University Challenge 2020-21: Round 2: Match 5: St John's vs Balliol

Good evening everyone, and welcome back! I went into tonight's match in good spirits after a superb FA Cup draw, highlight of which was Marine of the eighth tier drawing PL bigwigs Tottenham! But, now, I feel a tad deflated, not because of the show, it was another great one, but because, whoever had lost, it would've resulted in another good team being knocked out unfairly early. I don't want to start talking about that every week again; just re-read what I said a while back here.

St John's College Cambridge were comfortable winners in their first match against the Royal Academy of Music, leading almost throughout and winning 220-50. They were the same four as before: 

Rebecca Marrow, from the Peak District, studying Biology

Milena Malcharek, from Krakow, studying Biological Natural Sciences

Captain: Tom Musgrove, from Shotesham in Norfolk, graduated History, about to start an MPhil in World History

Sam Willis, from London, graduated in History

 

Balliol College Oxford, in contrast, were on level terms with Clare of Cambridge throughout their first match, and ultimately snuck home 150-135. Playing their sub tonight, they were now:

Ben Tomasi, from Sydney, graduated in Law

Selen Scholefield, from Bath, studying Classics

Captain: Michael O'Connor, from Blackheath in London, graduated in Philosophy and Politics, about to start a graduate degree in Philosophy

Lily Crowther, from Royal Leamington Spa, studying History

 

So off we set, and Mr O'Connor opened the night's scoring by identifying 'Valentine' as the saint linking various given clues; the Oxonians took two bonuses on histories of the world. The Balliol captain took the second and third starters as well, with his side taking a full set of bonuses and just one from the respective sets. St John's opened their account on the fourth starter with Mr Musgrove taking it, and they took two bonuses on French artists. The first picture round, on lists of a composer's works in their native Russian, went to Balliol; two bonuses took their lead to 80-20.

Another starter to Mr O'Connor, and a full bonus set on Monopoly, and Balliol had already broken three figures. St John's, though, now began to recover, Ms Malcharek taking the next starter, and the side taking a full house on the Electoral College. Mr Musgrove then took two starters in a row, and the side took three of the six bonuses, thus putting well back in the game. They also took the music round, on operatic arias sung by the late Mirella Freni; two bonuses saw them close the gap to 105-100.

Back awoke Balliol though, with Mr O'Connor once again doing the honours, and two bonuses on geology were taken. Back came St John's thanks to Mr Willis, and they also took two bonuses, gap back to five points. The next starter was a long one which eventually boiled down to "Who was president of France from 1995 to 2007?"; Mr O'Connor was first in with Jacques Chirac, and the bonuses, appropriately, were on French departments, just one taken though. The second picture round, on artworks that prominently feature text, went to St John's; one bonus meant the gap was back to five points, 140-135.

A straight sprint to the finish it would be then. Ms Marrow gave St John's the lead for the first time with 'interferons', and the Cambridge side took two bonuses on 'I's in science. Back hit Balliol with Mr O'Connor once again, and bonuses on flightless birds also gave them two correct, and the lead back. Ms Crowther then took a crucial starter of 'wasabi', and two also crucial bonuses were taken. And when Mr O'Connor took the next starter, that was game over. No bonuses followed, but it mattered not. At the gong, Balliol won 200-155.

A top match between two fine teams, neither of whom deserved to go out for good at this stage; I could've said that about a lot of first round matches lately. Well done to Balliol on another great performance and best of luck in the QFs! And well done to St John's too, a good showing to go out on!

The stats: Mr O'Connor was easily the night's best buzzer with NINE(!) starters, while Ms Malcharek and Mr Musgrove were best for St John's with three each. On the bonuses, St John's managed 15 out of 24, and Balliol 18 out of 30.

Next week's match: again, don't know, will retweet anything I find.

Only Connect moved on to its third eliminator, between the Whitcombes and the Severns. They were very closely matched over the first two rounds, the Whitcombes leading 4-3 after the first round, and the Severns 9-8 after the second (I got the odd letters sequence at the second clue). The Walls proved decisive, the Severns getting a full house while the Whitcombes only managed three, thus leaving them trailing 19-11. Missing Vowels was thus too much of a formality, the Severns winning 22-15.

 

Mastermind was won by Claire Barrow, whose 23 points was four ahead of the nearest contender, OC alumnus Lawrence Cook. Another OC, and UC, alumnus, Thomas de Bock, also participated.