University Challenge 2019-20: Round 1: Match 4: Birmingham vs Bristol

Evening all. So, for the first time in a few years, we're not having a week off on the first Monday of August, so here we are with the fourth match of the series, and a classic tie between two instituitions of a similar age and reputation. Winners tonight would go through to the second round, as would the runners-up if they scored high enough.

Birmingham University is a red brick founded in its current form in 1900, having been around in some form since 1825. Alumni include the late great Victoria Wood, actor and comedian Chris Addison, and fellow quiz blogger Iain Weaver. It last sent a team three series ago, who reached the quarter-finals before losing to eventual winners Balliol. This year's foursome were:
Alex Milone, from Brockenhurst in Hampshire, studying Medicine
Izzy Lewis, from Monmouth, studying Physics
Captain: Zoe Bleything, from Thornbury in Gloucestershire, studying Medicine
Ben Sculfor, from Aylesbury, studying Maths

Bristol University came into being in 1909, having also been around in various other forms beforehand. Alumni include physicist Paul Dirac, comedy personalities Matt Lucas and David Walliums, and author David Nicholls, author of 'Starter for Ten', the famous novel based on a quiz of some sort. It has sent a team to UC for the last six series unless I'm mistaken; last year's lost to eventual winners Edinburgh in the quarters. This year's quartet were:
Ben Allen, from South Buckinghamshire, studying Aerospace Engineering
Dan Hawkins, from Locks Heath in Hampshire, studying Geology
Captain: Laura Denton, from Winchester, studying Geology and Biology
Ben Joynson, from Nailsworth in Gloucestershire, studying Chemistry

Off we set again then, and Mr Allen took the first starter of the night by identifying the forthcoming sequel to the Handmaid's Tale; just the one bonus came from the first set. Birmingham followed them off the mark thanks to Mr Sculfor, and they fared rather better, taking a full set of their first bonuses. Bristol drew level on the next starter though, and took the lead with two bonuses from a classic UC bonus set on pairs of words differing in the replacing of a U with an E. Another starter to Bristol, and a full set of bonuses went with it, suddenly giving them a strong early lead. The first picture round, on electron dot diagrams of the structures of chemical compounds, went to Bristol, who took two bonuses, increasing their lead to 80-25.

Mr Allen was unfortunate to drop five on the next starter; he heard "Introduced by the English Football League in January 2018...", and shot straight in with 'VAR'. Alas, the question was actually about the Rooney Rule; Birmingham didn't know that, but Mr Milone took the next starter for them, and they took one bonus on fictional hotels. Mr Sculfor then gave them a second starter in a row, and they took two bonuses from the resulting set this time. It was then their turn to drop five though, but, likewise, Bristol didn't pick up. Mr Hawkins took the next starter for them though, and they took a sole bonus on women's sporting achievements, missing another due to not knowing Tracey Neville's forename. (Quoth the Paxman, "Shame on you!")

The music round, on classical pieces used in the films of Wes Anderson, went to Birmingham; no bonuses came though, so they trailed 90-65. The gap narrowed though as Mr Sculfor took the next starter, and bonuses on December 10th gave them two bonuses to pull within five. Then nothing, as Bristol lost five on the next starter, and Mr Milone picked up the drop, giving them the lead; two bonuses followed. Back came Bristol on the next starter though, and two bonuses on rock bands gave them back the lead.

The second picture round, on children's laureates, went to Bristol, who quickly snapped up all three bonuses, which increased their advantage to 130-100. Still either team's game though, and Mr Sculfor kept his side in the game with 'hyperbolic geometry'; a complex bonus set on chemical formulae saw them take a very impressive full set to close the gap to five.

Again, a Bristol penalty put the sides level again, but Birmingham failed to take the lead with the next starter. The next starter asked for a Dickens novel without a character's name in the title; neither team guessed the right one, The Old Curiosity Shop. Then came a crucial moment, as, asked for the year which saw, among other events, Churchill's Iron Curtain speech occurred, Mr Allen was 'ONE YEAR OUT!', and lost another five to boot, giving Birmingham the lead. Another starter was dropped before one finally came up that Mr Sculfor knew... but the gong went before he could give the answer! Not that it mattered, Birmingham won 125-120.

A low scoring match, but a very close one between two reasonable enough teams. Unlucky Bristol, just pipped right at the death, and whose score I don't think will be quite enough for the play-offs, but thanks for playing. Well done Birmingham though, and very best of luck in the next round!

The stats: Mr Sculfor was, just, the best buzzer of the night, with four starters to Mr Hawkins' three. On the bonuses, Birmingham converted 12 out of 21 (with one penalty), while Bristol managed 14 out of 21 (with an ultimately costly four penalties), that's how close and even it was.

Next week's match: Wolfson College Cambridge vs St John's College Oxford