result wouldn't be tainted in any way), allowing Wolfson to take the points, and break into three figures first. Mr Yang took the next starter, and a full bonus set meant Wolfson now had a bit of daylight between their opponents.
The second picture round, on female tennis players who've completed the Singles Career Grand Slam, went to SOAS, who swept the board, cutting the gap to 130-115, and setting up a grandstand final stretch. Mr Edwards pulled them within five when he took the next starter, and a second consecutive clean sweep put them ahead again. Wolfson then incurred yet another penalty, allowing Mr Edwards a second consecutive starter; no bonuses followed this time. With the bit between his teeth, Mr Edwards took a third starter in a row, on types of penguin(!), and one crucial bonus followed.
But back came Wolfson, with Mr Monkman pouncing on a SOAS error, and the side wasting no time on the bonuses, shouting answers out before Paxo could complete them! An unlucky error from SOAS then handed Wolfson the next starter and the lead, and a second consecutive full bonus set meant SOAS now had it all to play for. Mr Edwards very quickly took the next starter, the side took two bonuses to draw level... and that was the gong! A 175-each tie!
Well well well, we haven't had one of these for a while! Normal tie-breaker rules: first to buzz in with the right answer takes the points. Mr Chaudhri was first in with the right answer on the question, and put Wolfson over the finish line!
An absolutely fantastic match between two very good, evenly matched teams, that went right to the wire! Very unlucky SOAS, but, as Paxo said, 175 will surely get you into the play-offs, so very very best of luck then. Very very well done to Wolfson though, and very best of luck to yous in the next round!
Messrs Monkman and Edwards were joint best buzzers of the night, with six each for their respective teams. On the bonuses, Wolfson converted 20 out of 30 (with five penalties), while SOAS managed 19 out of 29 (with four penalties); that's how close it was! Nine penalties must be a collective record of some sort, but all eight players got at least one starter right, so that sort of makes up for it! What a match!
After the credits, though, some sad news: Mr Bostock has sadly passed away since recording the series. A look at the SOAS website reveals it was just earlier this month. Such sad news; my deepest condolences go to his family.
Next week's match: Queen's University Belfast vs Birmingham
Only Connect saw three more UC alumni show up for an equally good close match! More on that tomorrow night.
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