University Challenge 2021-22: Semi-Final 2: Edinburgh vs Reading

Good evening friends, and welcome to the penultimate match of this year's UC! A good match looked in prospect tonight, between two excellent teams who have played brilliantly all series and are both worthy semi-finalists, but only one could join Imperial in the final next week.

Edinburgh got here undefeated, beating Peterhouse of Cambridge easily in the first round, Bristol narrowly in the second, Trinity easily in their first QF and fellow SFers Emmanuel narrowly in their second. They were the same foursome as those previous games: 

Ben Russell Jones, from near Caerphilly (originally Bridgend), studying Philosophy and Politics

Lewis Thomas, from London (originally Strathkinnes in Fife), graduated in History

Captain: Rishi Sundar, from Manchester, studying Computational Physics

Niall Karunaratne, from Hull, studying Physics

 

Reading defeated Strathclyde in the first round and Dundee in the second, both comfortably, then narrowly beat Birmingham in the first QF before losing their second to Imperial; their play-off then saw them comfortably see off St John's. They were the same four as their last two matches: 

Sylvian Jesudoss, from Thanjuvar, India, studying Marketing

Margaret Ounsley, from Reading, studying Poor Law History

Captain: Michael Hutchinson, from Andover, graduated with a PGCE

Kira Bishop, from Slough, studying Maths and Psychology

 

So, off we set for the penultimate time this series, and Mr Thomas opened the scoring points of the game identifying Gladstone, with one of the clues also forming part of the starter that won Edinburgh the final a couple of series back! The Scots side took two bonuses on people called Smith, before Mr Hutchinson took his and Reading's first starter of the game, and they matched their opponents with two bonuses of their own. Edinburgh retook the lead, with Mr Thomas nicely swooping once the key clue to the next starter came; no bonuses came this time, but Mr Sundar then earned his side the first picture round, on trajectories of space probes. A full bonus set took Edinburgh's lead to 55-20.

Mr Hutchinson reawoke Reading with the next starter however, and their bonus work proved more consistant, as they again took two. The Royals captain then gave his side a second successive correct starter, and one bonus on film put them on level pegging. Mr Jones then put Edinburgh back in front, which gave his side a bonus set on matrixes, which they took two correct from. Back came Reading as Ms Ounsley took her first starter of the night; bonuses on adjectives beginning with W provided two correct of their own to level the game again. The Biscuitmen then took the lead as they took the music round, on artists featured in the Museum of New York's Alternative Music exhibition; just one bonus came, but they did now lead 90-75.

Five points were then lost to a penalty however, and Mr Jones duly swooped to take Edinburgh back onto level pegging; a bonus set on dinosaurs failed to give them the points to retake the lead however, and Mr Hutchinson then gave Reading the lead back as he identified Egypt for the next starter, before a timely full bonus set on opera took them into three figures. The second picture round, on images from Absurdist plays, also went to Reading; two correct bonuses meant they had opened up a lead of 130-85.

Edinburgh needed the next starter, an old school UC one requiring a word to be spelled using chemical symbols, and Mr Sundar duly obliged; bonuses on astrophysics gave them the one bonus they needed to get into three figures. But Ms Ounsley took the next starter for Reading, which gave them more room to breathe; just one bonus on revolutions was taken, but time was now in their favour. Edinburgh needed a quick full house; Mr Thomas obliged with the next starter, but just one bonus on ballet was taken, and that was game over. Indeed, there was no time for the second starter they'd have needed; at the gong, Reading won 145-115.

A good contest between two excellent well matched teams, both of whom would've been worthy finalists. Congratulations to Reading, worthy finalists, and very very best of luck to them next week! Hard lines to Edinburgh, but they've also been brilliant this series and would've been worthy finalists as well; well done to them on a fine series of performances and thanks for playing!

The stats: Mr Hutchinson was, once again, the best buzzer of the night with five, taking his running total to 40, while Mr Thomas was best for Edinburgh with three, meaning he and Mr Jones end their run their joint best buzzers with 19 each. On the bonuses, Edinburgh managed 9 out of 21 and Reading 14 out of 24 (with the night's one penalty), so it was a better bonus rate that won it for Reading.

Next week's match: the final! Imperial vs Reading. A fuller preview coming later in the week, hopefully.

Mastermind’s penultimate semi-final was a very good and close one indeed, with Martin McCann and blog reader Rachael Neiman-Wiseman both finishing on 22, and Dom Walker and Counterpoint finalist Sarah Trevarthen both finishing on 23 and no passes! Ms Trevarthen won the resulting tie-breaker 4-2 to win the show and take the penultimate place in the final.

 

Round Britain Quiz returned to Radio 4 this afternoon as well, with Kirsty Lang making her debut as host, and doing a pretty good job of it, and newly crowned Counterpoint champ Frankie Fanko making her debut on the show for the Midlands team, who won the show.