Evening all. Apologies if my blog is a bit scant this week, but A, my left hand is a bit sore today for some reason, and B, I'm listening to Monkman and Seagull's Polymathic Adventure on Radio 4 while I write this!
York University was an idea first suggested by James I, but wasn't founded until 1963; alumni include writer Graham Swift, Labour politician Harriet Harman and BBC DG Greg Dyke. It has regularly sent decent teams to UC, sitting last series out after reaching the semis two series ago. This year's foursome were:
Connor Bindler, from London, studying History
Ben Longworth, from Halifax, studying History
Captain: Benjamin Maier, from Oxford, studying English
Matthew de Sousa, from Macclesfield, studying Medicine
Warwick University was founded just two years later in 1965, and, based in Coventry, is named after the county of Warwickshire rather than the city. Alumni include Brexit bulldog David Davis, actor and writer Stephen Merchant and radio DJ Simon Mayo. It's team won UC in 2006-07, and has sent many a strong team over the years, last year's four reaching the QFs. This year's quartet were:
Flora Jackson, from York, studying English and Creative Writing
Daniel Arribas, from Madrid, studying Maths
Captain: Ben Salter, from Wiveliscombe in Somerset, studying Maths
Charlotte Symons, from Mid Wales, studying Writing
Off we set again then, and Ms Symons opened the night's scoring, and Warwick took a double of bonuses on poetry. York then lost five with their first buzz, allowing Warwick a second starter in a row, and a second pair of bonuses. This seemed to set the tone for the first part of the match, as a third starter was accompanied by two bonuses on the Rosetta Stone (tying in nicely with Monkman and Seagull's program tonight!). A second York penalty went unpicked-up on this time, but Mr Salter took the next, and, once again, two bonuses were taken. The first picture round, on events on 1817, went to Warwick, who took, you guessed it, two bonuses, which gave them a lead of 100-(-10).
Mr de Sousa had had quite enough of that, taking York's first starter of the night, and they put five points on the board by taking one bonus. Those five points were then surrendered to another penalty; Warwick picked up, and took a full bonus set on post-war US elections. Mr Maier then took York's second starter, celebrating nicely with raised arms! Two bonuses followed.
The music round, on acts who began their careers at CBGB, went to York, who took another two bonuses, which reduced their arrears to 120-40. Back came Warwick with Mr Salter taking a quick buzz though, just the one bonus on diseases accompanying this time. Mr Salter was very quick on the next starter though, handing his side a bonus set on Robert Baden-Powell, or Robert 'Baden-Pole', as Paxo called him throughout the round! All three were taken this time. York then lost another five, but Warwick couldn't pick up this time; Ms Symons took the next starter though, and just the one bonus followed again.
The second picture round, on sculptures of lions, went to Warwick (mainly thanks to the starter being from Mr Arribas' native Spain!), who took two bonuses, which left the scores at 195-35. Mr de Sousa did the right thing and tried his luck on the next starter, but was wrong, so were Warwick. Mr Longworth took the next starter though, remembering Cameroon as the winner's of the last African Cup of Nations. Bonuses on UK journeys handed them two correct answers.
With the match long over as a contest, it was now simply a question of how high both teams could get. Warwick broke 200 when they took the next starter, but got nothing from a bonus set on royal burial sites. Ms Symons then identified B and Z as the two consonants linking, among other things, Charles Dickens' pen name; the resultant bonus set on tit birds saw them take just the one correct answer, which they shouted out before Paxo could finish! Mr de Sousa took another starter for York, and a well taken full bonus set gave them a respectable score and within sight of 100. They couldn't quite get there though, Warwick took the final starter and two of the set of bonuses there was time for. At the gong, Warwick won 240-80.
A rather one sided match, but a watchable one nonetheless. Unlucky York, who were certainly not a bad team from what we saw of them, and I suspect would've beaten another team, but thanks very much for playing. Very well done Warwick though; an excellent performance against decent opposition, and certainly capable of going far in the contest with a favourable draw; very best of luck in the second round!
The stats: Mr Salter and Ms Symons were joint best on the buzzers with four each, while Messrs Maier and de Sousa were York's joint best with two each. On the bonuses, York converted a decent 10 out of 15 (with four penalties), while Warwick managed a solid 23 out of 39 (with one penalty). Like I said, could be a team to watch.
Next week's match: Oxford Brookes vs the Courtauld Institute
Only Connect on Friday as usual, with review on Sunday, and don't forget, if you missed it just now, to look up Monkman and Seagull's Polymathic Adventure online; well worth listening to!
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