University Challenge 2015-16: Round 1: Match 8: Sussex vs Queen's

Evening all. Onwards and upwards into the second half of the first round. It's perhaps fair to say that, apart from Manchester getting (so heavily) beaten, we haven't seen anything that memorable so far this series. Maybe tonight's show would give us something memorable.

The University of Sussex is a plate glass founded in 1961 and based just outside Brighton.Alumni include novelist Ian McEwan, trusted newsman Michael Buerk and rock sensation Billy Idol. It won UC twice in the 1960s; last year, it sent a pleasant team who lost to St Peter's and Manchester in the first round and repechage respectively. This year's foursome were:
Oliver Raven, from Somerset, studying Contemporary European Studies
Anushka Dave, from Lewes, studying Science and Technology Policy
Captain: Seb Zarrelli, from Crowthorne in Berkshire, studying Astrophysics
Dan Elbro, from Cambridge, studying PPE

Queen's University Belfast began life as as one of three colleges established in 1845, and later became a university in 1908. Alumni include former Irish premier Mary McAleese and comedian Patrick Kielty. It too won UC in the ITV days, in 1981; it last sent a team two years ago, who had a decent run to the QFs before narrowly losing to SOAS. This year's quartet were:
Alistair Mallon, from Belfast, studying Irish Studies
Jethro Waldron, from Ripley in Derbyshire, studying Irish Literature
Captain: Jack Ruddy, from Dorset, studying History
Charlie Shimmins, from the Isle of Man, studying International Politics and Conflict Studies

Off we set again then, and Queen's kicked off first courtesy of their captain Mr Ruddy, and took one bonus on Canada. Sussex followed immediately, and they too took one bonus from their set on elements. Queen's took a second starter, and bettered their start by taking two bonuses. The first picture round, on Turner Prize winning artists, went to Queen's, but none of the bonuses followed (I got two of them), which meant they led 45-15 at the end of the first innings.

Queen's took the next starter to extend that lead, and took two bonuses from a good set on second lines of novels. Sussex were somewhat unlucky to miss the next starter, allowing Queen's to take it, and one of the bonuses proved handy for Mr Shimmins, for the Isle of Man was the answer! Mr Zarrelli took a second starter for Sussex, and a full set of bonuses on milk pudding ingredients showed they weren't taking being outbuzzed lying down. Another starter to Queen's, and one bonus took them into treple figures.

The music round, on artists who have performed at presidential inauguration celebrations, went to Queen's, who took just one bonus, and thus increased their lead to 115-40. Mr Mallon took a third starter in a row, and a full set of bonuses upped their lead to 100 points. Sussex broke back with the next starter, and they too took a full bonus set. A second starter in a row went Sussex's way, but no bonuses followed this time.

The second picture starter was missed by both teams; the bonuses, on portraits by John Singer Sargant, went to Sussex, who took two, and thus had sliced the gap down to 140-95. Another starter went Sussex's way, and, even though just one bonus went with it, you suspected they had now built up a head of steam. Indeed, they took a fifth correct starter in a row, and one bonus on test cricket reduced the gap to just fifteen.

But that was as close as Sussex would get, as Mr Waldron woke Queen's up again with the next starter, and a full set of bonuses US military interventions followed. A second starter in a row to Queen's produced no bonuses, but when Mr Waldron took a third, that was game over. Two bonuses followed, and the gong cut the next starter off. Queen's won 195-125.

A pretty good tense match that could have gone either way until Queen's pulled away at the end. Unlucky Sussex, who were a decent enough team, and I suspect they won't quite have done enough to reach the repechage, but well done to them anyway on a respectable effort. Well done to Queen's though; a decent first showing, and I look forward to seeing you play again!

For the first time this series, all eight players got at least one starter correct. Joint best buzzers of the night were Mr Zarrilli for Sussex and Mr Mallon for Queen's, with four each. On the bonuses, Sussex converted 11 out of 21, while Queen's managed 17 out of 33. There were no penalties all night, which is good.

Next week's match: a Cambridge derby between King's and Sidney Sussex

I'll review last week's Only Connect tomorrow night, and tonight's on Wednesday night.