University Challenge 2021-22: Round 1: Match 14: Birmingham vs Sussex

Good evening again friends, and welcome back for the final first round match of this year's UC! It was a first round that started off low scoring, but has definitely improved as its gone on. Paxo summed up the situation nicely at the start of the show when he said the two teams competing had two objectives: win, or, failing that, lose with 140 or more to ensure a play-off place. And if they did, we'd have a rather awkward tie for the last two places on the board... (Incidentally, with no Oxbridge teams tonight, that leaves the total for this series at nine, which I think may be a record low for a 28 team BBC series)

Birmingham University is appearing for the 11th time in the BBC era; of those ten previous, it's joint best were two appearances in QFs, including the 1994-95 team that Iain Weaver of Weaver's Week unsuccessfully auditioned for. It's last appearance was two series ago, when they lost in the second round. This year's foursome were:

Mark McParlan, from Crosby near Liverpool, studying History and English

John Robinson, from Birmingham (originally Sevenoaks), studying Literature and Culture

Captain: Michael Joel Bartelle, from San Antonio, Texas, studying Shakespeare Studies

Jaimy Sajit, from Derby, studying Medicine

 

The University of Sussex won the show twice in the ITV era, shortly after its foundation in fact, but, in its seven prior BBC appearances, has never cleared the second round; its last appearance before tonight, in 2015-16, saw it lose in the first round and just miss out on a repechage place. This year's quartet were:

Marianne Glascott, from Lingfield in Surrey, studying Climate Change Development and Policy

Spike Asri, from Oxfordshire, studying Geography and International Development

Tom Khan-White, from Cym-twrch Uchaf in South Wales, studying Medicine

Jack Harcourt, from Fulham, studying Social Anthropology

 

So off we set for the final time this first round, and the first starter of the night went to Mr Robinson, who I thought I recognised, and eventually realised to be the same John Robinson who won £500,000 on WWTBAM a couple of years back; it was his captain for whom the first bonuses fell nicely though, a full set on Shakespeare quotes. Birmingham dominated the opening exchanges, Messrs Bartelle and Robinson taking the next two starters and three bonuses out of six. They also took the first picture round, on descriptions of animals with Spanish derived names in Spanish, and took a full set, which meant they already led 85-0.

And when Mr McParlon took the next starter, and Birmingham took one bonus on the work of cartoonist Sarah Andersen, they already had a 100 point lead. Another starter and sole bonus went Birmingham's way, before Mr Khan-White did the right thing and took an early punt on the next starter, but all he managed to do was drop his side into negative figures. Birmingham didn't pick up, but Mr Robinson did take the next starter and they followed it up with another sole bonus. Sussex finally got some proper points on the board with the music round, on musicals set during the Second World War; one correct bonus of their own took the scores to 130-10.

Birmingham quickly resumed their dominance though, Mr Robinson taking a starter that gave them a bonus set on the late Irrfan Khan, which they took two of this time. Another early punt from Mr Khan-White sadly cost his team another five; Birmingham didn't pick up, only for Mr Bartelle to take the next starter and all three bonuses to follow. Sussex did take the second picture round, on recent additions to the BFI's list of films to see by the age of 15, but couldn't take any bonuses, which left them trailing 175-15.

The match was long over as a contest, it was just a question of how high both teams could score. Mr Asri took a guess on the next starter, but was wrong; Mr Bartelle took one and was right, though no bonuses followed. Ms Sajit made sure all four Birmingham players had contributed a starter, and one bonus took them past 200. Mr Asri took another valiant early guess on the next starter, but lost another five and handed Mr Robinson a tap-in and Birmingham all three bonuses. Another starter to Birmingham, two bonuses, and that was the gong; Birmingham won 245-10.

A very one-sided contest indeed, but still a watchable and enjoyable game. Very well done to Birmingham, who look a very solid team indeed and could well be one to watch; best of luck to them next time! Hard lines to Sussex, for whom the questions just didn't fall, and who must be a good team to have made it onto the show; alas, their score is the lowest of the BBC era for a student team. They came across well when they did get in though, and took it well, so good on them and thanks for playing!

The stats: Mr Robinson was, just, the best buzzer of the night with six starters to Mr Bartelle's five, while Mr Harcourt took both of Sussex's two starters. On the bonuses, Birmingham managed 23 out of 39 and Sussex just 1 out of 6 (with three penalties).

Next week's match: the first play-off! I would guess St John's will be playing; will retweet anything I find confirming the teams.

Only Connect pitted the Golfers and the Jukeboxers in the second qualifier match. The teams were tied on 4-each after the first round, before the Golfers eked out a 10-8 lead after the second. A better wall saw that lead increase to 17-13, and a better Missing Vowels performance saw them home 24-16.

 

Mastermind was won very narrowly by OC winning captain Richard Aubrey with 25 points, just one ahead of second placed Sam Anderson. Hayley Goddard and Tara Jackson-Rigchung also competed, finishing on 18 and 15 respectively.

 

Brain of Britain began its semi-finals with a very close contest indeed, with three contestants tied going into the final round. Phil Small ended up victorious with 11 points, one ahead of Chris Kilbride on 10, with Rachael Neiman-Wiseman third on 8 and Mark Manson completing the line-up with 3. As a big Laurel and Hardy fan, I got both the Beat the Brains questions, though I must say, how any non-L&H obsessive could’ve gotten the second, I do not know!