Evening all. Another cold night, another early turn-on for the heating, and I'm writing this blog with one eye on the Italy-Sweden match, as the Azzuri try to avoid missing a World Cup for the first time since before both my parents were born! On an equally dramatic note, the second round of UC started tonight, the round where you can't afford to lose, as if you do, you're out for good; how fair that is remains up for debate, and is probably one of the reasons OC has introduced this bizarre new format for its current series.
Strathclyde won a low scoring but close first round match over Imperial of London, recovering from a slow first half to sneak ahead at the gong, 145-125. They were unchanged from that occasion:
Ian Brown, from Oban, studying to be an English teacher
James Flannigan, from Glasgow, studying Chemical Engineering
Captain: Alistair Logan, from Motherwell, studying Mechanical Engineering
Paul Dijkman, from Port Glasgow, studying Economics
Emmanuel College Cambridge also narrowly won on their first outing, winning a nip and tuck match over St Hugh's of Oxford 170-155, thus condemning their opponents to that defeat last week. They were also the same team as before:
Ed Derby, from Manchester, studying Physics
Kitty Chevallier, from Hampshire, studying Arabic and Hindi
Captain: Alex Mistlin, from Islington, studying Politics and International Relations
James Fraser, from Bristol, studying Medicine
Off we set again then, and Ms Chevallier opened the night's scoring by identifying the word 'scale'; a full bonus set on 'ploughs' provided them with an early full set. A penalty from Strathclyde handed the Cambridge side a second starter and full bonus set in a row, giving them an early 55 point lead. A third starter went to Emmanuel with Mr Fraser this time doing the honours, but just the one bonus on astronomy followed this time. Normal service then resumed as their fourth starter saw a third full bonus set, though Paxo was maybe a bit lenient to let them have one after they slightly mispronounced and were allowed to reanswer. The first picture starter was dropped; the bonuses, on sequences of flags of sports winners nationalities, went to Emmanuel, who took another full set, already giving them a lead of 115-(-5).
Strathclyde already looked like they might be out of it, but Mr Logan, their top buzzer in the first round, moved them back into positive figures with the next starter; one bonus on the Wirral, making a second UC appearance in as many weeks, went with it. A second starter in a row went the Strathclyde captain's way, and another single bonus on particle physics was taken by them. Mr Logan buzzed for a third starter in a row, but no answer came; Mr Derby took the pick-up, and Emmanuel took yet another full bonus set on disease symptoms, putting them back in the driving seat.
The music round, on classical pieces criticised by Cornelius Cardew, went to Emmanuel, who failed to add to their score for the first time of the night, leaving their lead at 150-25. A penalty then lost them five, but Strathclyde were unable to pick-up; Mr Logan took the next though, and the Scots side took two bonuses on cities in California. The Strathclyde captain then took a second starter in a row, and another two bonuses on calculus went with it, suggesting they could yet catch up with a good run. Mr Derby took one back for Emmanuel though, but nothing came from the resultant bonuses again.
Neither side identified a virginal in a painting by Vermeer for the second picture starter; the bonuses, on other Renaissance era musical instruments, went to Strathclyde, who got nothing from the set, despite a couple of good humourous guesses, which left their deficit at 155-75. Two starters in a row were then dropped, one entirely, unusual for those to make it to air these days; Mr Logan finally broke the deadlock with the next starter, but, again, they got nothing from the bonuses, suggesting they had left it too late to mount a fightback.
They gave it a good go though, Mr Brown identifying Turkey as the World's largest apricot producer; bonuses on pre-union Scottish kings (something I wish we'd see more of on TV quizzes) provided them with two correct to deservedly take them into triple figures. Mr Derby took the next starter for Emmanuel though, thus confirming for good that they couldn't be caught; the Cambridge side took one bonus on explorations (I got one of the ones they didn't, Burke and Wills). The final starter was dropped, and that was the gong; Emmanuel won 170-105.
A steady match that never quite caught fire, but remained interesting and watchable throughout. Unlucky Strathclyde, but a valiant effort that you can be pleased with, thanks very much for playing. Very well done Emmanuel though, a strong victory over good opponents, and very best of luck in the group stage!
The stats: Mr Logan was, just, the best buzzer of the night, with five to his name, while Mr Derby was Emmanuel's best with four. On the bonuses, Strathclyde converted 8 out of 21, while Emmanuel managed a pretty good 17 out of 27, and both sides incurred one penalty; so it was on the bonuses and marginally on the buzzer that the match was won.
Next week's match: don't know for sure. Someone on Wikipedia has put St John's vs Corpus Christi; if I find something more official on Twitter in the next week, I'll retweet it.
I'll be back with my usual Only Connect review on Tuesday; hopefully not long now before the Monday quiz hour is back where it belongs.
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