Good evening again my friends, and welcome back to Quizzy Mondays! The penultimate one with a full line-up too, with Brain of Britain ending next week. We're now halfway through the first series of the Amol Rajan era, and how well is it going? In my opinion, very well indeed! And that looked set to continue tonight with another excellent second round match up, with another excellent team sadly set to bow out whatever the outcome...
Hertford College Oxford were comfortable 230-155 winners in their first match, and look all the more impressive given that their opponents, Open, have since gone on to survive to the repechage and pull off two comfortable wins of their own to reach the QFs. Hoping to join them were the unchanged foursome of:
Ollie Sourbut, from Ware in Hertfordshire (originally Bath), studying Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems
Omer Keskin, from South London, studying Computer Science
Captain: Daniel Whittle, from Manchester (originally Saskatchewan), studying Classical Reception
Rupavardhini Balakrishnan Raju, from India, studying Law
U.C.L. defeated King's of Cambridge two weeks earlier, leading a close contest throughout and surviving a decent recovery from their opponents to win 190-145. They were also the same quartet as before:
James Hall, from North Finchley, studying Law
Ali Izzatdust, from Portugal and Azerbaijan, studying Intellectual History
Captain: Tayana Sawh, from North London, studying Medicine
Jacob Finlay, from Cranleigh in Surrey, studying Public Administration
So, off we set once again then, and it was Mr Whittle who visibly beat two others to the buzzer to take the first starter of the night; two bonuses followed, before Mr Keskin, their MVP in the first round, pounced on a slip-up from their opponents to take his first starter of the night, which was followed by another pair of bonuses. U.C.L. did take their first starter to get back into positive figures, and took all three bonuses to boot, but Hertford responded likewise. The first picture round, on locations of cities where peace treaties were signed, went to U.C.L.; one bonus meant they trailed 65-35. Another starter and full bonus set put them within five, only for a penalty to set them back again. Mr Izzatdust recouped the points, taking, what was already, his fourth starter of the game, and another full house gave them the lead. And they weren't stopping there, as two starters in a row to Mr Hall, plus a penalty to their opponents, meant they had suddenly pulled away to twice the Oxonians' score. Hertford did reawake with the music round, on preludes for solo instruments; two bonuses cut the gap to 125-80.
A second starter in a row gave Hertford took them into three figures, and another penalty from their opponents suggested they could pull back again. But U.C.L. duly reawoke through the impressive Mr Izzatdust again, taking two bonuses, only for Hertford to respond likewise. But U.C.L. then took two starters in a row, including the second picture round, on artefacts and their cultures; their impressive bonus form dried up with just one of the resulting six, but they did now lead 165-120. Still either team's game, but another starter to U.C.L. put them within sight of victory; just one bonus followed though, and no bonuses came from their next set, leaving the door ajar for their opponents. Up popped Mr Keskin to take the next starter, and two bonuses kept them in the game. But another starter to U.C.L. put them out of sight, as did two bonuses on porridge. There was time for one more starter and correct bonus to the Londoners before the gong; U.C.L. won 225-140.
Another good contest that was either team's contest until the very end. Well done to U.C.L., another good showing, an improvement on their first, and very best of luck in the next round! Hard lines to Hertford, a strong team too who could easily have won in different circumstances; a good effort to go out on though, thanks for playing!
The stats: Mr Izzatdust was comfortably the best buzzer of the night with seven starters, while Mr Keskin was, again, best for Hertford with four. On the bonuses, Hertford managed a good 15 out of 21 (with one penalty) and U.C.L. a strong 22 out of 39 (with three penalties).
Next week's match: Manchester vs Edinburgh
Only Connect concluded the
play-off round with the Isotopes vs the Gardners. The former led 3-2 after the first
round, and 8-5 after the second. Two perfect walls meant it was as you were,
18-15 going into Missing Vowels, and the Isotopes increased their advantage in
that to win 26-16.
Mastermind was a ridiculously close
contest, resulting in three contenders, Scott Torrance, Pamela Fell and Damian
Pugh all finishing with 19 points! It came down to passes and, with none to
Pamela’s two and Damian’s four, it was Scott won emerged triumphant. Nicola Grant
completed the line-up with 13.
Brain of Britain’s fourth and
final semi-final got off to a most unusual start as, at the end of it, all four
players had 3 points! George Scratcherd ended up winning, sprinting away in the
third and fourth rounds, and ultimately winning with 16, six ahead of second
placed Sue Brooks with 10. Matt Barr and Brian Leddy completed the line-up with
8 and 7 respectively. So, George joins Dan Adler, Eleanor Ayres and Colin Kidd
in a(nother) high quality grand final line-up; it’s going to have to go to
something to beat last year’s, but this line-up is certainly capable of it!
Best of luck to all four next week!
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