Evening all. So, we're back to the regular series after our two weeks of Christmas specials. And we start the New Year with a fixture similar to that which we started last year with: one of the standout high scorers of the first round vs a middle of the road scoring team. Last year, the middling team won; would lightning strike twice?
Durham soundly won the battle of my Mother's alumni back in August, as they demolished Strathclyde 360-55, the highest score seen on the regular contest this century. Very much hoping for more of the same tonight were the unchanged foursome of:
Sian Round, from the Wirral, studying English
Cameron Yule, from North London, studying English
Captain: Matthew Toynbee, from South Derbyshire, studying Maths
Ben Murray, from Davenham in Cheshire, studying Chemistry
Keble College Oxford had a slightly closer run contest in their first match against East Anglia, ultimately winning 185-110 thanks to an impressive late spurt. Hoping history would repeat itself from last year were the also unchanged quartet of:
Ellen Pasternack, from London, studying Evolutionary Biology
Michael Green, from Boston, Massachusetts, studying PPE
Captain: Rose Atkinson, from Durham, studying Physics
Thomas Player, from Damerham in the New Forest, studying Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Off we set again then, and Mr Green opened the scoring for the night with 'Da Vinci'; his side, though, failed to make the most of the early advantage and didn't take any bonuses. Ms Pasternack, impressive in the first round, took a second starter to the Oxonians, and fish bonuses proved more to their liking, taking two. Mr Murray took Durham's first starter of the night, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC provided their first bonus set, of which they got two correct. A second starter went to Durham courtesy of Ms Round, and the Wearsiders took the lead with a full bonus set. The first picture round, on algebraic chess notation, went to Durham, who took another pair of bonuses, which gave them a lead of 65-30.
Mr Toynbee moved his side further ahead with 'Simnel cake', but his side managed just the one bonus, on building material, this time. Composer and alumnus of the Xmas UC series just finished Anne Dudley reappeared as the subject of Durham's next bonus set, but, again, they only took the one bonus (the same one I got). Mr Green finally reawoke his side, and they too managed just a single bonus, on scientific awards. An unfortunate pedantic penalty then knocked that five off Keble's score, but Durham failed to capitalise. They did, though, when the Oxonians incurred a second slip-up in a row, and duly reasserted their authority with a full bonus set.
The music round, on singers who share their surnames with prime ministers, went to Durham, who failed to add to their score, but had now built up a lead of 130-35. Ms Pasternack promptly came in and recouped the points her side had earlier lost, but the bonuses, on Latin American national flags, didn't add to their score. A second starter in a row went to the Oxonians, but, again, they drew a blank with the bonuses. Mr Murray promptly resumed Durham's scoring, and a bonus set on plagiarism provided them with two correct answers, and, the way things were going, pretty much wrapped up the game.
The second picture round, on self portraits with dogs, went to Durham, who took one correct bonus, increasing their lead to 165-55. And what looked like an educated guess from Mr Toynbee increased the lead further; a bonus set on yoga didn't add to their score, but it didn't really matter now, the match was won.
A second starter in a row went to the Durham captain; again, no bonuses followed, but now it was really just a matter of how high each side could get. Ms Pasternack upped Keble's score a bit when she took the next starter, and one bonus went with it. A second starter went to the Oxonians, and they fared better with a bonus set on ancient Egypt, taking two. Back came Durham with Mr Yule though, and one bonus was enough to bring up their double century. Keble managed their single century when Mr Green took the next starter, but the gong cut off their bonus deliberation. Durham won 200-100.
Another one sided contest, but still a watchable one still. Unlucky Keble, a reasonable team unfortunate to draw such strong opponents this early, but a fair effort to go out on, thanks very much indeed for playing! Very well done to Durham, though, on another strong showing against decent opposition, and very best of luck in the group stage!
The stats: Messrs Toynbee, Murray and Green were the joint best buzzers of the night, with four each. On the bonuses, Durham converted 16 out of 36, while Keble managed just 6 out of 23 (with two penalties).
Next week's match: don't know yet, but reports suggest Downing vs Darwin and Warwick vs Bristol are the remaining two first round fixtures.
Only Connect saw its final elimination match tonight; hopefully I'll be able to review it a bit quicker than last week's game.
Happy new year to you and fellow readers! Unusually tonight I watched with a glass of wine and wasn't quick off the mark with my own answers to my shame as several questions fell within my area....
ReplyDeleteI thought Keble were better than the scoreline and Paxo's sniffy comments at the end suggested. They got off to a good start but suffered a number of baulked starters. That said I would have put money on Durham. Really good team but they may have to be faster on the buzzer.
If the Downing Vs Darwin is true that will make for an interesting contest, shades of John's versus Corpus last year. That could be a Titanic match and Darwin will be up against sterner opposition! I have a building feeling that this year we may see a non-Oxbridge final but let's see.
On another note the Christmas oldies matches were the best for some time, in my humble opinion. Not really sure the best team won the final, I remember thinking the questions seemed to favour the Fen poly side....!